STUDENT VOICE: Schools teach students what to learn, but rarely teach them how to learn

Schools spend years teaching algebra, chemistry and history to students. Yet too many finish high school without knowing how memory, attention and stress impact their learning. They assume that poor grades mean “they aren’t smart enough.” The truth is, few students are taught evidence-backed strategies for studying, getting a good night’s sleep and managing stress before high-pressure exams. If schools and teachers want students to thrive, they must teach them how to learn early on. Case in point: My high school classmate pulled an all-nighter before an Advanced Placement U.S. History exam at Lithonia High School in metropolitan Atlanta, cramming Heimler’s History videos. During the test, he forgot much of the content he had studied. His conclusion was clear: “Maybe I should’ve studied harder.” I disagreed. The issue wasn’t his effort. Nor his intelligence. It was that he had never been taught how learning worked. Related: A lot goes on in classrooms from kindergarten to high school.

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