“A Must-Read For All Parents”
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‘3 HUGE Mistakes Even Smart Students Make in Exams and Assignments’
(And How to Fix Them Immediately So Your Teen CONFIDENTLY Achieves Their Best EVER Grades)
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When it comes down to it, there’s one mark difference between grade boundaries.
Just one mark can make the difference between a D and C grade, one mark between a B and an A grade. Therefore one word can make the difference between a grade, as one word in an answer can mean getting or losing a mark. I’ve talked about this when tackling compare and contrast Qs before.
And this is why I’m a big believer in ‘every little helps’.
Because one little tip, one strategy, one minute of revision of one fact that’s asked in an exam, can make a whole grade’s difference.
I’ve been making a point lately to recommend to my personal coaching students that they do just one or two questions for practise and revision each day because many of them have Term 3 exam blocks in a few weeks.
We’ve been coming up with some specific plans for them based on their personal priority points and your teen can do this for themselves too.
For example in Maths, putting in place a daily bare minimum over the school holidays, to do just one or two Maths practise Qs on top of any other study (or on top of their relaxation!).
That’s perhaps 14 questions over two weeks of a school holiday.
Which would be approximately two or three questions per topic for a term’s worth of content.
Two questions on every topic is just about enough to keep everything fresh in their mind and not let anything become totally buried so that it has to be dug out from the depths come revision for exams.
Or… how about we make this REALLY easy and a long term plan.
How about in Y11 and 12, making one revision card per week, and doing one practise exam Q per week?
Not a whole practise paper, just one practise question. That’s maybe 15mins for the revision card, and 10 mins for the practise Q. That’s just 25 mins once a week. If they’re a morning person, that’s getting up at 6am instead of 6.30 on just one day, or that’s one less episode of a TV program just once a week.
That’s going to give them 46 revision cards if we don’t count the summer holidays, over the course of one year and 46 practise Qs completed.
And that’s a LOT of revision resources at the ready, a lot of exam practise and familiarity with exam Qs and that equals a lot of potential extra marks in an exam 🙂
#winning
I’d love for you to have a think about what one little thing could be done once per day, or once per week.
It won’t feel like a lot on it’s own, but add it up and it can make a big difference.
And then let me know in the comments below – what is the one small thing and what big result would it give?
I’ll see you next week, let’s go make this a fantastic week.
Katie
I’m sticking my neck out here and fully expecting a few unsubscribes this week.
Because I’m going to make things a bit uncomfortable for a few minutes :/
(Just warning you!)
And just so you know, this is something I’m totally guilty of as well.
So, watch or read on to join me in this awkward conversation!
Here’s the thing.
I’ve had a lot of conversations with parents over the past week while I ran my Exam Special webinar event, and while some were totally diving into the content and telling me about ways their teen has already enacted it the very next day, for others… there was some resistance.
And it may not immediately be recognisable as that, but that’s exactly what it is.
Resistance.
And I’m pretty sure there’ll be many more parents out there feeling the same thing, so I want to address it head on.
When they were talking about their teen getting the study skills they know they need, or getting the full training on exam technique, some would say things like,
“Well, we’ll just see how the rest of Year 11 goes first, and then we might look at doing something next year”
Or
“I think I’ll get him an English tutor for now and then if his confidence doesn’t improve, then maybe I’ll get him on to watch this webinar next time you run one.”
And I totally get this situation…
The concepts and training I teach go beyond the accepted traditions of learning more content and having subject-based tutors.
And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with either of those, if you know that understanding specific subject knowledge is the thing holding your teen back.
BUT – and here’s the part that can be challenging for ALL of us… if those
“I’ll just do this first”, or “I’ll just wait until” statements and stories we’re telling ourselves are actually,
(if we really dig deep and get really honest with ourselves), just excuses to put off what we know we really need to be doing,
or help us put off accepting the uncomfortable truth of things…
then they’re not only not helping, they’re actually holding us back.
They’re holding you back from experiencing a life of less worry or concern over your teen and their study.
And stopping your teen from finding out what they’re truly capable of and discovering that confidence and pride that’s inside but hasn’t had a chance to break free and be experienced YET…
I did this myself in a big way back at the start of this year.
I held myself back and – #confession – I held other teachers back, and students back.
Yep, I said this was uncomfortable…
Believe me, it’s not fun writing this down in public.
But I recognise it now. And that’s the thing…
It can be hard for us to really see this clearly for ourselves at the time, but on reflection, it’s SO clear to see.
