We all have to get better grades when we are at school. It is important in the long term, it can help us draw a more promising future, our parents expect it, oh! there are a number of reasons to try to do it. The question is how. Simple, studying less, but more intelligently.
This comes from a highly-gifted adult, but it can sure help you. To study better, the first thing you need to do is to understand that a teacher is giving you a class as part of a program. You needed to learn how to add before being able to learn how to multiply, remember? OK, this same principle applies for all educational levels. He needs you to learn certain concepts so that he will be able to teach you other things later, so keep that in mind and take it easy. For instance, a dentist needs to be good in mathematics: else he wouldn't be able to calculate how much of a drug he would have to prescribe to a patient to cure him. He could overdose him if he didn't! You see?
Keeping this in mind can help you do something very important when you are studying: focus on the big picture. Many students think it is important to memorize things, and it is; but when you are trying to memorize everything, you are in big trouble. The truth is that only few things are really worth memorizing in real life: the numbers, the names of some countries, a few very remarkable dates... the rest? No. So ask yourself why you are being taught what you are being taught. This way, you can relate the lesson you are receiving today with the bigger goal in mind, and you will be able to discern which are the important points and which are not. You can even go ask your teacher about it!
Which takes me to the third point: Summarize. A lesson can be up to three hours long when you follow university studies. You may be in need of reading ten chapters of a book to be able to understand the explanation of the next class or lecture. Will you be able to memorize all that? Of course not! There is no need either. Make one-line summaries of the important points you detect while you read or while your teacher speaks. Then build a stronger summary using these lines as guidelines. You will soon notice you are remembering more details than before...
...Especially if you make these summaries in writing. Yes, by hand, in writing. Despite the fact computers are wonderful tools that help us save a lot of time, or despite the fact you can always highlight a book or write marginal notes while you read, there is nothing better for your brain than rewriting your idea by hand on a separate piece of paper. Rewriting not only to protect books from damage; writing usually triggers a process called subvocalization, which means that you repeat in your mind what you are writing as if you were saying it. Now you can see why writing by hand is important: You repeat it twice! what a great way to review what you are studying!
Which reminds me there is a very important thing to do when you are writing your summaries: You need to write about what is clear for you, what you understand. Tell me, do you clear your doubts? Do you make questions to your teachers? Do you really understand what he is trying to say? If not, why not? You don't go to school to lose your time, you go to school to learn, and to learn well. Don't accept anything less than that. Do your share and demand what you deserve.
This also shapes a stronger character for the rest of your life, which is a great advantage.
Heptagrama, the web summed up.
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