It is exam season and your children might either be freaking out about it or blissfully oblivious as their exam dates get closer with each passing day. Regardless of their state of mind right now, exam season is always a stressful time. Parents can play a significant role in relieving some of that stress by assisting their children to prepare for their exams.
Before beginning, parents must understand the type of learner their children are. Of course, each child is different. Is she a visual or hands-on learner? Is he a mix of both? Does she work better alone or in a group? How long is his attention span? Talk with each of them about it and come up with methods for exam preparations that are the most conducive to his learning style(s), not yours.
Many parents, including me, assist their children before a test. Some use flashcards, others ask probing questions, while others make mock exams - the effectiveness of each technique is completely determined by each child’s learning style.
I have written some tips in a couple of articles on this blog about spending time with your children and being involved when they do their homework, that can be applied to helping your children study for exams. The most important takeaways from these blogs should be scheduling, location and your overall involvement. Studying in a clear - somewhat secluded- area helps your children focus on their tasks without distraction. Planning a schedule to study for each class gives a sense of order during a time that may be chaotic for most students. Parents can assist by checking up on your children every once in a while to observe their progress or assist with a problem. This shows them that you care about their academics and it gives them the chance to share what they have learned. It also gives them the opportunity to ask questions on what they may not thoroughly understand yet.
That is not all! According to an article on the U.S. Department of Education’s website, one of the best things you can do for your children is to talk to them about their exams. Find out what subjects they are confident and not-so confident in. Speak with them about the areas they think they need to focus on. Speak with their teachers and present these inquiries to them, too. Use your newfound data to help your children set up a study plan that strengthens their weaknesses and enhances their strengths.
Be sure to confirm with their teachers the correct exam dates and ensure that they start studying well in advance. Children can get confused about dates, especially if they have not written them down. Also, having a longer time span for them to go over the information for each subject, gives your children a better chance of actually learning and comprehending the information rather than just memorizing it. Comprehension signifies that the information can be applied to many different situations; however, memorization makes it much harder to do so.
Parents know what exam season is like. We all have been through it. We can use our experiences, along with these tips, to ensure that our children handle studying and taking exams better than we did and are more successful. You can find the U.S Department of Education’s article for more tips on how to help your children by clicking here.