But only once we’ve taken the action we’ve been avoiding.
So here’s my confession…
I had plans to create an online program for schools to deliver to their students, similar to my 10 Week Grade Transformation Program.
In fact I’d had this plan in my head for about a year before I did anything about it. Because I know that many teachers aren’t aware of the importance of exam technique – I certainly wasn’t until I became an exam marker in the UK, even though I’d already been teaching for 4 years and even won a national teaching award by that point!
Anyway, I already knew that schools needed this, teachers needed this, and although I was already training students in this in my online programs, I wanted to be able to help as many students as possible and working with schools is one way to increase the number of students I can help.
I was already delivering in-school workshops, but making the program was a big project and then putting it out there and marketing it was, psychologically, an even bigger step. It’s a lot more corporate than the way I share my knowledge and programs with parents, like I do with you, and I’m not from a corporate background.
So, I decided: I needed to read a few books to prepare and equip myself for this.
One of them was the famous ‘Dare to Lead’ by Brene Brown.
I looked up the ones I thought I wanted and needed online and added them to cart. It quickly came to over 200 bucks. And I was like, ‘hmm, that’s more than I was expecting’.
Now, of course, on reflection, for those people’s wisdom and teaching, it TOTally isn’t a lot of money; but that was the first step in me holding back, right?!
It had nothing to do with the money. What it really meant was: if I didn’t order the books, I couldn’t read them and therefore I couldn’t start on the schools project yet.
Urgh, it seems so crazy now, but yes, if I really dig deep, that’s what was going on.
I was just putting more self-inflicted hurdles in my path to delay the uncomfortable tasks I wanted to do, but also was avoiding doing.
Yep, crazy alright!
#primitivebrain
So, guess what I did next…
I looked the books up on the council library database*
(so I could save myself 200 bucks of course – but ACTUALLY so I could delay the process juuuust a bit longer!).
*Positive side note – this was the start of me re-discovering how awesome libraries are! Almost all of them were on the database!
So I requested all the books and then waited for weeks, some of them for months til they became available.
One of them I was really keen to read, but when it actually came through, it sat on my shelf for the entire two weeks.
I didn’t even open it.
Why?
Because I ‘didn’t have time’.
I was working on other things, I was coaching students, I was planning and delivering monthly student seminars to my GTZ Members, I was training with the QCAA to become an examiner and panel member for the new Senior Exam System… there’s always PLENTY to fill my time with.
Of course I could’ve MADE time, but two weeks later, I returned it.
Hadn’t even opened it.
In the mean time,
one of my good friends called me out on all this.
And THANKS GOODNESS she did!
That’s the kind of friendship we have.
We massively support each other but we also know when to challenge each other – in a helpful way.
I think that’s a rare type of friendship, but it’s so valuable and I feel very lucky to have it.
Anyway, she asked me what I’m really waiting for.
She’s a high school teacher herself and told me how much her school and her students needed this info and training.
We talked about my conversations with parents like you who’ve asked me in wonderment why schools don’t teach this stuff.
She told me about the money her school was already spending on a program nowhere near as good as what I had planned.
And then she asked the waitress for a pen and started writing my to-do list on a serviette.
With dates and deadlines.
(You can see why we’re friends) 😉
I still have those notes.
And I agreed to, as Nike says – just do it.
Now, I still wanted to ensure things would work perfectly – or very close to – I’ve never had anything go 100% perfectly – and so my small Rock Solid team and I decided we’d launch to a small sample of schools, so we could make sure we could deliver everything at a really high level and iron out any issues easily.
And then we got to work.
A month or so into progress, guess what popped up.
Yep, the notification that the ‘Dare to Lead’ book I’d had on reservation for months was now ready for me at the library.
I collected it.
I read a few pages.
But it wasn’t really connecting or resonating.
It wasn’t what I was hoping it would be.
Although I’m actually not totally sure exactly what I WAS hoping for or expecting. Super-hero powers, unicorn glitter maybe?
So I skipped ahead and dove into a couple of chapters I liked the sound of.
Still wasn’t doing much for me.
I’m sure the book is great.
It’s had rave reviews.
It’s just not what I needed right then.
And that’s fine – because I’d already started.
I’d taken the leap (with a loving push on the backside!).
But could you imagine if I’d waited
til I’d read those books before I got started on the project?
I’d be here now, still not started.
Because I still haven’t read those books.
The schools who are running my online program right NOW (yep, it’s out there and everything’s running great!) wouldn’t have that info and training to deliver to their students.
