The Importance of Regular Practice in Building Strong Concepts - A Study on Student Performance Improvement- Faizan Ahmad

Introduction

Regular practice is one of the most important habits that helps students build strong

concepts and improve their academic performance. When students practice regularly, they

develop a better understanding of topics, remember information longer, and become more

confident in solving problems. In this assignment, we will explore how regular practice

helps students learn better, what stops them from practising, and what methods work best

for improvement.

Background of the Study

In Indian schools, especially for Class 9 and Class 10 students preparing for board exams,

many students struggle with weak concepts and poor marks. A big reason for this is that

students do not practice enough during the learning process. They often wait until exams

are near before starting to study seriously. This habit creates stress and anxiety.

Students today face many distractions like mobile phones, social media, and games, which

take away their study time. Teachers and parents see that students who practice daily score

better marks and understand topics more clearly than those who study only before exams.

However, many students don't realise the true power of regular practice. They think

studying for long hours just before exams is enough.

But research shows that when students practice a little bit every day, they learn better and

remember longer. This method is called "spaced learning" or distributed practice. Students

who follow this method get better results in exams, feel less stressed, and develop a real

interest in the subjects they study.

What is Regular Practice and Why Does It Matter

Regular practice means studying and solving problems a little bit every day, not just

studying hard once or twice a week. It means doing homework on time, solving extra

questions, and reviewing what you learned in class regularly.

Regular practice matters because:

• It helps the brain store information in long-term memory

• It builds confidence when solving questions

• It reduces exam anxiety and stress

• It helps students find weak areas and improve them

• It improves thinking skills and problem-solving ability

How Regular Practice Helps Students Learn Better

When students practice regularly, many good things happen. First, practising the same

concept many times helps the brain understand it deeply. Second, when a student practices

daily, they spot their mistakes early and can correct them. Third, regular practice builds a

learning habit and makes studying feel normal, not boring. Finally, students who practice

daily often feel ready for exams and score better marks.

Teachers have noticed that students who solve practice questions every day perform much

better in exams compared to students who don't practice regularly. Regular practice also

helps students become faster in solving questions, which is very important in timed exams.

Common Problems That Stop Students from Practising

Several things stop students from practising regularly:

• Laziness and lack of motivation: Many students feel too lazy to study every day

• Too much distraction: Mobile phones and games take away study time

• Feeling bored: Solving the same type of questions feels boring to many students

• Lack of proper guidance: Some students don't know which questions to practice

• Pressure and fear: Some students fear making mistakes and avoid practice

Ways to Make Practice Better and More Effective

Here are some simple but powerful methods that help students practice better:

• Make a study schedule: Plan fixed times for study every day

• Start with easy questions: Begin with simpler questions and gradually move to

harder ones

• Keep mistakes in a notebook: Write down your mistakes to learn from them

• Take short breaks: Study for 25–30 minutes, then take a 5-minute break

• Practice different types of questions: Don't repeat only one type of question

• Ask teachers for help: When stuck, ask teachers instead of giving up

• Review what you learned: Read through your notes again after some days

[Results and Benefits of Regular Practice]

Students who follow the habit of regular practice see clear results. Their marks improve,

they understand concepts better, and they feel more confident. They also report feeling less

stressed during exams. Moreover, regular practice helps students develop good learning

habits that help them throughout their lives, not just in school.

Suggestions for Teachers and Parents

Teachers and parents can help students practice regularly by:

• Giving homework that is meaningful and not too much

• Praising students when they practice regularly

• Creating a study-friendly environment at home and school

• Helping students understand why practice is important

• Making practice sessions fun and interesting

Conclusion

In conclusion, regular practice is very important for learning and improving marks. When
students practice every day, even for a short time, they learn better, remember longer, and
feel more confident. By understanding the benefits of practice and removing the obstacles
that stop them, students can develop strong concepts and achieve better results. Regular
practice is not just about passing exams—it's about building a foundation for lifelong
learning.

