Bad parents evening, is 2/3 months too late to revise for AS?

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My main issue is that I try to do loads of work as it comes because i've still got so many revision notes to do. Homework thrown at me almost everyday so even though i'm going all out it keeps piling up and I think it might have something to do with my approach to work.
I know I need to make a revision timetable but I have no clue how to make a good one that i'll stick to. Without it it's getting to the point I fell like i'm drowning with work. And being someone who needs to get 3 A's in A2 and A's in 3 resits i'm really struggling to feel comfortable with the QUALITY of my revision. Any tips, please?!

You need to work out what you're struggling with, whether it's the content or the exam technique and base your timetable around that. Give yourself a couple days free, so you're not overwhelmed and it might make you more motivated too. Do you homework first and then revision after, because homework is afterall also revision

Reply 41

A Chic Lifestyle

Original post by cathartic

I just came back from parents evening in sociology I got a D in economics an E in English Literature a D in maths a D ( B's for c2 and c1 and u in s1)
All of my teachers said the highest I can get is CCDB I would be extremely unhappy with those grades as my dream is to achieve AAAA. My weakness is that I rely too heavily on content rather than exam practice so ild like to focus on that for the next 2 months can someone please motivate me and tell me that its not too late to achieve this I'm willing to work extremely hard! Thank you

It's never too late!

Just see the poor mock performance as an opportunity to learn how to improve.

I'd recommend creating a daily habit of writing an answer to a practise paper question each day after school or something.

Ps. If you're looking for studying and revision advice I've written a number of blog posts that might help. Eg:

'A 7 Day Action Plan for Effective Last Minute Studying'

'The 5 Minute Studying Challenge'

I also did a series of posts where every few months I wrote a detailed account of things I had tried to boost my grades and what worked and what didn't. It was called the 'A Grade Challenge'.

I did Sociology and English Literature too at A-level and got A's in them, so If you need any help/advice for these subjects just ask :smile:

Reply 42

noted

Original post by intelligent con

First of all I was pointing out that like most people I revised in the easter holidays and still managed to get good results proving its not impossible. Secondly if you do happen to have years of teaching experience it does beg the question as to why you're spending your time arguing with teenagers on TSR? Bored of your cats?

It's times like this I wish there was a retweet/reblog button

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Reply 43

A Chic Lifestyle

Original post by NadeemKha_Arab

What revision timetables have you tried using before, and why were you not able to stick to them?

I've tried 'plan what you're doing hour by hour' timetables but they've never worked because I always forgot to check the tasks regularly and follow the (random) timings.

Instead of timetables I switched to creating a daily habit of revision at 3pm. I wrote about the process on my site (http://stopbeinglazy.wix.com/posters) so I'll just copy and paste it here. Hopefully it'll help:

"....I remembered an idea proposed by behaviour scientist Dr. BJ Fogg.

He found that behaviour change happened most successfully when these factors came together:

There's a Trigger (something that reminds you to do an action NOW. It's the most important part of installing a new behaviour) + you have the ABILITY to do the action + (least importantly!) you’re motivated to do it.

I’d applied Fogg's theory successfully to help me get A’s in my exams, like in History.

I’d spent most of the year putting off making History essays because I kept telling myself “I'll put it on tomorrow's to-do list and write it at some point during the day". Lol at my wishful thinking.

I may have wanted to do it (motivation? Yes), but I had no trigger to remind me to do it, so it always became one of those “I’ll do it later” tasks.

Then I decided to make the sound of the 3.10pm school bell a trigger to remind me to do the following actions IMMEDIATELY:

- Go to the Study Room.

- Pull out my History books, lined paper and pens.

- Set a timer for 25 minutes of solid essay writing.

- Take a break.

- Repeat the timer until I’d written 3 essays. I couldn’t go home before that.

By installing a simple behaviour trigger I went from writing 1 essay every few weeks to 3 essays EVERY DAY for 3 weeks. That’s 45 essays. Huge progress."

Also, you mentioned that you're worried about the quality of your revision? Do you mind expanding on that? :smile:

Reply 44

NadeemKha_Arab

Original post by RonnieRJ

Hmm, i'm considering the couple days free theory, not because I want an excuse not to work, but I really need a short period of time to catch my breath. Since the easter holidays is coming up though I think I will be able to spread my work out more and will allow me to make the timetable too. Thanks for your input, hopefully I can get myself sorted before it's too late.

Original post by A Chic Lifestyle

) so I'll just copy and paste it here. Hopefully it'll help:

"....I remembered an idea proposed by behaviour scientist Dr. BJ Fogg.

He found that behaviour change happened most successfully when these factors came together:

There's a Trigger (something that reminds you to do an action NOW. It's the most important part of installing a new behaviour) + you have the ABILITY to do the action + (least importantly!) you’re motivated to do it.

I’d applied Fogg's theory successfully to help me get A’s in my exams, like in History.

I’d spent most of the year putting off making History essays because I kept telling myself “I'll put it on tomorrow's to-do list and write it at some point during the day". Lol at my wishful thinking.

I may have wanted to do it (motivation? Yes), but I had no trigger to remind me to do it, so it always became one of those “I’ll do it later” tasks.

Then I decided to make the sound of the 3.10pm school bell a trigger to remind me to do the following actions IMMEDIATELY:

- Go to the Study Room.

- Pull out my History books, lined paper and pens.

- Set a timer for 25 minutes of solid essay writing.

- Take a break.

- Repeat the timer until I’d written 3 essays. I couldn’t go home before that.

By installing a simple behaviour trigger I went from writing 1 essay every few weeks to 3 essays EVERY DAY for 3 weeks. That’s 45 essays. Huge progress."

Also, you mentioned that you're worried about the quality of your revision? Do you mind expanding on that? :smile:

I think the timer approach would help me actually, and would be better than doing an hour by hour timetable as you said. It's like a short deadline and means I have to finish revising for a certain subject before the time is up. I'll give it a go. Also, I don't think I made myself very clear (I was tired when I wrote my post) - I haven't exactly made a revision plan because I don't know where to start, but I would like one which I can stick to. I did try the TSR study planner thing, and I have half a weekly timetable, but it only shows when I am in college and when my part-time job hours are. I'm just being lazy and not filling in when my exams are. I believe it should create a timetable for me if I do that, however like you said it would be hour by hour, which would be hard to follow accurately. I'll probably just print it out and write down what subjects I will be revision in those free hours, just without a specific time.

Reply 45

cathartic

Original post by A Chic Lifestyle

Thank you for replying X im really struggling with sociology and English literatur . For sociology I have memorised and understand everything but my exam techniques a problem should I be doing exam questions every day? Also for English literature I'm still analysing my poems and making Notes on my books so should I spend a lot of time on notemaking and understanding the books or focus on exam technique only?

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Reply 46

DotDotDot...

Original post by cathartic

Are you the same person as me? I think you are. Apart from physics not sociology but pretty much same grades and ambitions. Hope you get your As.

Reply 47

cathartic

Original post by DotDotDot...

Are you the same person as me? I think you are. Apart from physics not sociology but pretty much same grades and ambitions. Hope you get your As.

Ha ha really? Glad to know I'm not the only person in this position hopefully we both do! What have you been doing to get your a's if I'm being honest with you I think I've been so lazy rn might do an allnighter today

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Reply 48

DotDotDot...

Original post by cathartic

Yeah tbh I haven't done much at all - haven't even got started on revision because I keep getting homework, especially English essays which I seem to have developed some kind of mental block towards and I only really have chance to start work at about 7:30. But hopefully when it gets to Easter I'll be able to really crack on with some revision (although im not sure how that will go seeing as ive never really done any before).