I’m a big fan of being organised.
I hate clutter and I really hate wasting time trying to find things I swear I had just a minute ago, or that I’ve placed securely “in a safe place’ (grrr).
Here’s what I get students to do if they find they’re taking as long to find everything they need to do their homework as it does to actually DO the homework.
Many students prefer to TYPE rather than write when it comes to taking and making notes. And of course, There are a number of reasons and advantages of this.
However, there many scientific studies that prove that we remember more of what we write than what we type.
Here’s my take on things and how I explain this phenomenon to myself and students.
I often talk about the importance of command words in tasks and questions, but it’s probably no surprise that there’s a little more to perfecting exam technique. (In fact there are 6 different key elements).
What about the smaller, less obvious elements that are clues to crafting a great answer?
This week I look at the less obvious points to look for – just like the subtle observations that Sherlock is so famous for in his deductions.
Watch the video to get some specific examples I came across lately that caught some students out.
When we’re all so short on time these days, I like to be able to make use of my ‘dead time’ in any way I can!
And there are many ways for students to do this too.
Find out how I used a car break-down to my advantage and my top ways for your teen to use their time on a bus journey to help them reduce their stress and get more done.
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.
Who feels like they always have enough time and couldn’t use an extra hour or two in every day?
No?
Me neither.
One reason is that WE have lots going on.
The other reason is THERE is lots going on.
These days it is veeeerrrrry easy to get distracted and things that should take half an hour, end up taking double that or even more.
By giving anything on a ‘to do’ list a timing your son or daughter can really start to give a task their all, get it done quickly and efficiently AND to a higher standard because they are more focussed and less distracted.
The furthest I have ever run in one go is 10 miles, that’s approximately 16km.
It didn’t take me long to realise just how much this physical training was more about mental rather than muscle power.
It’s exactly the same for any task that feels overwhelming or a struggle, or just too hard.
What do you think your teenager would choose for homework. Writing an essay for the next 3 hours? Or writing an introduction for 30 minutes?
It’s all about chunking things down to make things manageable in a practical as well as mental sense.
P.S. I’ve since read that one of the UK’s best-ever marathon runners, Paula Radcliffe does this too… So if it’s good enough for the pro’s 🙂
For some students they don’t take enough.
Others take the study break a little too far, for a little too long 😉
So are they really necessary?
(Spoiler alert: Yes)
And therefore how long should they be and how often?
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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!) 🙂
