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HOMEROOM GUIDANCE PROGRAM

1st Quarter, Week 1 – 2
S.Y. 2021-2022

Activity1 Title: DESCRIBING EFFECTIVE STUDY HABITS

Learning Competency: Identify the methods of effective study habits towards lifelong learning.
MELC: The learner describes the effective learning methods being employed. (HGJA-Ia-2)
Reference: https://psychcentral.com/lib/top-10mosteffective study habits/

Concept Notes:
Effective study habits -- studying smarter -- can be learned to improve your ability to better retain reading
material. These habits include approaching study with the right attitude, choosing the right environment, minimizing
distractions, setting a realistic schedule, and employing memory games, among others.
If you want better grades, you need more effective study habits. The key to effective studying isn’t cramming or
studying longer, but studying smarter. You can begin studying smarter with these ten proven and effective study habits.
1. How you approach studying matters.
Too many people look at studying as a necessary task, not an enjoyment or opportunity to learn. That’s fine, but
researchers have found that how you approach something matters almost as much as what you do. Being in the right
mindset is important in order to study smarter.
Ways to help improve your study mindset:
 Aim to think positively when you study, and remind yourself of your skills and abilities.
 Avoid catastrophic thinking. Instead of thinking, “I’m a mess, I’ll never have enough time to study for this exam,”
look at it like, “I may be a little late to study as much as I’d like, but since I’m doing it now, I’ll get most of it
done.”
 Avoid absolute thinking. Instead of thinking “I always mess things up,” the more objective view is, “I didn’t do so
well that time, what can I do to improve?”
 Avoid comparing yourself with others, because you usually just end up feeling bad about yourself. Your skills and
abilities are unique to you, and you alone.
2. Where you study is important.
A lot of people make the mistake of studying in a place that really isn’t conducive to concentrating. A place with a
lot of distractions makes for a poor study area. If you try and study in your dorm room, for instance, you may find the
computer, TV, or a roommate more interesting than the reading material you’re trying to digest.
3. Bring everything you need, nothing you don’t.
Unfortunately, when you find an ideal place to study, sometimes people bring things they don’t need. For
instance, while it may seem ideal to type notes into your laptop to refer back to later, computers are a powerful distraction
for many people because of their versatility. Playing games, checking your feeds, texting, and watching videos are all
wonderful distractions that have nothing to do with studying. So, ask yourself whether you really need your laptop to take
notes, or whether you can make do with old-fashioned paper and pen or pencil. Keep your phone in your purse or
backpack to keep distraction at bay as much as possible.
4. Outline and rewrite your notes.
Most people find that keeping to a standard outline format helps them boil information down to its most basic
components. People find that connecting similar concepts together makes it easier to remember when the exam comes
around. The important thing to remember in writing outlines is that an outline only words as a learning tool when it is in
your own words and structure. Every person is unique in how they put similar information together (called “chunking” by
cognitive psychologists). So, while you’re welcomed to copy other people’s notes or outlines, make sure you translate
those notes and outlines into your own words and concepts. Failing to do this is what often causes many students to
stumble in remembering important items.
5. Use memory games (mnemonic devices).
Memory games, or mnemonic devices, are methods for remembering pieces of information using a simple
association of common words. Most often people string together words to form a nonsense sentence that is easy to
remember. The first letter of each word can then be used to stand for something else – the piece of information you’re
trying to remember. The most common mnemonic device example is “Every Good Boy Deserves Fun.” Putting the first
letters of every word together — EGBDF — gives a music student the five notes for treble clef.
6. Practice by yourself or with friends.
The old age adage, practice makes perfect, is true. You can practice by yourself by testing yourself with either
practice exams, past quizzes, or flash cards (depending what kind of course it is and what’s available). If a practice exam
isn’t available, you can make one up for yourself and your classmates (or find someone who will). If a practice or old
exam from a course is available, use it as a guide – do not study to the practice or old exam! (Too many students treat such
exams as the real exams, only to be disappointed when the real exam has none of the same questions). Such exams help
you understand the breadth of content and types of questions to expect, not the actual material to study for.
7. Make a schedule you can stick to.
Too many people treat studying as the thing to do when you get around to it or have some spare time. But if you
schedule study time just as your class time is scheduled, you’ll find it becomes much less of a hassle in the long run.
Instead of last-minute cramming sessions, you’ll be better prepared because you haven’t put off all the studying into one
12-hour marathon. Spending 30 or 60 minutes every day you have a class studying for that class before or after is a lot
easier and will allow you to actually learn more of the material.
Scheduling is even more important if you’re going to be a part of a study group. If only half of your members are
committed to a study group for every meeting, then you need to find other study group members who are as committed as
you are.
8. Take breaks (and rewards!).
Because so many people view studying as a chore or task, it’s human nature to avoid it. If, however, you find
rewards to help reinforce what you’re doing, you may be pleasantly surprised by the change you may find in your attitude
over time. Rewards start by chunking study time into manageable components. Studying for 4 hours at a time with no
breaks is not realistic or fun for most people. Studying for 1 hour, and then taking a 5-minute break and grabbing a snack
is usually more sustainable and enjoyable. Divide study time into segments that make sense and work for you. If you have
to digest a whole textbook chapter, find sections in the chapter and commit to reading and taking notes on one section at a
time. Maybe you only do one section in a sitting, maybe you do two. Find the limits that seem to work for you.
9. Keep healthy & balanced.
It’s hard to live a balanced life while in school, I know. But the more balance you seek out in your life, the easier
every component in your life becomes. If you spend all of your time focusing on a relationship or a game, you can see
how easy it is to be out of balance. When you’re out of balance, the things you’re not focusing on – such as studying –
become that much harder. Don’t spend all of your time studying – have friends, keep in touch with your family, and find
interests outside of school that you can pursue and enjoy.
10. Know what the expectations are for the class.
Different professors and teachers have different expectations from their students. While taking good notes and
listening in class (and attending as many of the classes as you can) are good starts, you can do one better by spending
some time with the instructor or professor’s assistant. Talking to the instructor early on – especially if you foresee a
difficult course ahead – will help you understand the course requirements and the professor’s expectations. Maybe most
students in the class are expected to get a “C” because the material is so difficult; knowing that ahead of time helps set
your expectations, too.
ACTIVITY GUIDE
Read and analyze the statements below then put a check mark on the corresponding choices if you always,
sometimes or never did it.
Statements Always Sometimes Never
1. Do you fill out your planner with subject’s name, school calendar
(holidays, etc.), and personal dates (like meetings and reminders)?
2. Do you pack your backpack up before class, instead of rushing to do it last
minute?
3. Do you seek out a distraction-free area for studying?
4. Do you schedule out time during the week for homework and studying,
and for laundry and other chores?
5. Do you chat/call /text/email teachers or attend office hours when you need
help or have questions?
6. Do you seek out academic resources, such as the assistance of a writing
center or peer tutors, when you need them?
7. Do you space out your studying and do a little each day (to avoid
cramming the day before)?
8. When studying, do you utilize flashcards, practice tests, or online quizzes
to practice retrieving information?
9. Do you keep all of your books and notes together in a safe place?
10. Do you set mini-deadlines for yourself to break big assignments into
 smaller chunks?

