{"id":7465,"date":"2019-05-09T14:27:08","date_gmt":"2019-05-09T13:27:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/school.chethams.com\/?p=7465"},"modified":"2019-05-09T14:36:26","modified_gmt":"2019-05-09T13:36:26","slug":"exam-revision-for-musicians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chethamsschoolofmusic.com\/blog\/exam-revision-for-musicians\/","title":{"rendered":"Exam revision for musicians"},"content":{"rendered":"

Students across the country are gearing up to take\u00a0<\/span>GCSE and A-level exams. It can be a stressful time, not just for teenagers but for<\/span>\u00a0parents and guardians\u00a0<\/span>too –<\/span>\u00a0particularly because they might feel powerless to help.\u00a0<\/span>For children who have shown an early talent, such as young musicians, or indeed athletes or specialists in another field, there\u2019s the added challenge of balancing practice or training with academic exams.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In\u00a0<\/span>reality<\/span>, parents can help far more than they think just by being there for their children<\/span>\u00a0to offer advice and support<\/span>. We<\/span>\u00a0consulted our Lead Nurse and Head of Sixth\u00a0<\/span>F<\/span>or<\/span>m to compile some<\/span>\u00a0top tips for\u00a0<\/span>n<\/span>avigating\u00a0<\/span>this challenging and<\/span>\u00a0rewarding time<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My child is revising \u2013 how can I help?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Recall past successes<\/strong><\/p>\n

Self-confidence fluctuates during exam time. Where revision is concerned, there will naturally be good days and less successful ones. So, if<\/span>\u00a0your child plays an instrument \u2013 or if they\u2019re an athlete, an entrepreneur, or even a gaming master\u00a0<\/span>–\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0remind<\/span> them of the dedication they showed to progress, and <\/span>encourage them to<\/span>\u00a0apply th<\/span>e same<\/span> determination to their academic studies.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>This is a great way to help them put things in perspective and gain some confidence.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can also share<\/span>\u00a0stories\u00a0<\/span>with your children.<\/span> Tell them about a time<\/span> when you weren’t sure you could tackle something, but by sticking at it an<\/span>d being positive, you managed to succeed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Praise effort, over results<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Many<\/span> students are perfectionists, and this is a trait often seen in children with musical ability or another strong interest. Whilst<\/span>\u00a0exceptional\u00a0<\/span>academic\u00a0<\/span>results are exciting, students need to know that their parents are proud of them for doing their best, as well as for getting great results. It\u2019s actually very healthy\u00a0<\/span>for them to know they<\/span>\u00a0won\u2019t always be the very best at something, or get top marks\u00a0<\/span>\u2013 especially when they\u2019ve been celebrated for a special talent from an early age. It\u2019s crucial that they develop resilience and understand<\/span>\u00a0that by applying\u00a0<\/span>their<\/span>\u00a0best efforts,\u00a0<\/span>they keep<\/span>\u00a0control of\u00a0<\/span>their own<\/span>\u00a0future<\/span>s<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Trust your children<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You know your own children best, so you\u2019ll have a good idea of how diligently they work and how much encouragement they need.\u00a0<\/span>Generally though<\/span>, showing your children that you trust them to get on with revision can provide more of a boost than transmitting your own anxiety to them.\u00a0<\/span>However<\/span>\u00a0nervous\u00a0<\/span>you may feel\u00a0<\/span>on their behalf, a gentle nudge and offer of support is more motivating than a panicked appeal<\/span>!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m a student and I\u2019m feeling anxious \u2013 what\u00a0<\/span><\/b>really<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0works?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Musicians:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>take f<\/span><\/b>ive with your instrument!<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re at a specialist music school, don\u2019t be worried about t<\/span>aking a short<\/span>\u00a0break from intense music practice during\u00a0<\/span>GCSE or A level<\/span>\u00a0exam time.\u00a0<\/span>Believe it or not, the exams will be over very soon!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Play pieces for enjoyment,\u00a0<\/span>relish the time to\u00a0<\/span>experiment, and remember that creativity <\/span>boosts your confidence, memory and attention span, all of which will benefit you in your academic work. Rather than challenging yourself too much musically, see your instrument as an enjoyable <\/span>release from stress,<\/span>\u00a0rather than\u00a0<\/span>piling hours of rehearsal on top of your revision schedule.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Look after yourself<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0advice you hear over and over again in articles about exam success \u2013 make sure you relax, take time out, eat well and go to bed early.\u00a0<\/span>Health and wellbeing are the foundations on which you build \u2013 so, if you\u2019re neglecting yourself, it\u2019s almost certainly going to impact your studies<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>So, set yourself a switch-off time each evening and stick to it,<\/span>\u00a0establish a routine,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and make time for some exercise, even\u00a0<\/span>if it\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>just a ten minute walk each day. Try not to turn to sweets for an energy boost, but instead choose slow release c<\/span>arbohydrates<\/span>\u00a0like a banana or hummus with some\u00a0<\/span>oatcakes when you\u2019re peckish.<\/span>\u00a0Do something you enjoy and don\u2019t isolate yourself from friends \u2013 they\u2019re going throu<\/span>gh the same thing and sharing fe<\/span>elings can be helpful, as long as you don\u2019<\/span>t compare yourself.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Take time out for some exercise when you’re studying<\/p><\/div>\n

