Do you wish your teen would take school more seriously?

Is it a hassle to get them to do their homework?

Are you worried they won’t be ready to meet the demands of college?

Many kids drift through high school. And float off unprepared.

They’re taught core subjects at school. History and biology. English and physics. But they don’t get a study skills course. Nobody teaches them how to digest difficult material, how to avoid procrastination, how to take ownership of their learning.

Your teen can learn how to learn.

They can learn how to start schoolwork on their own, grasp difficult concepts, and ultimately be ready to take on college.

And you know what?

Learning how to learn is surprisingly straightforward

First, you need to learn how your mind works, and how to use that to learn deeply. You need to understand and practice connecting concepts, asking illuminating questions, and testing yourself.

Once you understand these foundations, you find it easier to make sense of challenging textbooks, keep up in class, and take useful notes.

Next, you need to learn how to set your agenda for learning. When and where to use different techniques. How to plan a doable study schedule – one that allows you to do well at school while still leaving you time to play basketball, chat with friends, and of course, help with the dishes.

Lastly, you need to pick up a few test taking tricks. You need to know about test prep – how to get everything back in your head at once to boost your confidence and mastery.

Learning well feels powerful, and that’s when it starts to become fun.

Everyone can learn how to study effectively. And learn it quite quickly – if taught.

How much were you taught about study skills in high school?

Unfortunately, few schools teach a study skills course. Leaving students to figure out for themselves how to learn well.

Students who don’t, fall behind. Often feeling confused and demotivated. Thinking they lack the talent to master hard subjects.

But this is untrue. They don’t lack the talent. They simply lack the study skills. And those skills are easy to learn.

ARES [reading strategy] would certainly have helped me as I entered U of MO with NO STUDY SKILLS.
~ Nancy Herbert, Teacher

What if a program existed that broke studying down into doable techniques? And showed precisely how they help your mind to absorb new facts?

[I like that it]…tells me how my brain works.
~ Thinker Academy member

Your teen’s learning would accelerate.

They’d surprise themselves by how much they can understand. They’d feel more confident.

And school would become a little more fun.

Thinker Academy Study Skills course is not your typical educational program

You may think your teen needs a large dose of self-motivation and discipline to learn how to study.

But this is far from the truth.

They need a good learning system that pulls them forward.

With captivating leads to draw them in. Short, interactive sessions that are easy to digest. A campy style to keep the mood light. Silly badges to end lessons on a high note. And weekly reminders to keep going.

All wrapped around advice and tips that are immediately useful.

there was enough interaction and sensory stimulation to maintain interest with an adolescent audience but yet not too much for them to loose grasp of the main ideas.
–Tony Frabotta, Middle School Science Teacher

In Thinker Academy’s Online Study Skills course, your teen chooses a topic from school – or something else they’d like to learn about. They apply their learning strategies to that topic each week. Because that’s the best way to take their new skills home.

What they will learn in the study skills course

Your teen learns the foundations of deep learning. They learn how to take ownership of their studies, and perform well on tests.

Specifically, they learn how to:

• Adopt a growth mindset to build confidence and persistence
• Make new material stick by connecting ideas in memory
• Apply reading strategies to comprehend difficult textbooks and technical material
• Prepare ahead to avoid feeling lost in class
• Ask insightful questions to engage in class and show their teachers they are trying
• Avoid distractions and zero in on the essential ideas when taking notes
• Refresh on readings and notes in ways that save time studying
• Set specific learning goals to get good grades, while staying focused on learning
• Manage their time to get a grip on schoolwork and have more time for fun
• Overcome procrastination and build routines to reduce stress and do better work
• Prepare for tests to get good scores without cramming the night before
• See through tricky test questions and avoid losing points

“The lesson about the different types of memory was my son’s favorite part of the program….My son said this visual aid helped him understand the many steps needed to move information into long term memory and that he was going to try using more of the strategies in this program to help him “file and locate” the information he takes in.”
~ Susan Williams, Education Possible

Who this program is for

This course is for regular kids in high-school who plan to go to college. Whether they are currently struggling to pass, gunning for honor roll, or looking for an extra edge to crack their AP classes – this course will help them improve their study techniques, so they can learn more efficiently and effectively.

[My 8th grader’s] favorite part was the section on time management. She said seeing how time in college is spent differently than in junior high has really opened her eyes.
~ Thinker Academy parent

How much time does the course take?

The course is self-paced. It includes 22 lessons, each of which can be completed within 15 min.

Your teen gets the most out of their Thinker Academy Study Skills course if they complete a lesson each week, and practice applying the techniques to their schoolwork a couple of extra times.

If they have more time on their hands (e.g. in summer), they can quicken their pace and finish sooner.

The work they do for the study skills course also pulls in their regular school studies. They won’t be wasting time with irrelevant exercises.

About your instructor

Dr. Winston Sieck is a cognitive psychologist. He aims to help teens become savvy learners and thinkers.

He’s taught university courses on learning skills, cognitive psychology, and statistics.

He enjoys writing and building online courses to share what he’s learned about critical cognitive skills that matter. Regardless of the path you take in life.

What’s included in the program

• 22 short videos and practical exercises to learn studying techniques step-by-step
• Interactive demonstrations, exercises, and quizzes to keep it lively
• Informative graphics that tie in with audio lessons for integrated visual and verbal learning that sticks
• Content as well as technical support is like having a tutor on hand for personal engagement
• Examples from middle school, high school, and college show relevance of the study skills across education levels

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