You might be thinking that you are studying 8-10 hours a day. But, you are not. With all the distractions near you the effective studying is way less than it should be. And when you are studying in a group with your friends, the chances of getting distracted are even greater. Avoiding this is very much possible. It just needs some conscious working from your end to avoid the distracting things deliberately. 

The advantages of group studying are numerous as related to studying alone by yourself. Sometimes we often see parents stressing over the alone studying model for their students. This is mainly because they are worried about the net gain their child would get post group study session. Well, that’s because in their experience this is what happens. Students when study in a group are prone to distractions more and study less. But parents and students can work together to reverse this general notion. 

Let us see some practical ways in which students can study in a group without getting distracted.

1. Keep the Distractions to A Minimum

When studying in a group this is the biggest possibility – getting distracted. Is it avoidable? Yes!

The first and most important to achieve this is to keep all the smartphones aside. Students must put all the phones away as soon as the session starts in a basket or box. The strong temptation of checking the notifications as soon as the phone beeps can be checked by this effective way. Parents can check that this is done honestly. 

Apart from that, make sure to put away all toys, games and game consoles away from the sight. Furthermore, the focusing and avoiding distractions must be deliberate from side of children. Unless the students are driven towards making the most of group studying, effective avoidance of distractions would be difficult to achieve.

2. Deal with The Hunger Foremost

Hungry young minds will be distracted and have the least focus. Sometimes the students are unable to concentrate just because they are hungry and low in energy. As parents, we can handle this and combat the fatigue and lack of focus by attending to the hunger and food demands. A healthy and filling snack before the students sit down to study will fuel up their body and help the mind to focus and grasp better. 

3. Find A Spot That Works the Best for Them

This might take a while to figure out with numerous trials and errors. But figuring this out is extremely important. Parents can guide students to decide and finalize a spot for their group study sessions. The most essential requirement must be that it should be away from all distractions. 

If the students are inside a house, make sure that the room must be away from any television, music sounds, main door or a busy road – to be specific any area which has more chances for sound or physical distractions. These are few ways to finalize a spot for group studying but a consistency of doing the session in this area only is the key to focus and concentration while studying.

4. Create a Routine That Works for Everyone

A fixed routine is the trick for stable concentration for students. All the children in the study group must finalize a time frame for group studying that works for everyone of them. Ideally it shouldn’t be too late in the day as the energy levels are low for all during that time. And, not immediately after the school as they body and mind both need some time to relax and rejuvenate to enable a fresh mindset while studying. Select the dates and time that work for all the students.

The best advantage of group studying when done in this way is that the students get to finish their homework with peers that includes discussions and sharing of knowledge. This to and fro model of learning is long term and helps in retaining of information in a better way. When studying is done like this the students will have better concept formation rather than having to cramp things up.

5. Students Motivate Each Other

Friends when study in a group tend to motivate each other – whether knowingly or unknowingly. There might be a kid in the study group who is little weak subject area, but when he studies with his peers in a group he will grasp more and learn better due to continuous discussions and doubt clearing done amongst the students. What better learning than this way!

The children have a very fragile confidence and are emotional little people. But when they study with students of their age group who are friends, they are far more comfortable and relaxed. A relaxed mind is important for better learning through enhanced focusing and grasping ability.

6. Don’t Forget A Break or Relaxing Time

If the study session is little longer and as a parent you can see the students getting exhausted, it is best to let them have a little break. They can in this time just chat, listen to some music or play.  A little snack doesn’t hurt anyone, right! And then they can return to studies with a fresh mind and full tummy. Works great for everyone!

7. Reward Them

Parents can reward the students with some after study session television time, or ice cream treat. When there is reward at the end of some exercise, students will be more enthusiastic to finish that task with a zeal. This reward system though must be little strict too. A quality group study session must be one clause for this reward to win. It would be a win-win for both parents and the students.

Group studying can be very beneficial for students and the same time enjoyable too. The concept clarity and new information that would be gained after the exchange of knowledge withing the students in study session is unmatched. So, parents don’t be at your wit’s end about the students request for group study. Roll with it and see the magic unfold.