Model answers/responses are a gold mine of information and inspiration when it comes to figuring out how to write fab answers.
They can also sometimes appear a little overwhelming or ‘out of reach’.
So how can your teen get the most out of them?
What should they really look for and how should they dissect them to actually provide practical and tangible info and guidance?
We all have things we (maybe secretly) ‘geek-out’ on, right? Things that are super-interesting to us, things that we get excited or on our soap-box about when we get going on them! Politics, literature, tech-y stuff… pokemon???!
For me, my not-so-secret confession for an obsession most would find dull is exam marking.
Here is how and why I got so obsessed with this and how your teen can benefit from my geek-y-ness!
Why would anyone walk out of a room excited, after getting a D grade on a response they worked hard on?
Here’s what happened to turn a not-so-great result into an oh-so-good learning experience….
This was perhaps the quickest test in the history of school tests!
But it had a super-important lesson that has stuck with me over 15 years on.
And it is a timeless lesson, because it is one that your teen needs to learn too.
If they want to ensure they give the examiner/teacher/assessor/other marker-type-person(!) exactly what they have asked for (and therefore the maximum marks they are capable of).
This ‘trick’ test has a solid lesson for students in it (and it’s nothing to do with getting a high score).
Funny thing is, this lesson… well it turns out that it really does stick with students.
I discovered this fact when I bumped into a past student and we got chatting.
Brilliantly, she’s still using that ‘lesson’ to her advantage.
But even better, your teen can learn it without the test. Watch the video to find out what it is and the difference it makes to grades.
In my book it is NEVER too late to make big improvements to your teen’s confidence and performance in exams.
This impromptu video (it’s the end of Term3 Event Week!) for this weeks’ Blog explains why!
Often comments and feedback on a piece of work will be something along the lines of ‘give more detail’.
Or the marking criteria for a task will have wording something like ‘detailed analysis’ at grades A and B.
BUT (there’s always a but, isn’t there!) students are often a bit stumped when it comes to knowing HOW to give more detail.
It is NOT simply about writing more information.
This just often turns into waffle.
So how does your child get more detail in their answers?
Well it’s easy when your teen uses these 3 magic words.
(I even got stickers made up with them on!) 🙂
I admit it, I’m a sucker for a great motivational speech and inspiring quotes – I have some of my faves on the walls of my study and even in my wardrobe! (So I get to see it every morning and night) 🙂
But how do you use inspiring stories and people in a more practical way?
What DON’T they tell you in the little snippets of ‘failure to success’ blurb we read?
The CRITICAL step is often missed out of these super-inspiring-summaries.
And it’s this step that will is going to massively help your teen.
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There has been TONS of research done on this question!
And there is a resounding yes… BUT only for a particular type.
Otherwise, it’s a big, fat NO… (Sorry kids!)
Good news is, hours upon hours of these ‘brain-engaging-chooons’ can be easily found for FREE (watch to the end of this video).
Wowsers!!
1416 papers later, here is my final round up/summary/review… of the big lessons and key take-aways from 2015 external exam marking.
Enjoy! (And learn!)
I’m going for a good walk (faaaarrrrr too much sitting at a desk in a marking hall), then a good, strong cuppa and a biscuit.
Ok, probably (definitely) more than one biscuit 😉
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