High school is an exciting time for learning as your students tackle subjects with increasingly difficult content. Although you’re still teaching them, your students are beginning to realize that it takes more than classroom instruction to really know the material: they need to study on their own as well. Here are a few study tips that you can give your students to spur them on to success:

Track Your Time

One of the biggest hurdles in studying is using time effectively. One useful time-tracking tool that you can show your students is the Pomodoro technique. Your students will set a timer for twenty-five minutes of uninterrupted study—no phone, no games, no distractions. When the timer goes off, they can take a five-minute break. After four cycles of studying, they can reward themselves with a fifteen-to-thirty-minute break. The Pomodoro technique (or just using timers in general) motivates your students because they know they’ll get a break—they just need to hang on a little longer. Having a designated study time will help minimize distractions. To avoid the temptation of digital devices, students can put their phones on the other side of the room until the timer goes off. Some students may benefit from even shorter periods of high-focus time, such as the classic fifteen minutes increment, especially for more intense study. (Researchers have found that the average person’s focus starts to wobble around the twenty-minute mark.)

Make Connections

Grammar and math are skills-based subjects, but that doesn’t mean they’re impossible to study. If your students have textbooks that list grammar rules or the steps to different mathematical processes, they can practice these skills anywhere. Students can create their own sentences applying grammar concepts or make their own equations and math problems. Students can also look for examples of math and grammar “out in the wild.” They can take the literature selections they are reading for English and hunt for illustrations of grammar rules. Or they can examine newspaper articles, blog posts, or advertisements to look for how rules are kept and sometimes broken. Students can practice algebra by using an equation to determine how long it will take them to travel from one location to the next. You can also encourage your students to look for geometrical balance in the architecture, art, and nature they see all around them. Seeing how these concepts relate to real life will help students understand the relevance of what they’re studying.

Memorize Musically

Subjects like history and science often require straight memorization. If your students struggle with this no-frills approach, encourage them to set the content to music! Putting dates, terms, and lists to music makes memorization a little more manageable—and a lot more enjoyable. Any rhythm, rhyme, and alliteration that your students can create will lock the concepts in even more.

Capitalize on the Ridiculous

Our brains are wired to watch out for the extraordinary, a reality that enables the study tip called ridiculous associations. The sheer monotony of study can be disrupted by applying the funniest mnemonic or the strangest concept doodle your students can contrive. For example, the order of operations may feel monotonous (parentheses, exponents, multiplication and division, addition and subtraction)—that is, until it transforms into “Pudgy Elves May Demand A Snack.” The quirkier it is, the more unforgettable the mnemonic should prove to be.

Make it Visual

Many students struggle to study material unless they see it. Encourage them to keep important concepts in their line of sight. They can put sticky notes with terms and dates on their mirrors or dressers to gain a little extra study time in the mornings. They can create their own timelines for history and place them in a prominent place. They can soak in new knowledge by placing notes inside a plastic bag or page protector and sticking that to the shower wall. Help your students realize that they can study anytime, anywhere—they just need to have the information in the right places.

Focus on Flashcards

Students can put a new twist on an old technique by creating digital flashcards through Brainscape or other online platforms. These platforms often have multiple methods for students to test their knowledge, making them an excellent study tool. Or students can go the traditional route and create their own physical flashcards with important dates and terms. Research shows that handwriting will improve students’ memorization even more effectively that typing.

Mimic the Teacher

By mimicking the teacher, students may find themselves approaching the test more like the teacher too. While this technique works best at a chalkboard or white board, students can make-do with tutor mode rather than teacher mode, downsizing to a piece of paper. The key is to cover the visual, auditory, and read/write learning styles in one short study session. Students should select a part of the class material and teach it as effectively as possible, jotting down the key notes and diagrams on the board as they go. While standing in front of a small audience (perhaps a friend or two) is preferable but not required, students may benefit most if they record themselves to watch later as a more passive form of review. When students re-teach a subject, they summarize it in their own words, storing the information in ways that they will understand best.

Speak to the Camera

Similarly, reading through class notes for video or audio can also be an easy way to study reading subjects like history or literature. Especially helpful for auditory learners, listening to the intonation of their own voices read the class notes can be a more efficient and less stressful study time, thanks to rewind and replay. Also students working in manual labor can listen to their notes and work with their hands at the same time—a technique which could work for certain kinesthetic learners.

Snooze for Success

The data is in—high school students are notorious for getting less sleep than they need for optimal brain processing (falling two hours shy per night, on average). While sleep plays a significant role in shuffling information into useful order for faster recall the next day, a lack of sleep will influence attention span, critical thinking skills, problem solving, and basic information processing. The tired brain is like a car stuck in the mud—a lot of effort for very little helpful output. While for nervous test takers the command to simply “get more sleep” may be a tall order the night before a test, if teachers are thinking about the “whole person” and are encouraging a healthy sleep schedule at least two weeks before tests and exams, the grade-crushing level of sleep debt may be avoided.

Pray for Growth and Calm

Estimates vary widely on the percent of students who struggle with testing anxiety. However, the percentage is high enough that you’ve likely seen it represented in your classroom. Whether students are experiencing mild or debilitating fear, prayer can be a mediating factor. Many online resources offer pre-written prayers for anxious students; however, your students may be comfortable offering up their own concerns and asking for God’s help. When paired with healthful breathing and their consciously trying to release the jitters, students should see benefit from consistently praying for their personal growth through this testing season. Encourage them to pray before each study session—and not just before the test itself. This practice should help students orient themselves to their primary goal of growing in wisdom and in favor with God and man. And through this reorienting practice, students may remember that school is more about growth than perfection. (It’s easy for certain students to forget this concept when they’re fixating on the grading scale’s zero to one hundred.)

While the last two techniques should be practical for all Christian school students because they transcend learning styles, your students may find that only one of the previous techniques works best for them; others may find results in a combination of methods. The best method will be whichever method your students apply consistently. The good study habits you instill in your students now will prepare them for whatever academic endeavors God calls them to in the future.

Thank you for investing in Christian education, and may this testing time go smoothly. Happy grading!