Facing exam re-sits? Here's how to get back into the learning mindset

Jill Foster 26 August 2020 10:43am BST "Most students are feeling more anxious than normal about their re-sits for obvious reasons this year," says Aman Khatter, a tutor for maths,

chemistry, medical school applications and personal statements for MyTutor.co.uk. "They’ve been away from school for so long and have perhaps forgotten how to get back into the mindset

of learning. Don’t panic. You still have a few weeks left to prepare and plan." Here are Khatter's eight top tips: 1. BREAK UP YOUR STUDYING Plan out a revision timetable and set

little goals so you’re not too overwhelmed by work. Aim to cover X, Y and Z in one day and A, B and C in another. Don’t do it all at once. Breaking your study up into small manageable chunks

is better than cramming. There’s no golden rule for how much study you need to do each day. Some students can manage a full day, others only a few hours. Do whatever works best for you. 2.

CHECK OUT YOUTUBE Parents shouldn’t be worried if they see their child watching YouTube rather than studying from a textbook. It’s actually good for children to mix up revision resources and

should be encouraged. Many subjects are covered on YouTube videos, BBC Bitesize and online platforms these days. 3. CLEAR YOUR HEAD  Use breaks wisely. It’s important to have breaks where

you can totally clear your head and not worry about the last thing you revised and perhaps didn’t understand. Encourage your child to go out for a walk or watch something on television so

they can completely switch off. I always say to my students that the optimum time for study is 40 minutes on and 10 minutes off because that works for me personally. But it’s very much down

to the individual. I’d suggest you don’t study for more than an hour at a time though as every teacher will tell you, your brain stops taking in as much information after around 40 minutes.

4. GET SOME REST When I was struggling with revision during my own exams, I’d stay up for hours to try to absorb the information. But actually, this is the last thing you should do. Getting

some good sleep means you can wake to a problem with fresh eyes. It’s amazing how often students go to bed worried about a concept they simply don’t understand, then they wake up and it

suddenly becomes clear. Parents can help students by setting fixed bedtimes and encouraging their children to stick to it. Encourage them to turn off the laptop a good hour before bedtime if

possible so they’re not worrying about revision while trying to get to sleep. 5. STAY MOTIVATED The last thing parents should do is dwell on the fact that the student didn’t get good enough

marks and so has to take a re-sit. They need to look forwards and keep a positive attitude so the student doesn’t lose motivation to study. I always ask my students to write down three

positive things they’ve achieved at the end of each week which really helps keep them focused. 6. DON'T OBSESS ABOUT AS Try not to aim too much on a specific grade and parents should

not try to put more pressure on their child to attain a certain grade. Some students find that if they do that, they only focus on certain topics which they think will be in the exam paper

and are going to help them get to that grade. I always say: ‘Work towards the grade that is going to make you happy.’ If you know you worked the hardest you can, then whatever grade you get,

you can’t regret the work you put in. 7. GET UP Try not to do all your revision while lying on the bed. I know lots of student do it but bed should be a place to sleep and rest so if you

can – and it is difficult for some families, particularly during the pandemic – have a dedicated work area in the house. Parents can help their child by making this area as comfortable as

possible, with few distractions from younger siblings. 8. TRUST YOUR TEACHERS  They are often the people who know you best and will know what will help you to pass those exams. They know

your strengths and weaknesses and what areas of the subject you need to focus on. Don’t be afraid of asking your teachers for specific advice as they may often be able to help you with

worksheets or past papers.