ASSIGNMENT GUIDE

Direction: Among the mentioned 10 study habits, which for you is the most effective one? Explain your answer in
one paragraph with 5 sentences.

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Activity2 Title: WORKING INDEPENDENTLY

Learning Competency: Share knowledge, skills, and positive attitude helpful in lifelong learning
MELC: Demonstrate the ability to independently deal with personal tasks and actively participate in school
activities. (HGJA-Ic-5)
Reference: http://www.webguru.neu.edu/professionalism/professionalism/working-independently

Concept Notes:

One of the abilities that most faculty mentors desire to cultivate in their students is independence. Independence is
the state or quality of being independent.
A good place to begin is by carefully thinking about your own learning style. Useful questions to think about include:
 Do you like to work independently or do you need a more structured environment?
 Are you self-motivated or do you need regular feedback in order to make progress?
 Do you work best at your own pace or when prodded by others?

What does it mean to be independent?

 Becoming self-aware, self-monitoring and self-correcting;
 Knowing what you need to do;
 Taking the initiative rather than waiting to be told what to do;
 Doing what is asked to the best of your ability, without the need for external prodding, and working until the
job is completed;
 Learning to work at a pace that you can sustain;
 Taking ownership of your mistakes without looking for excuses; and
 Refusing to let self-doubt or negative emotions due to negative past experiences take you off course.

Key to being independent is your Self-awareness, Self-motivation, and Self-regulation.

 Self-awareness refers to your knowledge and understanding of yourself - your emotions, beliefs, assumptions,
biases, knowledge base, abilities, motivations, interests, etc. As you carry out your undergraduate research project,
make a conscious effort to learn about yourself - your abilities, beliefs, likes and dislikes.
 Self-Motivation refers to your ability to identify effective methods of getting yourself to move from thought to
action. Everyone is different. Some individuals are highly self-motivated while others require the imposition of
external deadlines or some type of reward or penalty in order to move from thought to action. Identifying your
specific needs in this area is the first step.
 Self-regulation focuses on your ability to affect personal and professional growth based on your self-awareness
and motivation.

ACTIVITY GUIDE

Answer the following questions in a maximum of 5 sentences.

1. How do you deal your personal tasks?

2. Why do you think it is important to deal with personal tasks independently?
3. Do you consider yourself as an independent learner? Why or why not?

ASSIGNMENT GUIDE

Read and understand the scenario below. Then, demonstrate your answer in a form of a drawing or poster.

The COVID 19-pandemic has changed our education system. Face-to-face classes are still not allowed.
MARTNSF is using the Modular Distance Learning modality. As a student, how can you show that you are an
independent learner?