Having taught over more years than I care to mention, in both classroom and one to one settings, I’d like to share some key advice for both tutors and parents. I can only speak from my personal experience but I think people might find themselves surprised at what does and does not make a difference in a child’s education and also the hidden set of skills they really do need to develop to succeed beyond school.
Order Matters!
One of my worst education related experiences was lecturing study skills at a sixth form to a group of teenagers who clearly did not want to be there. Phones were a new distraction and they felt they had the right to decide whether or not to pay me any attention. I did everything right as far as the theory went, but at the end of the day there was simply not enough order and too many distractions for my message to get across and for the students to benefit from the lectures. This issue of order is actually central to successful learning, whether at school, in a one to one tutorial or self learning at home. Without order, things get muddled and can easily descend into chaos.
Some tips from me on this front:
Order your homework!
Ideally, do it on the day you get it. This might come as a shocker but it won’t affect how much you have to do by delaying it! Actually, ordering things correctly means you are working ahead and not behind which puts you at a massive advantage.
Stay away from distractions to maintain an ordered learning environment. This may mean asking your students to put phones away during their lessons. Have conversations with parents about this if it is private tuition and with the school if it is a school based issue. At home, dedicate a homework area to distraction free working where you can quite literally order your homework, your textbooks, your notes and your thoughts.
Invest in finding out how to succeed
If you don’t know a mark scheme, how will you know how to ace an exam? If you are a University student and don’t know how to approach an assignment to get top marks, how will you achieve this? Take time to be pro-active and ask to sit down with your teachers, lecturers and mentors and ask them plainly: ‘What do I need to do to succeed here’? Many students literally just don’t know. Some may have a tutor or parent who can help a bit but the first point of contact should be your subject specific teacher. Once you find this out, put it into action.
I have my own story about this. At University my grades were ok but not as good as I had hoped and I had no idea why. I thought I was following all the right steps. One day a kind lecturer took the time to sit down with me and explain exactly, precisely, in great detail, how I could have done better and what techniques to use next time. My grades shot up and I immediately started getting regular ‘firsts’ for marks. Although it was hard work it was no longer confusing, I knew exactly what they were looking for and so I could do it. So, I strongly advise you to ask questions and be pro-active about it, not passive.
Non academic skills really, really, really do matter!
When you are in the treadmill of school or University you’d be forgiven for believing that your entire life depends on what grades you get. Good grades do matter, yes. Are top grades the be all and end all though? No! I know of so many people who have amazing non-grade-based skills which were somewhat undervalued in the education system who have gone on to be highly successful in the working world; networking, analytical thinking, assertion, public speaking, debating, interpersonal skills. These are to name but a few.
My relatives in Australia told me how highly valued they were at the schools their children attended and I have to say that the results show for themselves. Perhaps this is something we can learn from here in the UK and reflect on why these skills are less valued and taught. On a practical level, as well as supporting them in their academic journey, I would strongly suggest encouraging your child to participate in debating and public speaking clubs, even if this means having to look outside of the school they attend.
Also, book them onto short courses about financial literacy and assertion. When all is said and done and the GCSEs, A levels or degree has been completed, you would be surprised at how much success depends on these other factors so invest in them early on! They are just as much a part of their holistic education as their academic skills.
I hope these simple and experienced based insights are helpful to you and with them come my very best wishes.
Anne-Marie
Education Specialist