Those students wouldn’t have the skills and strategies they’re learning and honing and their Term 3 results and Finals wouldn’t be as good as they’re going to be as a result of it.
So, if you’ve been thinking of taking action that’ll catapult your teen’s confidence or results,
or will make them more effective in their study,
but putting it off for whatever reason,
then I’d encourage you to dig deep and consider what you’re really waiting for and whether it’s really serving you or your teen.
What would it mean if they just got started now in the 10 Week Grade Transformation Program?…
What would it mean if they registered this year for the Exam Mastery Workshop?…
Rather than waiting to see how things go, wanting to try something else first, or wondering whether it will actually work.
Where will they be this time next term if you did take action and took a leap?
And like I say, I know this might feel uncomfortable.
And I know this has been a longer blog than usual!
But I can tell you that waiting or filling time with unnecessary steps is NOT the answer.
It’s not going to take away the discomfort you or your teen might currently be experiencing.
So if you need a friend that’ll give you that reality check, or the ‘firm but kind’ kick in the butt, then I’m happy to be that person 🙂
If you wanna chat about it, drop me an email and we’ll set up a time for a friendly chat on the phone,
and until next week, let’s take action to make this a fantastic week!
Katie 🙂
If your teen’s ever had an exam Q that’s involved a graph, chart, diagram or stats of some sort,
reading from it, or drawing it, then THIS is for you.
It’s probably THE most specific bit of exam advice ever.
And it’s important I share it because:
I shared this tip (more like vital instruction!) at a school workshop with a Year 12 cohort and on the drive home decided I had to share it more widely.
Here’s ‘exactly’ what it is…
Ever had a situation (or exam result) so dire that it can’t be ignored?
Did it create a spiral of disillusionment, or spark the need to take action?
As you probably know by now, Bonnie was NOT good outdoors when we first got her and she’d never been leash trained.
She wanted to play with every dog she spotted (even if it was 200m down the road) and thought a car going past was cause for high-alert.
Think ‘Kelpie after a puppy-party of jelly and ice cream and bouncy castles’.
So the training is ON with a capital O.
Thing is, if she’d been ‘pretty good’ or ‘okay’ then we’d likely have just gone with it.
But because the situation was so dire, we HAD to take action.
And now we’re already at ‘pretty good’ and have set our sights on working towards ‘excellent’.
Here’s how this relates to your teen, how they see challenges and disappointments and what step they need to take to turn things around.
Lesson from Bonnie and her leash-training!
It’s a two steps forward, one step back affair at the moment (literally!).
And we realised (after a ‘help!’ email to our dog trainer!) that we’re just trying to do too much ‘fun stuff’ without having the basics TOTALLY nailed.
Makes sense.
(We’ll put the Australia’s Got Talent application away for now then) 😉
And it might be the same for your teen.
Check out the ‘basics’ they might be leaving behind in pursuit of the higher grades (and of course, how they can get any missing parts of their foundations filled in)!
Did the construction workers go about building the Sydney harbour bridge without a proven framework, a clear strategy and a set of step-by-step instructions and stages?
Of course not.
And even if they did AND managed to produce a functioning bridge by making it up and figuring it out as they went,
it VERY likely wouldn’t have been completed in the most efficient, smooth or stress-free way.
So it’s no wonder students struggle to write an essay or assignment or even just answer a few topic questions, when they don’t have a clear strategy or step-by-step breakdown of how to tackle the task.
And it’s no wonder they don’t get the best result when they don’t have a clear vision of what the successful outcome will include or look like, how it will address all the criteria and how to make it happen.
A “problem” is simply a gap,
an open space between point A and point B.
And almost always, it’s an open space you can bridge.
For example, a problem a student might be given in Maths is the gap between the scenario presented and the solution or answer.
Or a more general study problem your teen may face in English might be
‘how do I write an essay on that?’
And the gap is the structure and content that makes up that essay.
Either way,
they need to build a bridge to cross that gap and arrive at the solution or a successful end result.
So the focus on achieving better results with less stress, is really about the bridge.
Did the construction workers go about building the Sydney harbour bridge without a proven framework, a clear strategy and a set of step-by-step instructions and stages?
Of course not.
And even if they did AND managed to produce a functioning bridge by making it up and figuring it out as they went,
then even though it might be a successful outcome,
it VERY likely wouldn’t have been completed in the most efficient, smooth or stress-free way.
So why would your teen do the same?
