Don't attempt to cram all your studying into one session.
If you want to become a successful student then you need to learn to be consistent in your studies and to have regular, yet shorter, study periods.
Plan when you're going to study.
Schedule specific times throughout the week when you are going to study each subject and stick to your schedule.
Study at the same time.
It's important you create a consistent, daily study routine. When you study at the same time each day and each week, you're studying will become a regular part of your life. You'll be mentally and emotionally more prepared for each study session and each study session will become more productive.
Each study time should have a specific goal
Before you start studying, set a study session goal that supports your overall academic goal (solve a mathematical problem using a given method)
Never procrastinate your planned study session
Never set aside what is planned in your schedule due to lack of interest.This will ensure all the subjects are given their appropriate timings.
Start with the most difficult subject first
Schedule study sessions for the subjects that are the most challenging to you to be the first in your schedule.For example you could schedule mathematics and science for morning preps and less difficult subjects for evening preps.
Always review your notes before starting an assignment.
Always make sure to take good notes in class. Before you start each study session, and before you start a particular assignment, review your notes thoroughly to make sure you know how to complete the assignment correctly. Reviewing your notes before each study session will help you remember important subject matter learned during the day, and make sure your studying is targeted and effective.
Make sure you're not distracted while you're studying.
Before you start studying find a place where you won't be disturbed or distracted. For some people this is a quiet cubical in the recesses of the library. For others is in a common area where there is a little background noise.
Use study groups effectively.
"Two heads are better than one?" Well this can be especially true when it comes to studying. Working in groups enables you to: (1) get help from others when you're struggling to understand a concept, (2) complete assignments more quickly, and (3) teach others, whereby helping both the other students and yourself to internalize the subject matter. However, study groups can become very ineffective if they're not structured and if groups members come unprepared. Effective students use study groups effectively.
Review your summary notes, subject notes and other class materials during free time including holidays..

SETTING SMART STUDY GOALS

SMART goals are:

S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Attainable
R = Relevant, Rigorous, Realistic, and Results Focused
T = Timely and Trackable

Every study session must have a study goal which states the specific objective,can be measured at he end of the session,its realistic and time bound.

For example:Must be a specified topic and subtopic.Be such that at the end of the session one can measure if attained or not.Must be relevant to the content being studied and be realistic.

Varying Your Study Methods

Practicing different study methods and combining different techniques prevent mental fatigue and keep your brain engaged. Some of the best study techniques are:

Rewrite or Rephrase the Material in Your Own Words
Re-summarize it in your own words. Now glance back over the material to make sure you summarized the information accurately and remembered the relevant details. Make a mental note of whatever you missed and then move on to the next section. Without looking back down at the textbook, jot down the essentials of the material you just read. Then look over the book to make sure you haven't left out any necessary information.
Teach the Material to Someone Else
Find a study-buddy, or a patient friend or relative, or even just a figurine or stuffed animal and explain the material to them as if they're hearing about it for the first time. Whether the person you're teaching is real or not, the act of teaching material aloud to another human being requires you to re-frame the information in new ways and think more carefully about how all the elements fit together.
Quiz Yourself With Flashcards
Making your own flash cards can not only help you retain information just through the sheer act of writing it down, but will also help you connect pertinent pieces of information together. For subjects in which you must remember the connections between terms and information, such as formulas, vocabulary, equations, or historical dates, flashcards are the way to go.
Make Your Own Diagrams, Formula Sheets, and Charts

To help you to remember your science processes, create your own diagrams. For instance, for a biology class, draw your own cell and label the components or make your own Krebs cycle diagram. These pictures will typically be in your textbooks, so examine the picture you're given and then create your own diagram without looking at the textbook. See how much you've been able to accurately recreate and then do it again until it's perfect.

Sometimes making your own charts and diagrams will mean recreating the ones in your textbook from memory, and sometimes it will mean putting different pieces of information together yourself. Whatever the diagram type and whatever the class, writing your information down and making pictures out of it will help to lock the material in your mind.
Study New content when still fresh in your mind
Reviewing new material within 24 hours will help you to retain much more of what you learned than if you were to review the same information at a later date.
Stick to the Same Study Spaces
Your study space will be individual to you, so don't worry about how other people work best. Some people concentrate their best when surrounded by others, like in a study group , while some people can only study if they're alone or in a completely silent location. Experiment with different environments and spaces until you find the one you seem to work in best and then stick to it as your dedicated "study zone."

