4 Ways to Help your Child get an A+
Tests give children the opportunity to create study skills, learn from their mistakes, and learn how to deal with unexpected situations – pop quiz anyone? By preparing for tests, children will be less likely to be afraid of making mistakes and they will be able to rely on their own abilities. We’ve provided five tips to ease with test taking and to help your child become a test-taking superhero.
Make it a Family Affair
Play fun, short 10-15 minute games rather than trying to enforce strict/stressful study sessions. Involve siblings and family members and play a game that relates to a study topic. For instance, trivia games that require participants to guess the answer to a math question, name a planet, or spell out a particular word are all great options. The best way to save information is to spend 20-30 minutes each day focusing on small sections of your course material.
Lets get Flashy
Flash cards are a great way to review fast facts anytime, anyplace. Get crafty with the kids and make your own flash cards . When you put the flash cards to use, let your child hold the flash cards to test you. Yep, that’s right. Ann K. Dolin, a Washington D.C.-based tutor and the author of Homework Made Simple: Tips, Tools, and Solutions for Stress-Free Homework says “[Kids] take ownership and [they] like to be the teacher.” She suggests that parents offer some incorrect answers to allow the kids to correct them; this will make it fun for the kids and they’ll be learning at the same time – Bonus!
Practice. Practice. Practice.
Put together a practice test for your child a night or two before test day. Not only will this help your child figure out what it is he/she doesn’t know, but it will also allow you show your child which answers were incorrect and why. Once you know your child’s struggle points you’ll know where they most need to focus the most before test day.
The Basics
The night before the test, make sure your child gets plenty of sleep. Typically, school-aged children between 5 and 12 require 10 to 11 hours of sleep per day. On the morning of the test, fuel your child’s brain with a wholesome and healthy breakfast Try to avoid processed sugar and dairy, and focus on providing them with the protein and carbs they need to fuel their brain.