It’s no wonder that we struggle to get ourselves from start to finish with a task or assignment if we don’t have a clear strategy, step-by-step breakdown or a clear vision of where we’re going and how we’re going to get there.
As I tell everyone,
it’s not just a case of working harder.
If a team of engineers and builders just kept laying more and more bricks,
or working longer hours every day,
or putting more and more bolts between the steel parts,
does that guarantee a better bridge?
Nope.
A clear template, a set of steps, an order of tasks and even an example of a successful bridge built in the same way somewhere else,
that’s what’s going to make the job a lot faster, easier and produce a more successful outcome.
That’s why I’m all about providing students with these tools and strategies.
Giving them the simple yet super-effective tools, checklists and tricks to make their writing sound amazing in my Write Like an A-Grader training
Giving them a complete system for study success in my 10 Week Grade Transformation Program,
from note-taking to what to do in the final minutes of an exam. From Motivation and organisation to the template for an analytical essay at the highest cognitive level of evaluation.
And dissecting model responses and mark schemes in my annual live Exam Mastery Workshop.
I really want to get across one thing…
That a problem or a challenge,
simply shows that there is a gap.
And there is a solution,
a strategy,
a template
or a skill
that will bridge that gap, no matter how big or small.
If you’d like to talk to me about any of the gaps or problems that are stopping your teen from being Happy, Smart and Successful,
then I’m making some time available in my diary these next couple of weeks to chat to parents so that I can see what students are most struggling with at the moment and tailor my upcoming content to be as helpful as possible.
In return I’ll give you my feedback and tips on how your teen can bridge those gaps.
Just drop me an email (katie.price@rocksolidstudy.com.au) referencing this blog and I’ll send you a link to book in a time for a free and casual chat 🙂
Okay, hopefully chat with you soon!
Now, let’s go make this week, a fantastic week!
Katie
When it comes to writing, students need to show they can craft their writing to the purpose of the assignment or to the audience they’re writing for.
So it’s essential that your teen’s skilled at adapting their style and vocabulary depending on the type of task.
That’s why I’m gonna share with you a quick and simple trick they can use to do this easily and instantly.
(Yep, really!)
I love this snappy little technique, because it’s super simple, really quick (no genius brain cells required) but also hugely effective.
I can tell you, from marking hundreds, actually it’s probably thousands, of creative and formal writing exams, that this ‘style’ or ‘appropriate to genre’ element is a critical part of the marking criteria for almost any task.
Now, there are LOTS of different types of formats, genres and forms of written tasks.
Some of the most obvious or common are narratives or short stories, persuasive speeches, inquiries, analytical essays, scientific reports, feature articles… and that’s just a few.
There are heaps more.
So I want to share with you one of the ways to make a clear distinction between these, and then a simple but effective way your teen can adapt their writing to fit it.
Right, STEP ONE:
Your teen needs to determine whether their task requires them to write formally or informally.
Examples of a formal assignment include:
– an analytical essay,
– a research report,
– a scientific investigation,
– a historical enquiry.
Examples requiring a less formal writing style include:
– a monologue,
– a narrative (AKA a short story),
– a blog article
or even
– a movie or book review,
or
– magazine column.
Of course these examples are not exhaustive and this is really a continuous scale.
After all, when it comes to a speech, an official speech from the Prime Minister would be quite different in style and formality compared to a speech at a wedding!
So that first step is to consider where the task lies on the scale from formal to casual.
Then, once they‘ve determined what level of formality their writing needs to take – they can think about…
STEP TWO:
Identifying the tools and techniques that are most appropriate and getting to work on incorporating them into their writing.
Wow, there are LOTS of different tools.
So I want to give you just one.
Why?
Because it’s one of the simplest and easiest, but super-effective tricks to make their writing instantly stand out as either formal or informal.
It’s using CONTRACTIONS – or – NOT using them.
Let’s take a quick flash back to English grammar lessons…
*cue floaty flashback music*
Contractions are where we join two words to make one with an apostrophe.
Like:
And from that last example you can probably already see the effect this little change has.
Contractions make things more casual.
They’re great for using in direct speech for characters in a story.
— Oooh – there’s another one – see how I contracted they are to they’re 😉
Anyway…
Students should use contractions when they want to produce a less formal style of writing.
Perhaps for a script or a blog, or even a feature article.
And the opposite is true for formal writing.
Keeping all words complete and separate keeps writing sound a lot more serious and official.
Like this: They are good for science reports, essays and other formal style tasks.
See how that already sounds more official than ‘They’re good’?
Have your teen give it a go.
