As exams loom near, it is natural for children and parents to start worrying. Planning and following a study timetable can help your children achieve their academic goals and get those grades they need.
But, how do you prepare the ideal timetable?
You can’t just write down the number of days left till the exam, equally dividing the days for different subjects. That’s a timetable in the literal sense only. It won’t be very helpful for your children.
What goes into making an ideal study timetable?
1. Write down goals
It can be getting really good scores in different subjects or even a long-term goal like getting into a good college, getting a good job, travelling the world, or anything. Write your child’s main goals on a piece of paper and stick it in a location where they can see it often. Seeing the goals can help remind them why they have to follow the timetable and work hard.
2. Assess yourself
Help your children assess themselves and identify their strengths and weaknesses. Not all students face the same strengths or weaknesses academically. So, consider which will require more time, and help them plan a timetable allotting ample time for subjects that demand more time for learning. Don’t clump together the study sessions with topics they find difficult. Instead, break the study sessions so that different topics come intermittently. It can help rid the children of dread and reluctance to learn.
3. Assign break times
Don’t plan sessions that last for hours. Try to divide the time into blocks of time with regular breaks in between.
A good idea for the time-block would be 50 mins learning and a 10-minute break. After three sessions like this, you can allow a longer break for the children. This technique is called the Pomodoro technique and is effective. It helps your children to stay focussed and refreshed through the study sessions.
4. Leave the last days for revision and relaxation
When planning the study schedule, leave the last few days for revision. Divide the portions so that before the revision dates, you have completed all your studying. Stress during the examination period and on the actual day of the exam can make your children forget what they have previously learned. So, use these days to refresh upon what they had learned (till then) and also help them stay relaxed.
5. Leave room for any unforeseen needs
When planning the timetable, always make room for things that can come on unexpectedly. It can be falling ill, power outages, or even, the car breaking down. (knock on wood!) Due to unforeseen personal circumstances, your children may also not be able to cover the portions in the allotted time. So, always consider these factors and help your children prepare for the worst case scenarios.
6. Leave time for sleep and other activities
Don’t just fill all their time with studies and revisions. Leave time for spending with family, playing, watching movies, or anything that will help them relax. It is vital to destress during exam preparation. Make sure your children get enough sleep and have their meals on time. Enough sleep and a balanced diet are necessary for their brains to function well.
7. Review and adapt daily or regularly
Don’t just make a timetable and blindly follow it along. Instead, take some time daily and weekly to review the performance and make changes where necessary. You have to be flexible and willing to accommodate changes. It can improve the efficiency of your child’s routines.
8. Add priority numbers or labels to the tasks
When planning, assign priorities to the tasks or subjects they are learning. So, in case of emergencies or mishaps, they can choose the one with highest priority and focus on it! It can avoid wasting time to decide during such circumstances.
9. Use a good planner app
There are many apps and software available for you to create and follow a timetable. Look and find one suitable for your children. Make use of it. But, make sure they don’t take the phone to check the planner and then start looking at other apps and get diverted. To avoid it, apps that can block unnecessary apps for set periods are available. You can set it to block all distracting apps during study time.
You can also use the google calendar or a printed calendar for writing down your schedule. Just make sure it is easily accessible and listed out.
10. Accountability
When you start a schedule, it is a good idea to inform others about it. It can help in two ways. The first is to ensure that others will not disturb your children during the planned study times if they know the schedule. The second is that it creates a sense of accountability. If people see that it is their study time and find them playing around, they will ask your children about it. It can help children stay on track and stay accountable. You can monitor them sometimes and also ask other family members to do it.
Following a set timetable is a continuous process. It takes some time to get used to it. If one masters the process, they can follow it throughout their life to achieve all their goals.
Keep these tips in mind and prepare well for your exams. We wish all the best to all the students and parents who are working hard for the exams! 🙂
Exam Smart Tips
Exam Smart Tip #1 – How to Encourage Our Kids to Speak Better?
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Exam Smart Tip #3 – Establishing Routines!
Exam Smart Tip #4 – Let’s Read Carefully!
Exam Smart Tip #5 – Beating the Exam Fever!
Exam Smart Tip #6 – How to Eat Right for the Exams?
Exam Smart Tip #7 – How to Avoid a Meltdown?
Exam Smart Tip #8 – Taking Stress out of Tests
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