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?
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….
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!
I was recently explaining to a new friend of mine what the 10 Week Grade Transformation Program is and what I do (and what it does for students!).
After a few minutes discussion given she came out with a really awesome analogy.
“Kinda like a magic trick” were her words.
Watch the video for my take on why she hit the nail right on the head.
Let’s talk about the big F-word.
Don’t panic, let me set things straight from the start.
I’m talking about F-E-A-R…
Fear can be defined as:
False Evidence Appearing Real.
It is different to Danger. Danger means there is real risk of harm.
Fear is a little different.
There are often two types of fear that exist among us.
One is probably a little more familiar than the other but BOTH can be extremely powerful.
Teenagers are too old for smiley faces and gold star stickers.
But that doesn’t mean that they are too old for having their hard work and achievement recognised.
(Even if they pretend they aren’t ‘even bothered’) 😉
So how can you track and measure progress and set goals in a clear and mature fashion?
There is an art to students asking for help when they’re stuck.
If I had a dollar for every time I hear ‘I don’t get it’ then I’d be a millionaire – well maybe not quite, but pretty close!
It’s basically a cop out statement.
Not only is it almost impossible to respond to (where do you start with that, aside from just repeating the task/question?), but it also means the chances of your teen getting the most helpful answer are pretty slim.
There is a way your teen can ask for help when they’re stuck without annoying you/or their teacher AND get the most useful response.
The idea of ‘failing forward’ means that it can actually be a positive, to ‘fail’ or make a mistake (and do so many times over) as long as you are learning from it and moving onwards and upwards in some way as a result of what you’ve learnt.
Good advice.
But what if there was something better?
There is a way to move forwards, onwards and upwards without actually having to fail first.
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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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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