Schoolhouse Review: Victus Study Skills #hsreviews

I recently asked my College Sophomore to think about how I could have better helped her prepare for life as a college student.  Since she was my first, she was the guinea pig and I wanted her advice on making sure the other three were ready for life beyond home education.   She had some great suggestions: more math, more science, more grammar, and an entire course on how to study. Her exact statement about study skills was

"Learning information to take a test is important. There are no do-overs." 

With that conversation in mind, I was SUPER excited when we were given the opportunity to review the Victus Study Skills System and put both their Teacher Edition and Student Workbook to use at Long Leaf Academy.  My kids need study skills -- and my college sophomore reminded me to teach them how to learn.

Spiral-bound, softcover workbooks, the Victus Study Skills System can be taught to students of  all ages (with more teacher input required in the earlier grades) but is most appropriate for students in 5th - 12th grades.  My 7th and 9th graders found it easy to explore and learn on their own with only a bit of hands-on instruction necessary from me.  A systematic approach to learning, Victus Study Skills offers strategic steps and specific tools to help students set goals and accomplish tasks.

Although not written specifically for home educated students, the 81-page Teacher Edition ($40) and the 62-page Student Workbook ($20) are welcome additions to any learning environment.  With basic information on organization, goal-setting, and finding life purpose, Victus encourages students to THINK as it equips them for success in academics and in life.  

For my children, it was eye-opening to learn about different learning styles (Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic), to figure out into which category they belong, and to relate their own personal GOD-given strengths to studying and learning.  For this momma, it was a good reminder that they are each uniquely designed and must be taught in the way that helps them best.  I am a Visual learner.  Give me notecards and watch me soar.  My Boy Scout is an Auditory learner.  If he hears it, he remembers it.  My Princess is a Kinesthetic learner.  Get those hands to moving and she relates.  Knowing how we all learn best -- and remembering that we all learn differently -- challenges me to keep education at Long Leaf Academy relevant and inspiring.

The Foundational Cornerstones in the Victus Study Skills System help students figure out

1. Where they are now 
2. Where they want to be and
3. How they get there

It all begins here.  First Step:  OWN your education.

Our personal approach to this was to have my children read and work through the Student Workbook as I taught each of the 10 lessons provided from the Teacher Edition.  The Teacher Edition offers step-by-step guidance in teaching through the Student Workbook.  Doing just one lesson a day (for 30 - 45 minutes each day) gives students time to digest what is being presented.  There were a few lessons that did not specifically pertain to how we do school at this time, but they offer great tips and learning strategies for studying throughout life.  It is important that students know how to set goals and understand the steps that it takes to accomplish those goals and we found relevance in applying the Victus Study Skills System to everyday life.

I was encouraged as I watched my Boy Scout put the Victus concepts to practice over the last few weeks as he completed his Eagle Scout Project and Board of Review.  He used the goal-planning sheets provided to work through each step of planning his project and prioritizing how it would be completed.  Once completed, he utilized the PQRST method of study to help prepare him for the cumulative Board of Review as he Previewed, Questioned, Read, Stated, and Tested.  He was confident going into the Board of Review and ecstatic when he passed.  All of the study and prep were worth the effort put into it.

My College Sophomore's biggest hurdle has been confidence in test taking. Although she has a 4.0 GPA, she shared with me that she really "psychs herself out" on test days.  My prayer is that I have better prepared her brother and sisters with an arsenal of test-taking skills and strategies.  The Victus Study Skills System is a good tool to do just that.  The testing strategies and test formulas offered present valuable practice for improving grades and taking the stress out of the many tests that they will all face in school and in life AND act as a superb review for the ACT.  My Senior is studying over the these lessons as she preps for the ACT this weekend.

For more information, you can find Victus Study Skills System on both FaceBook and Twitter.  Be sure to check them out and see how they might best benefit your students.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/VictusStudySkillsSystem
Twitter: @VictusStudy

Help your children find their great potential every day.  Build confidence through study skills.

I was given the opportunity to review the Victus Study Skills System as a member of the Schoolhouse ReviewCrew.   You can check out the Crew Review and see what other members of the Schoolhouse ReviewCrew thought of this and other products as well (or just click on the banner below.)

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