Study tips that will help you achieve your goals

April 12th, 2016

Exam season is just around the corner, which means your evenings will soon be filled with revision sessions and practice test papers. Here at Tutor Doctor we want you to get a head start with revision by honing in on your study skills and revision methods now. That’s why we’ve put together some super helpful study tips that will help you achieve your goals and beyond!

1.Understand topics in your own words
In order to thrive in any exam you need to have a sound understanding of what you are writing about and the theory behind it.  It’s easy to sit and read out of a textbook or listen to a teacher, but one of the key study tips is to learn topics so that you understand them and are able to talk about them in your own words. Start by getting into the habit of writing study notes in a way that you can understand them. Copying notes word for word out a textbook or from the whiteboard, won’t be much use when you are trying to revise and need to understand the key points.
Once you have started practicing this, you could even test your knowledge by talking through a subject with parents or a family member, explaining everything you know about it. This way you will be talking about the topic in your own words and speaking without prompts or notes.

2.Test Yourself
Once you feel like you have mastered a subject, it’s crucial that you test yourself. Start by replicating exam conditions; turn off your phone, time yourself and don’t talk to anyone. You can then test yourself with a quiz, a practice paper or just write down everything you know about that particular subject. As long as you approach practice with the right mindset, it will give you an indication on how much you really know.

3.Don’t be afraid to ask questions
Never be afraid to ask questions if you don’t quite understand a topic or a theory. Teachers, tutors, parents, friends and family are all there to support you and help you achieve your goals, so make sure you soak up their knowledge. You never know, that one question might be the difference between a grade in your final exam. Remember there really is no such thing as a silly question!

4.Set goals and create a study plan
To be successful in your exams, you need to know what you want to achieve. Start by going through each subject and writing out on a piece of paper a realistic grade that you want to reach by the end of your exams. Stick this on your wall or fridge- ideally somewhere you will see it everyday.
Once you have some study goals in place you can now outline what you need to do to reach them. Remember your study plan needs to be realistic but flexible. This way if you need to cover a different topic one night because you’re not feeling as confident in a certain area as you would like to be, you need to allow for this. It’s also important during revision periods to be strict with yourself and stick to your revision plan as much as you can. If you ever find yourself de-motivated, think back to the goals you originally set yourself.

5.Get Creative with studying
Sitting with a book and a highlighter isn’t the only way you can study- there are loads of different techniques out there, you just need to be creative.  For example, flashcards are an easy and fun study method and are ideal for boosting your memory and helping you recall theory, definitions and dates. They are also the perfect tool if you only have time for a quick study session or if you need to refresh your memory just before an exam. Other effective ways to study include mind maps, mnemonics, video and audio resources, quizzes, practice exam papers, posters, getting family members to quiz you and re-writing notes. Remember, using revision techniques that work best for you will always get you the best results. This means choosing the methods that will ensure you retain as much information as possible and are dare we say it- are enjoyable!

How to teach your child time management skills

As children grow up, it’s inevitable that they will become independent managers of their time and schedule. However, time management skills are only briefly covered in the curriculum, with some schools failing completely to teach children how to manage their busy workload. Here at Tutor Doctor, we know how important time management skills are in order for a child to be successful not only at school but throughout their adult life. That’s why we’ve come up with some ways that you can teach your children how to manage their time efficiently and effectively, all in the comfort of your own home.

Schedule time for homework
It’s important to help your child schedule in time for homework and studying. Often kids think that not being at school means that they can relax, see friends and don’t have to worry about anything else. Start by breaking down projects into pieces of work that they can fit into 30- 60 minute blocks of time, and schedule these into their planner or family calendar. Remember it’s also important to communicate with them that time is precious and having a plan of action is the key to success. Before you know it, they will be organising the time they are going to spend on each assignment and writing it into the calendar themselves.

Time-management tools
To effectively manage time, it’s important that your child has all the right tools to hand. These include clocks, watches, timers, calendars, planners and a quiet area to study in. For younger kids, planners will probably be most effective. For teens, a calendar on their computer that syncs up with their mobile phone, will be a convenient and trendy choice.
Encourage your child to make notes of everything in their calendars or planners, whether this is homework, a test, an exam or even social activities with friends. By doing so, it will help them see where they have free time and where they don’t. We guarantee that after a few weeks of doing this it will become second nature to them!