How can you identify your strengths in school?

It is important to know what you enjoy doing, things that you do well, and events or experiences that make you proud and that you feel passionate about.

Strengths can be formally identified in aptitude tests and by consistent course grades. Another way to identify strengths occurs by talking with people who know you well, like your parents, teachers and friends. Lastly, you can learn about your strengths through personal experiences and activities. By participating in extracurricular activities such as sports,music,drama,debating, particular strengths can be discovered and further developed.

WHAT IS PEER PRESSURE AND HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH IT!

Peers are people who are part of the same social group for example students,agemates,workmates .

The term "peer pressure" means the influence that peers can have on each other. Although peer pressure does not necessarily have to be negative, the term "pressure" implies that the process influences people to do things that may be resistant to, or might not otherwise choose to do. So usually the term "peer pressure" is used when people are talking about behaviors that are not considered socially acceptable or desirable.

Making good mates is important, but sometimes trying to fit in with a group can have detrimental consequences . Giving in to pressure from your friends to do something you normally wouldn't do can leave you feeling guilty, regretful, ashamed, embarrassed or even frightened.

Is Peer Pressure Always Bad?

In reality, the influence that people have on one another can be either positive or negative, so in another way, peer pressure could be applied to either socially desirable or socially undesirable behaviors. For example, peer pressure could influence a young person to become involved in sports,want to be identified with a certain profession,want to belong to an academically excelling group of students and so on. This involvement could be positive, leading to exposure to healthy lifestyles and role models, and eventually leading the young person to become a positive role model herself.

On the other side of the coin, that same peer pressure could lead the same young person to over-identify with sports, putting exercise and competition above all else. If taken to an extreme, she may develop "exercise addiction", resulting in health problems, and causing her to neglect her schoolwork, other social activities, and ultimately, using exercise and competition in sports as her main outlet for coping with the stresses of life.

Peer pressure, most likely lead to addictive vices, such as alcohol and drug use and sexual behavior, and to a lesser extent, food and eating patterns, video game and betting, and illegal activities.

However it is important to note Addiction is a complex process, which is affected by many different factors, so peer pressure alone is a culmination of many other factors.

How do I tell I am under Peer pressure?

You feel like you don’t fit in
It bothers you that you act in a certain way around particular people
You are doing things you don’t want to do.

How can peer pressure affect Me?

The way you dress or wear your hair
The activities you get involved in
The music you listen to
Your decisions about using drugs and alcohol
Who you’re friends with.

How do I handle peer pressure?

Think about why your friends had such a strong influence on your actions. Was this a way for you to gain self-confidence?
Did you feel that if you didn't join in, you would have no friends?
Hang out with people who like doing the same stuff you do.
Reflect on whether your friends are having a negative impact on you.
Focus on stuff that you enjoy and that leave you feeling uplifted, and avoid activities that make you feel guilty,ashamed or push you to lying.
Spend time with supportive friends and family members.Those that encourage you to be the best you can be.
SAY NO AND MEAN NO.If you suspect a friend is leading you astray,talk to a confidant like a parent and most important break the friendship.ITS NOT WORTH THE TROUBLE.
Avoid attending secretive events and if you attend only take drinks from sealed containers.If you become suspicious INFORM AN OLDER FAMILY MEMBER OR A TRUSTED PERSON.
Always make sure your parent or guardians know who your friends are.Introduce them.Your elders have experience and can pick bad character and counsel you accordingly.
God created all of us uniquely and in His image. Don't have pressure to change your body.Your are beautiful just the way you are.

What do I do if I am already a victim of peer pressure?

Talk to a family member or a trusted friend
Remember that many people of your age have sought help.
SEEK HELP

Remember:Friends don’t have to agree on everything

Respect other peoples choices and opinions while standing firm on your principals

********************************

FRIENDS ARE BUILDING BLOCKS

Choose friends that can encourage you when you feel weak,Lift you when you fall but also point out your mistakes.

