Focus takes more than willpower.

Most students want to improve their focus. They want to reduce their homework time. They want to retain more information from their study sessions. They want to perform well on exams.

But many well-intentioned teens sabotage their focus without realizing it.

If your teen is struggling to stay on task, ask them to consider these potential focus-destroying factors and pick two to work on this week:

1. Studying at the dining room table

It’s hard to focus when family members are constantly passing by or starting conversations. A dedicated study space minimizes disruptions. Pick a quiet room or corner and create a welcoming atmosphere with comfortable furnishings, good lighting, and a few plants.

2. Tackling the easy subjects first

There’s no need to make hard subjects harder! Approach them with a fresh, energized mind and save the easy stuff for later. If math is your most difficult subject, work on that homework first before moving onto English or history.

3. Studying for hours without a break

Instead of pounding out a three-hour study session, take a break every 30 minutes. You will work through the material faster and retain more of it long term. The breaks don’t have to be long. A few minutes of listening to music or stretching is all it takes to reenergize the brain.

4. Slouching

Slouching is as bad for your brain as it is for your back. At SuperCamp, we teach students to sit up and lean forward as part of our SLANT protocol. Good posture triggers the mind to be more alert.

5. Not asking questions in class

Instead of glazing over during lectures, ask the teacher questions and participate in discussions. This helps you engage with the material on a deeper level. (Plus, you will score brownie points with the teacher!)

6. Procrastinating until the last minute

Anxiety is the enemy of focus. Avoid feeling overwhelmed by planning study sessions in advance. For example, on Monday list all of your assignments for the week, and then decide when each one will be completed. Having a plan in place reduces procrastination.

7. Jumping right into writing assignments

Avoid writer’s block—and the distractions that come with it—with a quick brainstorming session. You will be less likely to drift off or get distracted if you have a clear plan.

8. Sitting in an uncomfortable chair

Nagging discomfort distracts even the most focused student. This is yet another reason to have a dedicated study space—one that accommodates an ergonomic office chair and desk set up.

9. Arriving late to class

It disrupts other students, it annoys the teachers, and it leaves the offender feeling flustered long after the class resumes. Arrive early and take a few moments to review your homework, especially on test days.

10. Thinking negatively

It’s hard to focus when negative thoughts are flying through our heads. This is doubly true when those negative thoughts are personal! Celebrate your abilities and accomplishments on a daily basis. As you become more confident, the self-criticism will fade away.

These are just a few of the strategies teens learn at SuperCamp to help them focus at school and at home. For more information about our academic summer camps, please call 800.228.5327. Ready to sign up? Call us or enroll online.

The post 10 Surprising Reasons Your Teenager Can’t Focus appeared first on SuperCamp.

We started day #3 at SuperCamp by learning the “Ownership Key.”

OWNERSHIP – Take responsibility for actions
Be responsible for your thoughts, feelings, words, and actions. “Own” the choices you make and the results that follow.

This means not just being responsible for the things we must be (chores, school, etc.) but taking responsibility for those things we don’t. That is making the choice to take ownership of doing what needs to be done. I love a poster they had to go along with this idea. It was just two words but they say it all: Response-Ability!

Then we went into our academic skills sessions, starting with learning Mind-mapping. Mind-mapping was pretty neat and the students really ‘got it’ quickly. It is so interesting to learn more about how our brains work and to learn and study in ways that are easy and natural for us. I hope these kids go back to school this fall feeling more confident in their abilities to be great students.

Next I was in SuperCamp Quantum Strategies with Facilitator Lucy. I loved her intro to this session because it is SO true! She said this class was all about “how to play the game called school [or work or life…] and WIN!”  So, we learned how to use a planner effectively and consistently to keep track of assignments and activities so we know how to be prepared to be successful. The students have the assignment to make sure to get a planner they like and can use consistently when they get home from SuperCamp. I need to do the same!

Then we learned Notes TM. Lucy taught us that we speak in 200-400 words per minute but our brains can process 600-800 words per minute, so if we learn how to take notes effectively, we can rely on our brains and capture tons of great information.

So, here’s the how you take notes with Notes TM:

Start by dividing your paper into halves, with “Notes Taking” (which comes from the Teacher) on the left, and “Making” (which comes from you) on the right. Then you list the corresponding information under each side, like so:

Next we talked about simple ways to make studying more effective, such as:

• Using natural light, not in your face, position room where you study for best effect.
• Sitting up while studying
• Smells help s study, focus and recall: Cinnamon, mint, lemon, basil
• Smells that help us relax: Lavender, vanilla, roses, orange
• If you chew the same flavor gum while studying and while taking test, it will help you recall.
• Baroque music helps our brains stay in alpha state — Can’t listen to music with lyrics.

After dinner, we had a great session called our ‘Trust Sequence’ where we did paired trust falls and the ‘zipper.’ This was part of setting the stage for our SuperCamp Outdoor Adventure Day by learning to communicate and build confidence and trust in their team.

I didn’t realize that summer academic enrichment programs like this even existed! Wish I’d been able to go as a kid. It would have been great college prep indeed…

The post SuperCamp LMU Junior Forum Journal – Day 3 appeared first on SuperCamp.

The Senior Forum
SuperCamp’s Senior Forum is an innovative, 10-day summer camp for teens that teaches teens how to unlock their hidden potential and use it to take on the challenges that they will encounter in high school, while preparing them for college as well. Students also learn the importance of critical thinking so they can apply it in their everyday life.

Here are just a few of the areas that the Senior Forum teaches in its residential 10-day summer camp:

Academic Techniques
In Senior Forum, students learn the secrets of quantum learning strategies that will help them in their quest to academic excellence. These learning strategies will be applicable and will remain relevant in any academic situation. Mastering these quantum strategies will significantly decrease your child’s information clutter and help them to work most efficiently.

Emotional and Relationship Strategies
High school is a difficult time for teens. With physical and hormonal changes bombarding their daily life, it is no surprise to see most of them succumbing to stress. To help teens deal with the overwhelming stress accompanied by their growth process and increasing academic work load, SuperCamp teaches emotional and relationship strategies to keep all aspects of their life in balance.

Reputation Management
The internet has played a significant role in this generation. Most teens thrive on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr, without realizing that they may be endangering their reputation by posting questionable content in their accounts. SuperCamp Senior Forum strives to enlighten teens by teaching them how to become responsible internet denizens. Students will realize the importance of internet ethics and will become more prudent and responsible in their social media use. Now that most college recruiters and employers use social media to screen applicants, it is in the student’s best interest to keep his image clean and protect himself against the harmful implications of a bad online reputation.

The Eight Keys of Excellence
The Eight Keys of Excellence are a set of core principles designed to mold your children into individuals brimming with excellence. This is the foundation on which SuperCamp is built, and it is the most important part of the entire Senior Forum experience. Aristotle once attributed excellence as a habit, and immersing teens in the Eight Keys of Excellence will significantly help them in becoming great individuals who will change the world. The Eight Keys of Excellence are: integrity, failure leads to success, speak with good purpose, “this is it!,” commitment, ownership, flexibility, and balance.

The post The Senior Forum – Preparing Your Teens for a Healthy High School Life appeared first on SuperCamp.