It’s December again, which means another year has come and gone. No doubt you (and especially your children!) would like nothing more than to forget about schoolwork and embrace the long holiday that lies ahead. However, the December vacation is a good opportunity for you and your kids to look back at the year that has been, to evaluate how it has gone, and to determine what you can do to improve in the coming year. Make some time before the start of the 2011 school year to sit with your children and devise a plan for how they can maximise their achievements. Below are some useful tips you can give them to enable them to get the marks they deserve!

Throughout the year:

- Homework may be boring, but doing it will help your understanding immeasurably. It allows you to apply the theoretical knowledge you have gained, and to check that you understand the work.

- Make your own notes throughout the year. This will consolidate your knowledge and understanding, and will make it easier to revise for exams at the end of the year. It will also allow you to identify any areas you don’t fully understand.

- If you do find that there are areas you don’t understand, ask your teacher or tutor for help. Don’t be embarrassed about doing this: they’re there to help you, and will most likely be glad to see that you’re making an effort to master their subject.

Before tests and exams:

- Before you start revising, ask your teacher for a list of the topics that will be covered in the test / exam. Then use this as a check-list to make sure you’ve gone through everything at least once (preferably twice) before you go into the exam room.

- Make notes on the topics that will be covered, or go through existing ones. DON’T simply read the textbook – you’re unlikely to absorb much information in this way. Active methods such as note-making force your brain to process information, which will make it far easier to recall during a test or exam.

- If you get bored simply making notes, try some more creative revision methods. For example, you could explain the work to someone in your family, draw pictures, make mind maps, or come up with rhymes and limericks to help you remember key details.

- Work through as many past papers as possible, preferably checking your answers against a memo afterwards. Not only will this help you to identify areas that need more work, but it will also help you to get used to the types of questions that might be asked – this is very useful because there is usually a very limited array of possible question types.

Attitude

- Take responsibility for your own work. Your teacher or tutor can explain the work, but they cannot learn it for you.

- Make use of any resources you have, such as text-books – they should contain almost all the information you need.

- Work independently to achieve the best marks you can, and you’re unlikely to be disappointed.

If, when talking to your children, you find that there are serious gaps in their understanding, or if you simply feel that they would benefit from individual attention, consider getting a tutor. If you’re going to do this, it is best to start as early as possible. The earlier you start, the more time the tutor will have to identify problems and to solidify the foundations of your child’s understanding. Although it is never too late to get extra help, you are far likelier to see significant results if you start in Grade 10 than if you leave it till Matric.

For more information on how BrightSparkz Tutors can help you or your child visit www.brightsparkz.co.za

I hope these tips will be of some use to you. Have a great holiday, and best of luck in 2011 from the BrightSparkz Tutors Team!