Teach self-discipline
Self-discipline is an important life skill and the earlier it’s learnt the better. Help your kids improve self-discipline by giving them the responsibility of managing their own assignments and projects. Letting your child experience the consequences of mismanaging their time, will serve as a valuable learning tool and experience.
Being a positive role model for your child will also be extremely beneficial. If they can see that you manage your time well and do things even when you might not really want to, it will be sure to encourage them to follow suit.

Manage sleep and energy for top performance
Managing sleep and energy levels is an easy way that you can help your child stay on track and stick to their busy schedule. Providing nutritious and whole foods alongside enforcing appropriate bedtimes will help kids stay focused and awake, rather than tired and demotivated. Fresh air and plenty of exercise will also help boost energy levels and encourage a positive state of mind.

4 ways to help build up your child’s self esteem

Sometimes children go through bouts of low self-esteem, resulting in them not making the most out of time spent at school or opportunities they are presented with. Here at Tutor Doctor we know how important it is to nurture and build up your child’s confidence, which is why we’ve come up with 4 ways to help build up your child’s self esteem. Having confidence in themselves will mean that your child can try new things, learn more, ask questions and most importantly thrive in life.

Pay attention
It’s important to dedicate time where you can give your child your undivided attention. It will do great things for their feelings of self worth by making them feel important, loved and valued. Remember to always make eye contact with your child so that they recognise that you’re giving them your full attention and listening to exactly what they’re saying. Even if it is for only a few minutes a day,  it really will make all the difference.

Support healthy risks
Encourage your child to take healthy risks, such as making a new friend, trying out a new activity or doing something that scares them a little. Even though there’s always the possibility of failure, without taking a risk there is also little opportunity for success. By conquering something they are scared of or tackling something new will be especially helpful in building up self-esteem levels.

Redirect inaccurate beliefs
If your child is being particularly negative and wallowing in self-doubt, it’s important to redirect inaccurate beliefs and remind them of their strengths. For example, if your child says to you; “I can’t do this maths homework, I’m really bad at it” say to them, “You’re a really good student, remember that amazing grade you got in English last week? Let’s work together and see if we can figure this homework out.” Reminding your child that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses is a key way to help build up their self-esteem levels.
However, if you’re concerned that something deeper may be bothering your child, ask them more detailed questions about school, friends, and how they view themselves. You might decide it’s best to talk to a counsellor or mental health specialist.

Provide encouragement
Every child needs ongoing support that lets them know: “I believe in you. I know you’re doing your best- keep going!” Believe us when we say lots of encouragement will do wonders for building up your child’s self-esteem and will help them grow into a confident individual.
It’s also vital to remember that encouragement is a lot more beneficial than praise. This is because encouragement acknowledges the effort your child has put in, rather than praise which only recognises effort after they have done something ‘right’. Praise can sometimes make a child feel as though they are only good enough if they have done something perfectly, and too much can create pressure to perform and set up a continual need for approval from others. The most important message to send your child is that effort and seeing something through to the end is what really counts.

Easy ways to encourage your child to limit their screen time

It’s no secret that technology is a huge part of everyday life, but it’s clear that it can sometimes be a distraction, especially for your kids.  A recent survey revealed that 65% of parents said that their children spent at least 1-3 hours a day on gadgets, mobile phones, laptops or watching TV. Here at Tutor Doctor, we know that banning technology isn’t the answer, however we believe that screen time should be considered a privilege. That’s why we’ve come up with some easy ways you can encourage your child to limit their screen time and get them to stick to it.

Remind your children to limit screen usage
Banning technology isn’t very realistic, but it’s important to make sure your kids are aware that you are paying attention to how much time they are on a screen.  Gently remind them that they shouldn’t be spending all of their spare time on their phone or watching TV and encourage other activities instead.

