No matter how old you kids are, exams and tests are inevitable. As a parent, you want to help your child,but to find a balance between being involved while also allowing them to learn themselves can be tough.
Here are some general tips when assisting your kids with their homework and learning:
Discover your child’s learning style, for example are they auditory or more visual? Their teacher will be able to give you some more insight into this. If they are more visual, then mind maps or images and pictures will be able to help your child remember the facts; if they are auditory then repeating facts and information out loud to you may assist them with remembering the information.
Teach your kids the importance of learning rather than just regurgitating the information. Give them examples of how they could use what they are learning in the real world or later in life. They need to learn to understand and be able to see the value in that information.
Instilling a study routine from a young age will help it become part of their daily routine which in turn will help to decrease stress and anxiety associated with studying. You can talk to the school to find out more about the school’s exam procedures and what material will be covered in the test or exam. This can also help you to prepare your child’s stationery requirements. Eg do they need a calculator for the exam, are they required to write with a blue or black pen.
Set up a timetable. Research indicates that you child should study for no longer that 30 minutes with no more than two subjects to prevent fatigue. In between study sessions, get them to do something active like kick a ball outside for 5 minutes to burn off some energy and allow them to refocus.
Here are our top 5 tips to making learning fun:
Make it visual with pictures and colours
Get the family involved – make it interactive. Do ‘pop quizzes’ and test everyone’s knowledge in the family
Avoid parrot learning
If your child is a more auditory learner, you can record the notes and then play them back or get someone in the family to read their notes to them and then have them repeat the information
Focus on areas where your child is making progress or really trying their hardest - don’t point out their weaknesses but rather encourage them to help them build confidence
With all of that in mind, you are sure to have your kids prepped and ready for any test or exam. Just make sure that they are getting enough sleep and are looking after their bodies too. And remind them that an exam doesn’t define their self-worth and should they fail, it doesn’t dictate who they are as an individual and can be turned into a positive as it will give them a chance to try something different next time round.
