GCSEs are one of the first stressful time periods that your child may face. It is a time where they have to take initiative and be independent as the exams and studies can only be completed by them and will create a foundation for where their studies will take them. When unprepared, this can come as a shock to the student, which will lead to high levels of stress and anxiety. Your child may seem moodier than usual and uninterested in most daily activities. This can eventually affect the level of achievement, quality of work and lead to an ‘I-don’t-care’ mentality. To avoid this, here are some ways to help your child prepare for their GCSE exams.
Understand how the exams work. The boards for GCSE exams change regularly and may be very different to the ones you did yourself. Taking the time to understand how the exams work, the criteria and the content that will be taught is a great first step in supporting your child. Make a note of which exams your child is doing and where they may need additional support.
Ensure your child has the right resources to study. Majority of the content is taught by teachers but as a student, it can be difficult to absorb when surrounded by a class of 30. Obviously, a parent is not expected to teach all the information to their child but the addition of extra support will ensure your child is up to date when it comes to the understanding of the content taught. Understand what your child’s most effective method is learning, this can range from reading books and making notes to listening to podcasts and watching YouTube videos. Making this small change will make the biggest difference to your child.
Ensure the environment your child is in is study friendly. Studies have shown that multi-tasking during schoolwork affects memory and attention which are not ideal when it comes to revision. Create a space that is open and bright but is minimalistic to keep focus on studies and nothing more. Regardless of the location, keep it quiet and distraction free. The use of online classes like ACT tuition in the UK means your child will have the additional support no matter where they are.
Encourage your child to take breaks. Some students may feel constant hours of revision will be beneficial but this can actually do more harm. Teenagers need a good amount of sleep as well as time to do activities to reset their minds to complete a healthy session of studies. Cramming never works and can lead to exhaustion and poor memory. Create a timetable where your child has a balanced number of studies to free time. Free time can be eating dinner or even winding down and spending their time outdoors for a number of hours. Entire days off can also be beneficial between study days. Regeneration is imperative to keep a consistent cycle of work going.
Lastly, be there when they need you. Your child may develop anxiety and feel as though no one understands the stress they may be feeling due to these exams. Be vocal with them. Explain that you understand the changes they may be feeling and that it is a big thing they are going through. Acknowledge their small efforts and don’t add any additional stress to them for the exam period.