Encourage exercise and other activities
Try and encourage your kids to spend more time taking part in sports and exercise, as it will distract them from technology and get them outside in the fresh air. Activities such as swimming, horse riding, basketball, tennis and ballet not only get your children active but they’re also loads of fun. You might even be surprised at how much they enjoy doing something different for a change!
If the weather isn’t so great there are loads of other hobbies that your kids can get involved in that don’t involve the TV or their mobile phone. Scrapbooking, reading, baking and playing board games are bound to keep them occupied- they may just need some friendly encouragement to see what they can achieve without technology. Remember, the key to limiting your child’s screen time is balance, moderation, flexibility and compromise.

Create screen rules together
A really simple way to get your children to actively limit their screen time is to create some rules together. By doing it this way your kids will feel involved and not as if they are being told what to do.
Start by sitting down together and write up some clear rules, along with a few ideas for rewards if they do well. Here are a few suggestions of rules to implement together.

• No texting during meals, either at home or in a restaurant
• No TV during meals
• No TV until after all homework and chores are done
• The TV gets turned off at a set time every night
• No TVs or laptops in their bedrooms

Watch your own screen habits
Your children may not always listen to you but you are still their role model. It’s important that you are living by the same rules that you set them. So if you tell your kids that they need to cut back on TV time then you need to make sure you’re doing the same. If they can see that you are trying the likelihood is that they will too!

3 fun science experiments you can do at home with your children

It’s British Science Week from the 11^th– 20^th of March, so we thought we would celebrate by doing a special science themed post! Here at Tutor Doctor we’ve found 3 fun and super easy science experiments you can do with the kids at home. Whether you want to spend a lazy Sunday trying out all 3 or a spare afternoon trying out just one- we guarantee you will have a bundle of fun!

Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano
Learn About: Chemistry
This experiment is all about chemical reactions. The combination of baking soda and vinegar creates a fizzy overflow, which makes carbon dioxide turn into gas. Just watch your child’s face as the volcano erupts!
You’ll Need

• 1/4 cup vinegar (up to a cup if you have a large bottle)
• 2 tablespoons baking soda

Instructions

1. Place the vinegar in the bottle using a small funnel.
2. Add in the baking soda into the vinegar as fast as you can
3. Stand back and watch the volcano erupt

(Make sure you do this experiment with some tea towels around or somewhere that you can clean up easily- it can get quite messy!)

Invisible Liquorice
Learn About: Light and Perspective
Watch your children be amazed whilst they try and figure out if the liquorice melts or simply disappears. This experiment is all about how oil redirects light, causing half the liquorice to vanish!
You’ll Need

• Liquorice or candy straws
• One tall drinking glass
• Cooking oil

Instructions

1. Pour the oil into the glass
2. Put the liquorice stick into the glass
3. Lean it against the side of the glass
4. Now look at the side of the glass and slowly turn it. Does the liquorice get wider and narrower, or completely disappear? 

What’s happening? Oil bends light- in fact, it can bend the light so much that, if you hold the glass the right way, the liquorice leaning against the side of the glass is completely hidden from your eyes. Cool or what?

Dye your own flowers
Learn About: Capillary Action
This experiment is all about how plants drink water. Using food coloring you can watch the liquid seep through the plants veins and towards the flower and petals. Watch it change colour right in front of your eyes!
You’ll Need:

• Three white flowers. If you don’t have flowers, celery works great as well
• Four glasses of water
• Food Colouring: blue, yellow, green, red
• Sharp knife (Adult Use Only!)

Instructions:

1. Firstly, get your kids to mix food colouring into each glass, the stronger the colours the better.
2. Add two flowers to two colours and leave to one side.
3. (Parents only!) Take your last flower and carefully cut the stem down the middle ensuring it is still in tact
4. Now take the two remaining coloured glasses and part the stem, placing each half of the stem into different coloured glasses. Your flower will now be drinking from two different coloured liquids
5. Finally place the water glasses away from the sunlight and watch what happens. Wait a few days and keep observing the petals for super cool results!

Fun Science Fact About Plants!
Xylem and Phloem are the name of the two plant tissues that carry water. Together, these tissues form the main capillary action that help plants drink water and nutrients so they can survive.
For more information or to get involved in British Science Week head over to the website here: https://www.britishscienceweek.org.