By Faizan Ahmad

Sunbeam School Varuna

Freedom and Interpersonal Relationships

Read And Lead

To read and discuss Adlerian psychology concepts from The Courage to Be Disliked.

Key Takeaways

• New Reading Process: Screen-sharing the book via read.amazon.com is now standard. This ensures everyone is on the same page, eliminates the need for physical books, and improves focus.
• Adler's Three Tasks: Life's core challenges are Work, Friendship, and Love. Love is the most difficult, requiring treating partners as "equal personalities" to avoid the distrust and control that destroy relationships.
• The "Life Lie": People create excuses (e.g., disliking someone) to avoid these tasks. This is a failure of courage, not a moral flaw, and is rooted in a self-chosen lifestyle rather than past trauma (teleology vs. aetiology).
• Rejecting Recognition: Seeking external validation is a trap that forces one to live for others' expectations, suppressing one's "I-ness." True freedom comes from self-validation and the "separation of tasks."

Process Update: Screen-Sharing

• Problem: Physical books create friction (different page numbers, bookmarks, dual-screen juggling), hindering group focus and excluding participants without a copy.
• Solution: Screen-share the book via read.amazon.com.
• Rationale: This ensures everyone is on the same page, simplifies navigation, and removes the need for physical books.
• Training: Sandeep guided Gurdeep through the process, demonstrating how to use the in-browser Kindle reader and its chapter navigation menu.

Adler's Three Life Tasks

The book's core concept: life's three unavoidable interpersonal tasks.

1. Work: A relationship with no workplace compulsion.

2. Friendship: A relationship difficult to initiate or deepen.

Key Insight: Depth and distance are more valuable than the number of acquaintances.

Action: Change yourself first; others will adapt.

3. Love: The most difficult task, divided into two stages:

Love Relationships:

• Problem: The closeness of love can lead to restriction and jealousy.
• Adler's View: Restriction is a manifestation of distrust and control.
• Solution: Treat partners as "equal personalities" to foster a calm, natural state of freedom.
• Parent-Child Relationships:
• Problem: A non-optional relationship ("rigid chains") that is fundamentally harder than a love relationship ("red string").
• Action: Face distressful relationships directly; avoidance is the worst option.

The "Life Lie" & Courage

• Concept: People invent pretexts to avoid life tasks, shifting responsibility to others or the environment. Example: Disliking someone is a goal chosen before finding their flaws, as a way to prevent an interpersonal relationship.
• Rationale: This is a failure of courage, not a moral flaw.

Adlerian Psychology: A "psychology of use" (teleology), where one chooses a lifestyle, not a "psychology of possession" (aetiology) determined by the past.

The Desire for Recognition

Problem: The Youth's parents' expectations created pressure and a desire for their recognition.

Adler's View: The desire for recognition is a trap that must be denied.

Mechanism: It stems from "reward and punishment education," where one acts appropriately only for praise.

Consequence: This leads to living for others' expectations, suppressing one's "I-ness."

Solution: True freedom comes from self-validation and the "separation of tasks," a concept to be explored next.

Group Reflection

Shalini: Freedom is the absence of needing external validation.

Latha: The need for validation can stem from uncertainty, but it also creates a dependency that fuels inferiority.

Minakshi: Both inferiority and superiority complexes arise from seeking external validation. Self-validation is the key to confidence.

Sandeep: A child learns to walk alone, not for validation. This natural process is often conditioned by adult reactions.

Community Updates

Yesterday's Session: A "brewing knowledge set" session with Dr Manu Kapoor was highly successful.

Potential Collaboration: Dr Kapoor may partner with Learning Forward to improve teaching and learning systems.

Community Model: Learning Forward and the Good Schools Alliance are community-driven, with participants joining for shared purpose, not salary.

Next Steps

All: Reflect on the nature of freedom and the "separation of tasks."

All: Read the newsletter and review the show notes for the Dr Manu Kapoor video.

Group: Continue reading from the "Separation of Tasks" section next session.