Getting used to the new norm of being at home more regularly than is proving challenging for both students and parents. This feature contains recommendations and practical advice for both, in order to get that revision routine going and exacting the maximum from this unusual period. Being at home preparing notes and revision is alien to most students, unless you are home schooled. Always remember that you haven’t been taught or asked to structure and balance your day like this before, given that your usual weekly routine consists of school, homework, sleep, repeat. The goal of these feature articles, which come in six parts spread over the year, is to provide you with tools and ideas to help you get organised, advise you on motivation and explore the role your parents may have at this time.

Your Plan for Tomorrow

From an exam student’s point of view, the first thing you need to look at each night is your plan for the next day. If your plan is to ‘do a bit of study’, a large part of the day could well pass you by. At this stage you need to develop your own workable home routine. To do this, I would recommend getting up at the same time, showering and having a structured plan for revision, meals and breaks to facilitate that pattern you need. Organising yourself the night before is key. Knowing what to expect the next day will make the process so much easier. Being able to work alone (including from home) will become an even more important skill as third level institutions increasingly develop their online learning platforms.

Revising at home for a longer period than your used to presents its own set of challenges. You will need to investigate new ways of finding and using material online. You will probably need to become familiar with new technology, as teachers strive to communicate with you. You will definitely need to be more self-disciplined and more efficient at managing your time than ever before. During holidays or non-school times, there will be no school timetable to follow, so you will need to set, pace and organise your own learning. If you can manage to embrace and overcome some of these Initial hurdles, you are already halfway there. Change is challenging but can often turn out to be a worthwhile. You will need to learn to work alone more and challenge yourself and your motivations. Hopefully you will look back later and view this change as a positive period in your life. Without knowing it and as we speak, you are effectively turning yourself into independent thinkers and learners, and these skills will stand to you at third level and in the world of work to come.

*****

Your Revision Area

Being at home more has placed more emphasis on your place of study. Ask yourself the following questions; Is my revision area free from distractions, comfortable, warm and spacious? Is there natural light in the room and is the desk and chair I am using the right height for me? Is my study desk full of ‘non educational material’ or is it clutter free? Is this a place to prepare notes and learn? Your answers to these questions will indicate if you need to make changes to this area or not.  Up to now, your study area was only used for three to four hours each evening, but now it may be required more, and you need to ensure you are happy with its setup. Ideally, I would set up my revision area outside the bedroom, in order to disassociate sleep with revision. Depending on your circumstances, all of the above may not be possible. Link in with your parents to try and get as many of these elements in place as you can.

To view last weeks feature on ‘being more successful in Maths’, click here.

I will publish the five subsequent parts of this feature at Christmas, Mid-term and Easter times. Stay tuned for more useful Insights as the weeks progress… Joe

*****

More details about Joe’s ACE Tuition Classes (Maths and English), ACE Career Coaching, and his ever popular ACE Maths Solution Books for the Junior and Leaving Certificate can be found via the links below. Be sure to pick up your copy today!

W: acesolutionbooks.com
FB: facebook.com/JoeMcCormackEducationalExpert/
#:   #JoesJotter

*****

© Joe McCormack 2020

Joe’s Jotter: ACE Guide to Exam Prep From Home (Feature 1 of 6)

Joe’s Jotter: ACE Guide to Exam Prep From Home (Feature 1 of 6)
Joe’s Jotter: ACE Guide to Exam Prep From Home (Feature 1 of 6)

With Primary school students having spent much time recently learning from home, parents are now taking a greater role and Interest in their children’s education. This is a difficult task, as many parents are working from home and trying to support their child’s learning also. Creating a consistent routine, keeping positive, keeping calm, putting rules and consequences in place, allowing time for your child, talking to and reassuring them are all factors that will contribute to producing a more harmonious learning environment.

I have worked with a Primary School Teacher to develop this feature and I hope you will find it helpful as we move to a new normal and different ways of learning and communicating. In this feature I have included some areas I consider important to you as a parent at difficult times like these. I hope they are of some help and create a safe, happy and loving environment for your child.

