How to actually use your class time

When it comes to using class time effectively, it may seem like a no brainer: pay attention, ask questions, don’t get distracted!

But like most no-brainers, this one too is easier said than done. Sure, you may promise yourself that you’ll stick to a routine and make the most out of your classes, but before you know it the 8-3 daily grind takes it’s toll and zoning out during class becomes all too easy to justify.

As attractive as the option to ‘just do it later’ may seem, we all know that you’re only setting yourself up for more of a struggle later on. Class is super important for getting an understanding of the content early as well as providing an opportunity for you to seek clarification on anything you find difficult before it becomes a problem.

We can’t do anything to change the fact that you may have double maths on a Friday, but we can help you get through it. We’ve put together a 3 step plan to help you get the most out of class so that come time for the exam you are thanking your past self for setting you up to dominate.

Step 1: Take notes.

Ok, we get it - note taking in class may seem like the biggest ‘duh’ piece of advice out there, but it’s also the most important. We’ve talked about notes as an evolving process, a process that starts in class and continues right up until your final exam. This means that if you can get off to a good start by making effective class notes, you’ll have a much easier time refining them into a useful study resource.

It’s pretty hard to say there’s some sort of magical formula for the perfect set of notes because each person has their own style and we simply have to respect that, but there are some things good notes have in common:

1. They don’t take everything down. It’d be like highlighting every line out of a textbook, or writing out one of the scripts from our videos; it’s pointless and you’re making your job harder. They write down the logic behind what you’re hearing, or questions you want to ask later.
2. They need to be in your own words. This means that when your teacher says “the sordid eclecticism of the post-modern landscape heightens the power of the above mentioned image” you’re not battling your way to write something that you DON’T understand. It’s far better to just write it in simpler words that you’ll understand: “the mix of imagery in this landscape makes the whole scene more powerful,” and then make everything fancy later on.

Not only will writing better notes during class help you absorb and interpret the content, but it’ll also keep you focused. Taking quality notes in your own words means you’re forcing yourself to really pay attention and understand what’s being said, as opposed to simply writing down what you hear while you think about what’s for dinner.

Step 2: Use your teachers - they are one of your best resources!

As much as it seems brutal to make teachers out like some sort of robot with all the answers, it’s completely up to you guys as students to make the most out of your teachers and ask them as many questions as you think necessary.

So, what this means is that if you don’t understand something and you’ve tried to figure it out multiple times but it’s still not sinking in: ask your teacher. If you battled with homework: ask them. If you’re interested in something in history: ask your teacher. They’re in this almost as much as you and they’re as interested in the course as anyone can be, it’s why they’re teaching it.

Of course, if a question is super irrelevant, they’ll probably let you know, but if you can gain even a shred of benefit from an answer they’ll go all guns blazing and help you with it. Teachers need to have questions asked of them in order for you to get the most out of them. It’s just a simple reality that you need to embrace and make the most out of.

Just don’t be that person that goes AWOL and zooms through a class at about 400 QPM (questions per minute) because at the end of the day you have a lot of content to get through in year 12. Asking pointless questions will not only waste your time but also that of your classmates; besides nobody wants to be ‘that guy’.

Asking questions gets you answers. Getting answers gets you marks. Getting marks gets you a higher ATAR… you get the idea.

Step 3: Following up.

As satisfying as it may be to slam shut a book as the bell rings, we all know class doesn’t end in the classroom. It’s important that you follow up on what you learned to make sure you really got the most out of that particular class.

There are a number of ways to round off the class the night after it’s happened:

First things first: revise the content of today’s class.

You may have left the old ‘look-cover-write-check’ back in primary school, but its days are far from over. The best way to recap on the content is to jot down the 3 main points from class without looking at your notes. Then, read over what you wrote in class and add to your list if necessary, making sure that the ‘points’ you come up with reflect the main ideas in a way that is relevant and links to the syllabus. This revision stage shouldn’t take more than 10-15 minutes - you’re just making sure you understand the content before you try applying it.

Next, try applying the content and practicing what you’ve learned.

Even if you don’t have structured homework, you should still use this chance to do a few practice questions from the textbook, plan an essay, or watch a video just to make sure that you understand everything.

Finally, always aim to be one step ahead.

Just as we said class doesn’t end in the classroom, it doesn’t start there either.

Rather than walking into class in the dark with the ‘I wonder what I’ll learn today’ mentality, you should take ownership of your learning and come to class prepared. This means not only knowing what syllabus points you’ll be covering but also having given the content a look in advance.

If you can squeeze in a 6 minute video before class, you’ll not only feel more comfortable with what you’re learning, but you’ll also get a chance to show off and answer all those hypothetical questions the teacher asks at the start of a new topic.