You’ll be surprised at the difference it makes and how it can boost their achievement in writing appropriately to the task, genre or specified audience.
Then, once you’ve seen what a difference such a tiny tweak can make,
go check out my Write Like an A-Grader online training – 9 short and powerful modules for creating writing that WOW’s the marker!
It’s packed with strategies, tips and techniques like this and much more sophisticated ones too, from coming up with A-Grade ideas and structuring them, to the final edit and proofread.
And if you know anyone else who’d benefit from this tip, then please feel free to forward them a link to this video or blog article and feel free to share it on your social media.
And until next week, let’s make this a fantastic week!
Yours,
Katie 🙂
Flashback time…
I wanna share a moment in my life when I was a student.
There really was nothing stand-out, unusual or particularly special about it at all (which actually shows why it’s an issue for so many teens still today).
But now, looking back, I think it’s very telling why I remember it so clearly (and is the reason I’m sharing it!).
Here, I explain where I was going oh-so wrong!
Now, I shared this story just once or twice in the early days of Rock Solid Study.
But it’s occurred to me that most of the parents and students in our community NOW have probably never heard it.
There I was, 17 years old, sat in the study area of the library at Sixth Form College (that’s the equivalent stage in England of Year 11 and 12 here in Aus).
I was being the model, diligent student.
I’d heard more than once how good students needed to do ‘extra reading around the subject’ to get great results.
So I did just that.
Sat writing notes from a National Geographic article to add to my Geography work.
I can’t remember exactly what the article was about – something to do with rainforests I think. I can’t even remember exactly what the topic or unit was we were studying in Geography at the time. I think it might’ve been something to do with ecosystems? Or maybe it was sustainable resources, or even sustainable tourism.
But whatever it was, there I was sat writing out notes about some ‘case study example’ that had SOMEthing to do with the topic I was currently studying.
Now, that shows self-motivation, right?
No-one had made me do it.
No-one had set it for homework.
I was going over and above.
It shows independence and pro-active, positive steps to improving my results.
Right?
Right?!!….
Well, no.
I’m afraid not.
Well, yes to the self-motivation, to being pro-active, to doing what I thought I had to, what I’d been TOLD I had to, to get my best possible grades.
But taking positive steps to improving my results?
Nope.
Just… no!
And here is the interesting part – or at least it’s interesting to me now.
I genuinely remember feeling even at the time, sat there, blue pen in one hand, red pen at the ready for key words, feeling like I didn’t really know how this was going to help me.
I figured that maybe I’d be able to mention it in an answer to an exam question.
I just blindly followed the very general advice.
I kinda questioned it in the sense that I wasn’t sure HOW it would help.
But I buried that uncertainty and just did it anyway!
The truth is, that advice of wider reading is one of the very LAST things students should or could do to improve their grades.
They don’t really need extra case studies. They’ll cover the ones they need within the syllabus and term planners – or at least they should be.
And they don’t need extra information beyond what’s in the syllabus dot points because it won’t and can’t be examined anyway. That’s a very strict rule of exam boards in how exams are written.
Plus, I could list a hundred other activities that would have a greater and more direct impact on building skills, knowledge and success academically.
I know them from over a decade in teaching, tutoring, exam marking and extrernal exam board training.
Which is why I’ve made it my mission to train students in the very best and most effective actions and skills in my programs, workshops and personal coaching, especially in my 10 Week Grade Transformation program.
So, my message is this:
If your teen’s doing something to extend themselves, but has no idea how it links to building their skills or performance against the syllabus criteria and exam technique elements,
then either they need to find out HOW it’s really going to help,
or,
if there IS no clear link, then they need to stop doing it and find something a LOT more effective to put their time, energy and effort into.
So they aren’t working hard for little outcome or reward.
So they aren’t wasting time and effort.
But instead:
They study and build their knowledge and skills in a way that gets results.
Or,
even use the time to relax or enjoy some time with friends and family instead.
Just don’t let them work hard without knowing exactly how that work is going to help boost their results.
So if you’d like them to have the exact steps and guidance to do things that’ll actually pay off – that’ll give them the biggest bang for their buck – then go and checkout the 10 Week Grade Transformation Program so they can be led step by step through the most effective ways to make their foundations really solid, and do the things that will really catapult their grades and confidence.
I’d love to hear your take on this.
Are there any examples of work or practise that really has or totally hasn’t paid off for you in the past, or right now for your teen? Drop a comment below this video or send me an email, – katie.price@rocksolidstudy.com.au– and until next week, let’s make this a fantastic and USEFUL week!