Know 2-6-3-3-3 system of Education

The new curriculum has been touted as the ultimate remedy to limitations identified in the 8-4-4 system because it is entirely skills-based.

Learners will not sit exams but they will be evaluated through Continuous Assessment Tests (CATs) on the skills acquired as opposed to cramming for exams as has been the case.

Experts are of the view that it will enable learners to develop beyond academics and also focus on how best they can use their specific talents to make a living.

The needs of special needs children have also been incorporated in the curriculum which will integrate ICT at all levels of education.

The 2-6-3-3-3 model places emphasis on formative years of learning where learners will spend a total of eight years - 2 in pre-primary and six in primary.

Subjects to be taught in lower primary are Kiswahili, English, literacy, and mother tongue as well as science, social studies and agricultural activities.

Upper primary will include Kiswahili, English, Mathematics, Home Science, Agriculture, Science and Technology, Creative Arts (art, craft and music), Moral and Life Skills and Physical and Health Education.

Others are social studies (citizenship, geography and history) with an option of a foreign language (French, German, Chinese and Arabic).

Junior Secondary (grades 7, 8 and 9) and Senior Secondary Education (grades 10,11 and 12) will each take three years

Twelve core subjects will be taught at junior secondary - Mathematics, Kiswahili, English, life skills, health education, social studies, integrated science, business studies, religious education, agriculture, life skills, sports and physical education.)

Learners at this level will also be required to take a minimum of one and a maximum of two optional subjects that suit their career choices, personalities, abilities and interests.

Home science, foreign languages, Kenyan sign language, indigenous languages, visual arts, performing arts, Arabic and computer science will be optional at junior secondary.

Learners at senior secondary (ages 15-17) will focus on three areas of specialization depending on their skills, talents and interests.

These are arts and sports science, social sciences and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

Graduates from this level will have the option to join vocational training centres or pursue university education for three years.