Plan ahead<\/span><\/b>\u00a0with revision<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ask for support from teachers if you need, but developing a revision plan for the months and weeks leading up to your exams is the single best way to\u00a0<\/span>reduce stress and<\/span>\u00a0help you<\/span>\u00a0feel more in control of your work. A\u00a0<\/span>clear\u00a0<\/span>timetable will also break down what<\/span>\u00a0can otherwise<\/span> seem like a huge task and help you to set targets.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Definitely don\u2019t\u00a0<\/span><\/b>cram<\/span><\/i><\/b>\u00a0ahead\u2026<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cramming has literally\u00a0<\/span>never<\/span><\/i>\u00a0been consistently successful for anyone, no matter what people might brag. Spacing out revision, planning well and allowing for time to follow up on<\/span>\u00a0rusty<\/span>\u00a0topics are always going to produce better results. This is particularly true at\u00a0<\/span>A<\/span>\u00a0level – even if you did succeed with some last minute cramming at GCSE, this is less likely to work\u00a0<\/span>at higher level exams<\/span>\u00a0which test<\/span>\u00a0how you apply<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>your<\/span>\u00a0knowledge.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Work\u00a0<\/span><\/b>in chunks<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Working in small chunks of 15 or 20 minutes and taking regular breaks is a great way to cope with large volumes of material without feeling overwhelmed. Even if you find that you work more effectively when you get into a flow for an hour or so, breaks are still essential to ensure you can pace yourself and absorb knowledge more effectively.<\/span> Experiment early on in your revision to find a pattern that works for you. A lot of people feel the Pomodoro app<\/a> is very useful. It’s is a timer which breaks sessions into 25 mins and can be linked to a to-do list of tasks. After each ‘Pomodoro’, you get a <\/span>reward.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Create a pleasant working environment<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A we<\/span>ll organised working environment is important.<\/span>\u00a0Get rid of clutter<\/span> and distractions \u2013 being disciplined with use of technology and social media use during exam time will definitely help you concentrate better, too.<\/span><\/p>\n

Have you any tips for coping with exams? Maybe you’re a parent with experience of supporting your children through exams? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, or Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Students across the country are gearing up to take\u00a0GCSE and A-level exams. It can be a stressful time, not just for teenagers but for\u00a0parents and guardians\u00a0too –\u00a0particularly because they might feel powerless to help.\u00a0For children who have shown an early talent, such as young musicians, or indeed athletes or specialists in another field, there\u2019s the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":410,"featured_media":7472,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[98,108,105,96,99],"class_list":["post-7465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-brass","tag-jazz","tag-keyboard","tag-strings","tag-vocal"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chethamsschoolofmusic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chethamsschoolofmusic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chethamsschoolofmusic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chethamsschoolofmusic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/410"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chethamsschoolofmusic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7465"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/chethamsschoolofmusic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7465\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7475,"href":"https:\/\/chethamsschoolofmusic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7465\/revisions\/7475"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chethamsschoolofmusic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7472"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chethamsschoolofmusic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chethamsschoolofmusic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chethamsschoolofmusic.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}