Ever had this conversation with your son or daughter?
They come to you with “I don’t really get it, I’m just not too sure what I’m meant to do”
And so you say: “Did you ask the teacher?”
They reply with “Yeah, but they weren’t really very helpful”
So how can your teen get better help when they need to ask for it at school?
How can they get *specific and *actionable answers?
Well, they need to… ASK BETTER Q’s.
And here’s exactly (like, word-for-word exact-ness) HOW.
Ever had this conversation with your son or daughter?
They come to you with “I don’t really get it, I’m just not too sure what I’m meant to do”
And so you say: “Did you ask the teacher?”
And they reply with “Yeah, but they weren’t really very helpful”
And then the confusion and frustration continues with whatever topic or task it is that they’re stuck on.
So how can your teen get better help when they need to ask for it at school?
How can they get *specific and *actionable answers?
Well, they need to… ASK BETTER Q’s!
I’m Katie Price, Grade Transformation Expert and I KNOW there are different types of teachers out there.
Some will happily sit down for ages with students who are stuck and discuss a task or topic until they’re all over it.
Other’s will be less likely to, and perhaps for valid reasons – they want students to be more independent or the task simply requires that,
OR perhaps a student just hasn’t caught them at a moment where they have the time.
So, here’s how your teen can ask QUALITY Q’s to get better QUALITY answers.
The key here is to turn basic, low quality statements into high quality, specific Qs.
Some examples of low use statements would be:
“I just don’t get it”. Or “I have no idea where to start”.
These give the teacher nothing to go on and no foundation to build on.
Even if your teen FEELS those statements are true for them, it’s unlikely that they’re true in reality.
They need to find elements (ANY elements) that they DO understand, and then consider the next step and why that’s got them stuck.
Like for a science inquiry:
“I’ve got my data and results, I’ve put them into tables and graphs, but how do I actually analyse them?
That positive start to the sentence shows the teacher they’ve made some progress by themselves (which will also increase that teacher’s willingness to help),
AND importantly, the student is following up with the exact skill they’re stuck on.
This gives the teacher a clear point for them to work from with the student and gives both the student AND teacher a clear success marker – because if your teen at the end of the chat understands how to analyse and has the skills or templates to go away and do so themselves, then they can make progress.
If they don’t have that then the Q hasn’t been answered.
But what if they haven’t made ANY progress?
What if they’re stuck just getting started? Well there’s still a positive progress statement that can be made AND a quality Q that can be asked.
Let’s say it’s an essay and they just don’t know where to start.
Well, if you’ve followed me for a while now, you’ll know I suggest students NEVER start with the intro – go check out my blog video ‘Write the Intro Last’ for that. And so, given that, then here’s what this scenario might sound like…
“I know that I need to find evidence that supports my argument or point for the essay” – it’s a basic requirement that everyone should know from Year 7 onwards (as evidence is one of the E’s of PEEL or TEEL paragraphs), so this is an easy way to give a positive statement. Then they could follow it with “ but I’m not sure what my argument or point IS”.
That tells the teacher that they know the basic structure they need to take to be able to start drafting the essay, but they need help deciphering the essay title or the thesis statement or the requirements of the response.
This is likely what they’re really stuck on if they don’t know where to start. And getting their focus and direction sorted and having a clear argument or point to prove is a key step in this.
A LOT of other elements can slot into place once those are clear.
Or, finally, if it’s more topic based, let’s say they’re stuck on how to solve quadratic equations in Maths, then they can change statements like “I just don’t get it” or “ I have no idea how to do any of this” to…
“I understand that quadratic equations have a squared value in them, but I don’t get why there are two solutions”.
Or
“I’m okay with some basic algebra, like collecting like terms, but how do I actually solve equations?”
Again, we’re finding ANY thing they DO know or they CAN do and then specifying a clear step that they can’t or they’re not sure of.
So, if your teen wants quality help, then they need to stay away from the low quality sweeping statements like “I don’t know where to start” or “I just don’t get it”
and dig a little deeper themselves first, to come up with a positive progress statement followed by a QUALITY question.
If you’re enjoying these videos and tips then, then please give this a like or a thumbs-up, and if you know anyone else who could benefit from this, then please go ahead and share it with them. ….. And if you have a scenario that your teen just can’t find a positive starter statement or quality question for, then drop it in the comments or send me an email and I’ll dive in and help you out! Katie.price@rocksolidstudy.com.au– and until next week, let’s make this a fantastic week!
