Helping your child prepare for important exams isn’t just about nagging them to step away from their games consoles or buying as many study guides as you possibly can. Helping them to get organised makes the task of revision far less daunting and can help them gain confidence in the subjects they’ll be assessed for.
However, a study schedule shouldn’t be all about revision. Here are our top tips to help your child create a study schedule that they’ll be able to stick to.
Work together
Not only will a study schedule help your teen keep on track with their revision goals, you’re also teaching them essential skills in time management and responsibility.
By working together to decide and plan which subjects they’ll be concentrating on each day, you’re giving them the chance to plan their own time around extra-curricular activities and empowering them to manage their own time which is an essential life skill that will come in handy in the years to come.
Create a colourful weekly plan using a computer and print off a few copies so both of you know which subject your child will be concentrating on each day. If they have younger siblings at home, make sure that you explain to them that their brother or sister doesn’t want to be disturbed during the set study periods and minimise household noise as best you can so they can concentrate.
Reward achievements
Studying and revising can seem like a chore to youngsters of any age, so it’s important that you continue to motivate them throughout the study schedule to ensure they keep up the good work.
Allowing them regular rest breaks, free periods to go out with friends or time for them to continue with their hobbies is essential if you don’t want them to burn themselves out or lose interest altogether, so make sure you include these in the schedule so that they have something to look forward to.
Also, many parents offer small rewards for each week their child fulfils their study schedule, so a trip to the cinema, pizza with friends or a visit to a football match can go a long way towards keeping them on track.
Checking progress
Every now and again, you might want to check how your child is progressing with their study subjects to ensure that the schedule is working or that you’re not expecting too much of them.
Speak to their teachers to see if they’ve noticed an improvement in their work and if they’re on track to achieve good grades in any up and coming exams. Keep your eyes peeled also that they aren’t doing a little too much study outside of school time which can lead to tiredness, disinterest or lack of motivation. A balance is key.