Why More Studying Isn’t the Answer
- Barry Chaters
- May 5
- 2 min read
The problem nobody is really addressing
When a student struggles, the default response is always the same:
“They need to do more work.”
“They need extra tuition.”
And yes, content matters. Of course it does.
But here’s the problem:
More of the same doesn’t fix the issue if the process is broken.
Students aren’t struggling because they’re not working
Most students I work with are already:
Spending time revising
Following instructions
Trying to “do the right thing”
But despite all of that:
👉 Results are inconsistent
👉 Confidence drops
👉 Progress feels slow
So what’s actually going wrong?
The real issue: effort without impact
The gap isn’t effort.
It’s how that effort is being used.
Students are:
Highlighting instead of testing
Re-reading instead of recalling
Completing tasks without understanding their purpose
They are doing the work…but they’re not changing as a result of it.
The difference: doing vs doing with impact
This is where academic coaching is different. It’s not about doing more.
It’s about:
👉 Turning practice into purposeful practice
👉 Turning time into measurable progress
👉 Turning effort into results
What sport teaches us (that education often forgets)
In sport, this would never happen.
A coach wouldn’t say:
“You need to get faster… just run more.”
Instead, they would:
Analyse performance
Identify the key weakness
Design specific drills
Adjust intensity
Review progress
Because they understand something critical:
👉 Performance improves through targeted, structured training, not repetition alone
Learning works the same way
Cognitive science shows us that learning isn’t random.
For progress to happen, students need to:
Actively retrieve information
Revisit material over time
Work at the right level of challenge
Reflect and adjust
Without this:
👉 Time is spent… but learning doesn’t stick
The SPARR Method: A system for change
This is why I use the SPARR framework:
Structure
Clear weekly planning — no more guessing
Plan
Sessions built with purpose, not just “getting through work”
Active
High-impact methods that actually improve memory and understanding
Repeat
Revisiting key material until it is embedded
Review
Constantly asking: Is this working? What needs to change?
Why this matters
Because without a system:
👉 Students can work for hours and see little progress
👉 Confidence drops despite effort
👉 Learning becomes frustrating
With the right system:
👉 Less time can produce better results
👉 Progress becomes visible
👉 Confidence builds naturally
The simplest way to understand it
Imagine trying to hammer a nail into a wall using a screwdriver.
You might get somewhere.
You might even make some progress.
But it will be slow, frustrating, and ineffective.
Now switch to a hammer.
👉 Same effort
👉 Better tool
👉 Better result
That’s the difference academic coaching makes.
Final thought
Students don’t need more pressure.They don’t need more hours.
They need:
👉 A clear system
👉 The right methods
👉 And a way to ensure their effort actually leads to change
Because once that happens…
👉 Everything else improves.
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