Six things students can do to improve their mental health

School, college and university can be a tough time for many students, meaning that their mental health can be put under extreme pressure. Here at Tutor Doctor we know that mental health is something that should be talked about openly and is definitely nothing to be ashamed of. A survey by the National Union of Students recently found that 78% of  students had experienced mental health issues in the last year, with 54% saying they didn’t seek support. With this in mind, we’ve come up with six things students can do straight away in order to boost their mental health.

1.Structure
A really easy way to boost mental health is to have structure in your everyday life. Make sure you know how much work you have to do and when you’re going to do it, what time you have school or lectures and when your assignments are due in. Other easy ways to implement structure is to plan your evenings so you have free-time and work-time, and remember don’t go on social media sites whilst your working.

2.Exercise
Exercise is a super easy way to improve mental health. Get your heart rate up so you sweat every day. Whether it’s going to the gym, skipping in your bedroom or having a run outside, it will instantly give you a lift and make you feel better.

3. Reading
Reading is a brilliant release for stress and anxiety. Taking yourself into imagined world not only preoccupies your mind but also gives you a real break. Even if it is for half an hour a day it will be worth it.

4. Sleep
Making sure you have a regular sleep pattern is vital for good mental health. Make sure you have a set wake-up time and bedtime and stick to it. This will ensure that you get enough sleep and give time for your mind and body to rejuvenate. A great tip to help you fall asleep is to turn off your smart phone, tablet, TV or laptop before you go to bed. This gives your mind time to relax as bright lights can make it difficult for your brain to switch off.

5.Talk to your friends
This may sound obvious but talking to trustworthy friends about your problems can really help. Sharing your worries will instantly make you feel better and though a weight has been lifted from your shoulders. They might even be going through the same issues as you or be feeling the same way, meaning you can both help each other through it. As they say a problem shared is a problem halved.

6.Talk to Tutors
Remember that teachers and tutors are always there to talk to and offer advice. They will also be able to give you more information about the support that is available at your school, college or university.
For more information about the services that may be available to you, browse the NHS Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) page.

How to teach your child to have a positive attitude

It’s a given that we want our children to have a positive attitude, but teaching them how to adopt this way of thinking might not be so easy. Here at Tutor Doctor we know that if children develop a positive attitude early on, positive thinking will become a habit that will help them thrive and succeed in all aspects of their life. Here’s some easy ways you can reinforce positivity at home!

Positive Statements
Teaching your child to change their monologue will instantly help create a positive mindset and attitude. Instead of saying statements such as “I’m rubbish at English, I’m going to fail my test” encourage them to try a more positive approach. “I find English really difficult, but I’m going to keep trying my best and ask for help if I need it.” Soon this way of speaking and thinking will become second nature and negativity will become a thing of the past!

Being Positive is a choice
Remind your children that being positive or negative about something is always a choice. It’s important to try and encourage them to always focus on the best possible outcome rather than the worse. Ultimately, choosing to have a positive attitude will be more beneficial and help them get through any difficult or testing situations.

Positive Environments
It’s important to try and create a positive and happy environment at home. Even if this is by watching funny movies, telling fun stories and jokes, being silly as a family or dancing in the kitchen; encouraging your children to be happy is vital in helping them adopt a positive attitude. Simply smiling and laughing can instantly shift brain activity and make everyone in the family feel good. Positivity for everyone!

Love and Praise
Providing your children with lots of love and praise is a really easy way to help encourage positivity. Kind words, hugs, kisses, high fives and special treat days out every now and again is sure to help everyone feel upbeat and optimistic.

Hobbies
Encouraging your children to develop and pursue hobbies that they are good at is a great way to increase their confidence levels. Whether it’s tennis, dancing, art and crafts, reading or acting- taking part in activities that they are passionate about and enjoy will reinforce positivity.

Good Communication
Communicating is the key to positivity. Make sure you give your child the opportunity to discuss their concerns over with you. By talking through anything they may be feeling negative about or any problems they may be facing is an effective way for them to put their worries out there in the open. It also gives you a chance to help them look at the situation in a more positive light.