Helping Your Child Through the GCSE Examination Period. Welcome: Please take a copy of each of the sheets on the desk near the door.

Transcription

1 Helping Your Child Through the GCSE Examination Period Welcome: Please take a copy of each of the sheets on the desk near the door.

2 Aims of the evening: Provide general advice to parents to help support sons/daughters through the examination period. Offer specific advice about how to deal with particular issues. Provide an opportunity for questions and to share experiences.

3 Format: pm Presentation pm Workshops session 1 a) I don t think my child is doing enough revision b) How to reduce stress c) Learning styles and revision techniques pm Workshops session 2 (repeat of each workshop) 8.10 Finish opportunity for further questions

4 Please accept any advice in the spirit it is given. We are not experts and are not preaching! Some strategies work for some but not for others. Every child is different!

5 Students } Parents Teachers are all aiming for the same goal: For students to achieve the best possible results We have different, but overlapping roles to play in achieving this goal.

6 Learn key facts Practise key skills Be equipped and on time for exams STUDENT Sleep Manage time effectively Leisure, exercise SCHOOL PARENTS Develop effective revision techniques Encourage Diet Reduce stress Prepare students for demands of the exam Provide appropriate exam conditions and accurate information Provide space, resources and climate for revision Listen

7 Parental role: Providing space, resources and a climate for revision Make it easier for your child to study. Comfort, Music, Quiet, Table Help them to revise by being flexible with the family s schedules and priorities. Chores, temper! Resources revision needs to be ACTIVE, not just looking at notes. Computer but make sure it is used constructively

8 Parental role: Ensuring your child has a suitable diet Food is important for your physical and mental health. If you eat too much, you'll be sluggish. Heavy and fatty food makes you less efficient. People often eat more if they feel anxious or stressed - 'comfort eating'.

9 Parental role: Ensuring your child has a suitable diet Eating a balanced healty healthy diet aids focus. Try to discourage sugary snacks - these can actually hinder concentration. Go for fruit instead. A good breakfast provides energy for the day ahead. Exam stress can make children lose their appetites. If this happens, encourage eating of light meals or sandwiches. If your child s body is healthy, s/he will feel less stressed.

10 Parental role: Ensuring your child has a suitable diet Avoid big meals, which can make people feel tired. Eat lighter foods such as salads if you have an afternoon exam. Ensure your child drinks plenty of water to stay hydrated especially in hot weather. Have a bottle of water to take into the exam room. Discourage drinking caffeine-rich drinks like tea, coffee and cola in the evening - caffeine can disturb sleep.

11 Parental role: Ensuring your child gets enough sleep Sleep is the best form of relaxation. It allows you to recover by switching off completely. Teenagers can need as much as a very young child! Encourage your child to get plenty of sleep and to take regular breaks while s/he's revising. The brain will work better if it's rested.

12 Parental role: Ensuring your child gets enough sleep Trying to cram the night before an exam is generally a bad idea. may need to panic might even affect performance the following day. Ideally It's much better to have a relaxing evening the night before each exam. Make sure the alarm set for the next morning! Waking up in a panic or even arriving late for an exam only makes things more stressful.

13 Parental role: Ensuring your child gets enough exercise The best way to relieve stress - and relax. Exercise will make your child feel more energetic. Exercise increases confidence. It helps stop people becoming tense and gets rid of tiredness. Also helps good quality sleep. Exercise + sleep is a formula for good health. Encourage sort of exercise every day. Go for a walk; go swimming, running or cycling or meet up with friends and play a team sport.

14 Parental role: Helping your child with time management Help with planning work. Help them to produce a revision timetable early on to cover all the topics necessary. Ticking off each topic as it's done can help revision seem more manageable.. Schedule in work, play and rest periods. Short sharp sessions are much more effective than long ones. Make sure your child is setting him/herself realistic targets. Trying to cram in too much creates stress. Encourage them to take at least an hour before bedtime to read, play music or relax and distance themselves from study.

15 Parental role: Helping your child with time management Try to offer some kind of treat to look forward to. On a calendar, mark exam dates and get a thick pen to cross off exam days when once they're over. (Or display the general exam timetable.) This will help you both feel that there is an end in sight! You may wish to help your child to organise his/her clothes, food, pens and other relevant exam equipment the night before each exam. Feeling organised about the little things will help to cut down on stress.

16 Parental role: Trying to reduce stress Most people suffer from stress at some time. Recognise it: Stress can cause tiredness, weakness, or headaches. It can cause cramp - especially in your back, shoulders and neck. Many people can't relax properly because they feel stressed. Some anxiety is good, but if a child is really worried, contact the school. Reassure him/her that recognising they are stressed is a sign of strength, not weakness. Remind them of stress-reduction techniques - exercises and breathing. And keep them away from other anxious children. In extreme cases - if a child isn't sleeping, for example - seek medical advice.

17 Parental role: Trying to reduce stress Further help: Parentline Plus provides help and information on parenting issues: Free helpline: Childline has a helpline and useful website for children and young people: Helpline: Website:

18 Parental role: Encouraging and listening Don t blame, criticise or nag them. Be calm, positive and reassuring. Put the whole thing into perspective. Exams are important but.. After each exam, allow them to talk it through but don t dwell on it. Focus on getting through the next exam or next event. Exam results mark the end of one, and the beginning of another phase, in your teenager s life and your own. Let them voice their worries and expectations. Do something together where s/he can talk to you whilst doing it without eye contact.

19 Parental role: Encouraging and listening Don t say that you worked much harder than they are working or that their brother/sister did! Recognise that children who are worried about exams will tend to be grumpy. Reassure them that you value their efforts more than perfect results. On the morning of an exam say: "I hope everything goes well rather than good luck.

20 Parental role: Encouraging and listening If you know your child has not done enough revision: It will be an opportunity for your child to learn to do things differently next time, and that they may need parental help with revision. Reassure your child that there will always be another chance. Avoid I told you so!

21 EFFECTIVE revision works! Nobody ever reached to excellence in any one art or profession without having passed through the slow and painful process of study and preparation Horace (Roman poet)

22 But some people also need to get it all in perspective If one studies too zealously, one easily loses his pants. Albert Einstein

23 pm Workshops session 1 a) I don t think my child is doing enough revision (Mrs Sutton - 87) b) How to reduce stress (Mr Tarbox in here) c) Learning styles and revision techniques (Mr Cox - ICT) pm Workshops session 2 (repeat of each workshop) 8.10 Finish opportunity for further questions