Picture this:
Your teen sits down to study for a history test. They re-read their notes. They highlight passages in their textbook. They spend two hours studying.
They take the test and get a C.
They're frustrated. You're frustrated. They say: 'I studied so hard!'
And they did. They put in the hours. They tried.
But what they were doing wasn’t studying. They weren’t learning for test purposes. They reviewed the same material over and over, creating the illusion of learning.
This is common. Students are taught what to know, not how to learn. This makes it easy to conflate effort with effective learning.
And an absence of genuine learning is why many capable students stay stuck, when they know they have the potential for so much more.
Students can have the best tutors, teachers and technology…but there’s no substitute for having the skills and strategies to learn effectively, in any area, for life.
So how do we teach them that?
About ten years ago, I discovered Anders Ericsson's research on the science of expert performance, specifically how deliberate practice develops world-class performers across industries and activities (music, sports, science, business, etc.)
[I still have his book on my shelf and reference it periodically, it’s called Peak: How All Of Us Can Achieve Extraordinary Things, by Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool, highly recommend]
I saw how applicable this was for teens learning to succeed in school, incorporated it into my pedagogy and set out to test it. I’ve spent the past decade using deliberate practice with 2,000+ students.
Long story short: it works.
In this email, I'm breaking down:
What deliberate practice is
The 5 core components
What it looks like with a core learning skill (that your teen can start practicing this week)
Let's dive in.
What is deliberate practice?
For over 30 years, psychologist Anders Ericsson studied expert performers - musicians at Juilliard, chess grandmasters, Olympic athletes, groundbreaking scientists - trying to answer one question:
What makes someone exceptional at a given activity?
His research revealed that it wasn't talent. It wasn't hours of practice. It was a specific type of practice.
He called it deliberate practice: a systematic approach to skills development that "makes it possible to do things we never could before" (Ericsson & Pool, 27).
With deliberate practice in an academic context, teens go from:
Disorganized → Organized
Procrastinating → Proactive
Late work → Early submissions
Trying to get better grades → actually building the skills that lead to better grades
These transformations occur because their brain literally changes in response to this type of training. As Ericsson notes: "it's possible to shape the brain - your brain, my brain, anybody's brain - in the ways we desire through deliberate practice" (Ericsson & Pool, 36).
The Five Components Of Deliberate Practice
1. Build strong foundations first.
Students master fundamental skills before tackling advanced ones.
Before managing a complex semester schedule in college, they learn to plan a single week for a single subject in high school. Before taking notes in a 90-minute lecture, they learn how to summarize a 10-minute video.
2. Use proven methods.
We’re not reinventing the wheel. Students pair intention to improve with a strategy proven to deliver results.
Students learn techniques that work for strengthening time management, studying, self-motivation, focus etc. - no hoping or guessing.
3. Expand your comfort zone.
Deliberate practice “requires a student to try things that are just beyond their current abilities.” This is “generally not enjoyable” (Ericsson & Pool, 99).
But that’s the point. Growth happens outside our comfort zone. The discomfort means they're learning something challenging. This is precisely what we want our teens to understand: learning is often hard. Not getting something right away doesn’t make them slow.
A student who has never used a calendar may feel awkward plugging in self-imposed deadlines. A student who has always re-read the teacher’s slides might resist creating their own study guide. Taking actions outside their comfort zone is what improves their skill set and situation.
In my experience, once students try this approach and start seeing the results, they naturally buy into the process.
4. Focus with intention on a particular aspect of skills development.
Deliberate practice doesn’t happen on auto-pilot. It requires a person’s genuine attention and “conscious action” (Ericsson & Pool, 99). Importantly, students make “a series of small changes that add up to the desired larger change” (Ericsson & Pool, 99).
Going through the motions isn't enough; students understand why they're doing each step and engage with purpose. It’s mindful practice with a specific aim, not mechanical repetition hoping for “vague overall improvement” (Ericsson & Pool, 99).
5. Get feedback, adjust, repeat.
At first, someone guides the student - giving instruction, monitoring progress, pointing out problems, offering solutions.
Over time, students build out a frame of reference for “the right way to do something” - manage their time, study, write an essay, stay focused, self-motivate. This enables them to accurately self-monitor, to notice when they’re doing something wrong and correct it (Ericsson & Pool, 100).
Let's break down how to build a core learning skill, time management, using deliberate practice.
Most students think they need ‘better time management.’ This is an example of seeking “vague overall improvement” that’s NOT effective for building skills.
We want them know that this skill is actually made up of specific sub-skills including scoping, planning, and calendar mapping (e.g. the “series of small changes that add up to the desired larger change”).
Here’s the fundamentals:
Scope: how long will this take? Break the assignment into steps and estimate the time for each (e.g. one 30-minute work block or three 1-hour sessions). Guesstimating to start is fine - the more they practice, the more accurate their scoping becomes.
Plan: when will I do it? Specific day and time.
Map: put it in the calendar (external system > memory).
When I work with students, we build these skills from Week 1 in all subjects. The student practices these skills independently and we meet several times per week to monitor, assess and adjust as needed. The first couple of weeks are generally heaviest for students’ clarity and external accountability, at which point most master and self-sustain these fundamentals.
To practice at home, start smaller. For example:
Week 1: pick 1 assignment from any subject.
Scope: "What are the steps to start and complete this assignment? How long will each step take?"
Plan: "When will you realistically do each step?"
Map: "Put each step in your calendar."
Week 2: pick 2 assignments from different subjects.
Use the same sequence for both.
Notice: The skill works for history AND math AND science.
Reflect Friday: "Did your estimates match reality? Did we follow through with the work we planned? If not, how come?”
Week 3: apply to ALL assignments that week.
Every time something is assigned, immediately: scope → plan → map
Reflect weekly.
This becomes the routine.
By Weeks 4-6, deliberately practicing is paying off.
Schoolwork feels easier.
Less stress and scrambling.
They realize they’re NOT bad at time management, they just hadn’t been practicing the right way.
By Weeks 6-8, most teens can’t imagine not breaking down their assignments, planning backwards, and using their calendar. They have a strong foundation, which they build upon as tests and assignments become harder and more complex through high school and college.
The bottom line:
If a teen “wishes to become significantly better” at learning and school, they can (Ericsson & Pool, 48). Every assignment and test - History essay, English paper, math test, physics homework, science quiz - is an opportunity to deliberately practice core skills including time management, studying, self-motivation, resourcefulness, focus and more.
Schoolwork is the perfect training ground:
Students have multiple assignments most weeks
Across 4-6+ subjects
For 36 weeks per year
That's hundreds of practice opportunities per year
Even taking advantage of a portion of this helps students shift from 'going through the motions to get work done' to becoming expert learners who systematically build learning and life skills through schoolwork.
When students learn how to build their core skills, they close the gap between their performance and their potential. Stress and struggle go down, grades and confidence go up.
And the best part? Schoolwork - the thing they're already doing every day! - is the vehicle.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Talk soon,
Kelsey
Is your teen working hard but not seeing the results they’re capable of? That’s the gap we close in my 1:1 program.
We use your teen’s existing schoolwork to deliberately practice the core skills that drive better grades and lasting confidence. I have one spot opening this month. If you'd like help building an effective learning system for your teen, book a call here to see if we’re a fit.
