According to NCES.edu.gov, study habit amount grade levels are increasing. About 12% of 4th graders spend at least one hour a day studying, while that number increased to 37% for 12th graders. However that still leaves 63% of 12th graders not studying consistently. In Oregon alone, the drop out rate is 4.1%, which are roughly 7,400 students who dropped out during the 2006/2007 school year according to the Oregon Department of Education. Oregon rates are down from previous years however the National Education Association (NEA.Org) reports the national drop out rate is still high at 68% in 2006.

Often students drop out because they lack certain skills to remain successful, one of which is studying. Learning how to study is something that should be taught to students in elementary school, this would prepare them for their future academic career. Unfortunately study skills are not generally taught to elementary students. Sometimes high school teachers go over study habit, however their curriculum load is heavy so time is generally not used for study skills comprehension. In college, freshman as usually offered a class which helps them learn good study skills, but when the national drop out rate is as high as it is, many students are not going to college, making the class obsolete.

School anxiety is not something that specifically targets grade school or high schools students, but all students. Students have been known to fake being sick just to stay home and avoid a test in Math. High school and college students are frequently seen pulling all niters to cram for a test or finish a project they waited till the last minute to start. Often there comes a point where they are no longer faking illness, but they cross the line into actually being sick. Stress can cause a number of health issues such as ulcers, depression, mental breakdowns, and sleep deprivation just to name a few.

These feelings can be triggered from something simple such as the word “test” or being told to open a book. Just these simple phrases can cause immediate panic. This panic is a reaction to a trigger. Students have learned to associate bad feelings with the word “test” or whatever their trigger is. They learn this from teachers, parents or other students. However the trigger is not always obvious, often the student needs help to figure out what the trigger is.

They key to successful learning and studying can be achieved through many routes, one new route shows promise for those coping with study anxiety. Hypnosis allows students to identify what their triggers are in a non threatening way. They are able to change their reaction and behavior when their trigger happens. Hypnosis works with each student individually and in a safe environment.

There are of course other treatments out there such as medications or therapy. However medications work with the body’s chemical reaction, not their trigger or emotions. Therapy asks children who are already tense, to confront their emotions on a conscious level which can only cause more anxiety. Hypnosis does not use medication and works with the subconscious mind, allowing for less anxiety and heightened emotions.

With the amount of children not getting all they could from education, it is no surprise why the drop out rates are high. There are many different programs, whether they are through a therapist, hypnotist or simply a new teaching technique which offer increased study skills and improved test scores. As a parent you need to research and decide what is best for your student. But consider this, no one wants to cause more stress to an already tense student, there is not reason why the student can not learn new study skills in a safe environment.