06 Oct 7 Tips for parents to help their child get ready for exams

Here’s how you can help (not hinder!) their study writes Exam Tutor, Clarissa Armani

A recent survey has shown that kids say their parents hinder rather than help them when studying.  More than 300 students responded to the online poll which was conducted recently where 62 per cent of respondents said their parents hindered them when studying and only 38 per cent said their parents help them.

The majority of respondents (56.52 per cent) said the worst thing parents do is “Interrupt my studying by coming in my room.”  This was followed by; “Constantly asking me how my studying is going,” (37.05 per cent).  “Playing TV/music/making noise in the house,” was the response of 27.27 per cent of respondents.

Respondents said that the best way parents can help was, (in order of preference):

1. “Give me space” (34.78 per cent)
2. “Buy me the stationery I need,” (26.09 per cent)
3. “Make me a cup of tea/snack/drink” (21.74 per cent)

When asked an open question about what most distracts students from studying, there were many varied answers, ranging from “my phone,” “the TV,” “the Internet”, “Electronic devices”, “loud noises” and “my bossy mum.”

“The results of the survey clearly show that parents need to back off! It’s important for students to learn how to plan and manage their study by themselves. Hovering around to check they are on task, is distracting and counterproductive,” said Clarissa Armani.

Here are some tips and advice to parents when their children are studying for exams:

1. Keep mum – try not to share and compare your child’s exam results with results of another child who goes to a different school. This often arises when parents catch up and gossip about their child’s school marks. It is difficult to compare marks from different schools since the test difficulty is often different across schools and so isn’t really an indicator of performance.
2. Each to their own – feel free to give your child study tips but remember – what worked for you when you studied may not work for your child. Everyone has different learning styles.
3. Pick and mix – allow your children to pick their own subjects. There is no subject that is better than another to pick in high school. This will ensure the student is studying what they are interested in which will likely lead to higher marks.
4. Balance it out – encourage balance and routine. It is important for children to have a well-balanced lifestyle (extra-curricular activities, leadership positions, volunteer, study, downtime with friends). It is also important to have a routine that allows adequate time for study and non-study related activities. Maintaining the same routine every week will help prevent your child from falling behind at school and contribute to their confidence and wellbeing.
5. Set the scene – having the right environment for study can make a huge difference so children feel comfortable and motivated.  Set them up with a good desk or provide quiet time at the kitchen table with good lighting.  Kids of all ages love nice stationery, so treat them to their faves – (I’m loving Pilot’s new Frixion Light highlighters right now as they’re erasable and come in heaps of different colours).
6. Back off – too much parent involvement can be counterproductive. It’s important for children to learn how to plan and manage their study by themselves. Hovering around while your child is studying to check they are on task, is distracting and counterproductive.
7. Positive feedback – try not to become angry if your child receives a low mark (believe me, it does happen!) Instead use it as a learning curve to help your child gain insight and motivation to change their study habits and perform better next time.  Have an open discussion and encourage them to remain positive to support them on their way.

The study was conducted by Clarissa Armani who runs popular Tik Tok tutorials and study tips. Visit: @thestudyfix.  For study tips and more, visit: www.pilotpen.com.au.