It is important to plan a daily structure and involve your child in this process. With your child, sit down together and draw up a balanced timetable of learning, fun and breaks. A child will follow a timetable better if they help plan it and this will also build their confidence. In doing this you are giving them a level of ownership of their own routine.

Tips on planning a routine/timetable:

• Set times to get up and go to bed
• Agree on a timeline including structured work, recreational activities, practical activities and break times
• Choose activities the child enjoys
• Plan short sessions e.g. 20 mins and always allow flexibility. There is no set time if the learning is balanced and varied
• Identify times you can work with them and times they can work independently
• Aim to include movement breaks regularly throughout the day
• Ask your child what they like to do and include this in the daily schedule
• Introduce a positive reward system e.g. choice time, sticker chart. treats etc
• Decorate the timetable and display it at your child’s eye level

Supporting schoolwork at home

Junior Infants – 2^nd Class

The best way to support Primary School children is to:

• Sit with them as they work
• Work for short intervals
• Take movement and snack breaks
• Use the outdoors to break away from tabletop tasks
• Use a reward system
• Encourage your child to focus on the task in front of them
• Read words/questions carefully
• Form letters correctly
• Check correct pencil grip
• Have concrete materials readily available for number work
• Provide practical experiences for Maths work, e.g. Shapes around me, weighing food from the cupboard, counting, checking etc
• Challenge them by asking different types of questions in various subject areas
• Try and relate topic areas to your child’s own experiences
• Always give praise and encouragement

3^rd Class – 6^th Class

• Allow children to work independently as much as possible
• Offer support and assistance as needed
• Assess learning by observing, questioning and correcting work
• Monitor presentation of work and handwriting
• Look at their school workplan beforehand to familiarise yourself with the different subject areas
• Use age appropriate actions from the ‘Junior Infants – 2^nd Class’ list above

Outside the Classroom

It is important for your child to enjoy free time and activities they have fun with. Here are a range of activities that you and your child can choose from:

• Practice how to keep safe during Corona virus spread
• Exercise, sport, games
• Imaginative free play
• Fine motor skills: Lego, play dough, beading, building blocks and cutting
• Linking in with loved ones and friends on voice calls and video calls as social interaction is very important
• Learn life skills: indoors and outdoors (Choose jobs that children can do)

– Baking, cooking, gardening, (planting, weeding), setting the table, emptying the dishwasher, making their bed, tidying their room, folding clothes, sorting clothes, hanging out the washing, farming (safely) etc

Media and Online Time

It is important that your Primary School child has access to recommended online facilities during any school closures where possible. Ensure your child’s safety online and set up parent controls on devices to monitor child’s activities online. Below I will list some of the more useful websites you can work on with your child.

It’s a good idea to link with the school and class teacher through email, in order to give and receive feedback and to send on work samples for assessment.

Twelve Useful Websites to Support You

PrimaryScience.ie  (Science)

twinkl.ie/offer  (enter the code IRLTWINKLHELPS)

webwise.ie (Online safety)

vooks.com (Literacy)

starfall.com  (Literacy)

scoilnet.ie  (All curricular areas)

topmarks.co.uk  (Maths)

learn.khanacademy.org/khan-academy-kids (Words and Numbers)

askaboutireland.ie (SESE)

krokotak.com  (Arts and crafts/colouring)

positiveparentingsolutions.com (Parental Advice)

To view last weeks feature article on how to check in on your Motivation levels, click here.

*****

More details about Joe’s ACE Tuition (Maths and English), ACE Career Coaching, and his ever popular ACE Maths Solution Books for the Junior and Leaving Certificate can be found via the links below. Be sure to pick up your copy today!

W: acesolutionbooks.com
FB: facebook.com/JoeMcCormackEducationalExpert/
#:   #JoesJotter

*****

© Joe McCormack 2020

Joe’s Jotter: Parents & Primary School Children: Working in Harmony

Joe’s Jotter: Parents & Primary School Children: Working in Harmony
Joe’s Jotter: Parents & Primary School Children: Working in Harmony