Essential Life Skills For Teens

Money or Budgeting Skills
Make a budget and stick to it. know when to spend and when to save.Know how to Save money to buy or invest in something. Maintain financial records.Assess the basic market value of goods.
Dressing Sense or Clothing Skills
Picking the right sized clothes, a decent outfit.Choosing the right kind of clothes for the right occasion.Sewing is a skill both men and women can benefit from.Iron a shirt, a trouser or suit. What is more important is to distinguish between clothes that need ironing and those that don’t .Do the laundry. wash clothes by hand or using a washing machine and to deal with simple stains.Fold clothes and put them neatly in their cupboard.Pack a suitcase.Read and understand fabric labels.
Personal Grooming
Teach them healthy habits like brushing and bathing daily, care for their skin and hair.Boys should know how to shave or maintain facial hair in a hygienic way.Teach girls to stay clean during their periods, proper disposal of sanitary pads, etc.
Cleanliness and Hygiene
Dusting and vacuuming.Mopping floors and getting rid of cobwebs.Keeping bathrooms and toilets clean.Keeping the kitchen clean.Clearing garbage regularly.Eliminating clutter from time to time.Knowing how to clean dishes by hand.
Personal Healthcare and Basic First Aid
Knowledge of personal health and over-the-counter medications that can come in handy.Knowing when to go to the doctor.Taking proper care of self, through proper diet and environment, in the case of illnesses like common colds, fever or the flu.Health insurance and how it can help them. .Handle medical emergencies, like calling 999 or the emergency number in your country.Get to learn basic first aid skills like how to clean a wound, use bandage, and other first aid in case of medical emergencies, which may enable him to save a life, should such a situation arise in the future.
Social skills and manners
Explore and pursue hobbies, recreational interests and activities to meet like-minded people.Develop and maintain friendships.Create and nurture personal relationships. Valuing relationships and people in our life.Maintain healthy family relationships.Know party etiquette, including how to be host and guest.Respect people and their views, regardless of what they think about others.
Organization skills
A place for everything and everything in its place. Use an organization tool or system to arrange books, clothes, and other things.Organization also helps de-clutter a room and makes it easier to find something in less time.
Domestic skills – managing a home
Basic maintenance of the house: vacuum, dust and clean the house. Simple things like fixing a broken circuit, locating water furnace and turning it off or on, and addressing the basic plumbing issues .
Communication Skills
There is a need to understand the individual’s temperament before determining how to communicate with them.Nobody likes being told what to do.The importance of listening skills in communication.Empathy and the importance of understanding another person’s perspective are necessary.Negotiation skills to create win-win situations.Different forms of communication like writing, talking and non-verbal behavior.Using different modes of communication like a telephone, letters or email, etc.
Behavioral Skills
Accepting a mistake, admitting a fault and taking responsibility for their actions .Apologizing. Say ‘sorry’ and not feel embarrassed about it.Be polite and say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ when needed.Stand up for what you believe is right, conscientiousness, and a sense of responsibility for the less fortunate.Stay true selves and others. Honesty is a trait that should be encouraged to develop.Ask for help when needed. Be self-reliant, but there are times when we all need help. It is ‘okay’ to ask for help.
Skills to Stay Safe:
Stay safe on the road when alone. Use common sense and avoid secluded parking places, deserted roads and empty plots away from civilization.Call for help and avoid venturing on your own at night.Avoid traveling with strangers or picking up hitchhikers when traveling alone. Have someone meet you on the way if you run late.Keeping someone posted about your whereabouts is a good idea.Carry extra cash just in case they need to take a taxi.
Coping with Emotions
Self-management or control, this allows you to set the pace to how you react to different situations, people and things in life.Learn to cope with loneliness and being away from loved ones when in school. .Avoiding impulsive decisions that can have severe consequences, mostly negative.Managing feelings in a healthy way. Tthink and act, rather than react. Reactions can result in negative consequences, but thoughtful action seldom does.As an adult, your teen will have to deal with stress at work, home, in personal relationships and so on. Coping with stress is an important skill you should acquire.A critical skill is accepting your emotions. Emotion is bad or good, and it is okay to feel happy, sad, afraid, angry, silly, jealous and even guilty. The trick is not to dwell on a particular emotion.Learn different ways to deal with emotions, such as physical activity, meditation, listening to music, or just by talking about it.Spirituality can also help in coping with major changes in life.
Problem-solving Skills
Face problems, rather than run away from them.The first step to problem solving is identifying the problem. The key is to find out exactly what is bothering you and why it is a problem. Narrow down the problem by asking a simple question: “Is my current situation different from how I would want it to be?”Once you pinpoint the problem, come up with a list of possible solutions to it.Analyze each solution to know which option gives you the desired result, or something close to it.Once you shortlist the options, use their decision-making skills to pick an option you think is best.Then apply the chosen solution.
Time Management
Organize your time using a simple timetable .Create a schedule and stick to it. Even the slightest deviation from the plan can leave you crunched for time.Prioritize tasks to use time responsibly. Identify important tasks and differentiate between what is important and what is urgent.Developing a routine makes it easier to manage time.

Warning

HOLIDAY ASSIGNMENTS

10 Habits of Highly Effective Students(by Becton Loveless)

Don't attempt to cram all your studying into one session.

Plan when you're going to study.

Study at the same time.

Each study time should have a specific goal

Never procrastinate your planned study session

Start with the most difficult subject first

Always review your notes before starting an assignment.

Make sure you're not distracted while you're studying.

Use study groups effectively.

Review your summary notes, subject notes and other class materials during free time including holidays..

Varying Your Study Methods

Rewrite or Rephrase the Material in Your Own Words

Teach the Material to Someone Else

Quiz Yourself With Flashcards

Make Your Own Diagrams, Formula Sheets, and Charts

Study New content when still fresh in your mind

Stick to the Same Study Spaces

How can you identify your strengths in school?

Is Peer Pressure Always Bad?

Essential Life Skills For Teens

Money or Budgeting Skills

Dressing Sense or Clothing Skills

Personal Grooming

Cleanliness and Hygiene

Personal Healthcare and Basic First Aid

Social skills and manners

Organization skills

Domestic skills – managing a home

Communication Skills

Behavioral Skills

Skills to Stay Safe:

Coping with Emotions

Problem-solving Skills

Time Management

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