FROM THE
SIDELINES
‘Helping You To Help Them Through’
‘From the Sidelines’ aims to educate parents and families on the science behind how our children learn, together with how to create the perfect environment at home in which to support them. We break this down into distinct areas of focus where we give parents all the knowledge they need via our expert input, but designed in a fresh and modern way to reach and engage the parents of today.
Each distinct focus has a short and succinct ‘Study Hack’ video that lasts approx 1 minute, giving parents a quick and practical overview of what it is and how to do it. Then for parents who are intrigued and want to know more, they can go on to watch or listen to the 15 minute ‘Podcast Episode’ linked to the same topic, which gets under the surface of why this works, why it’s important and also what to avoid - the perfect way to bridge the gap between teaching and parenting.
We believe this can provide parents with their ‘parenting superpower’ which can be the gateway to bridging the disadvantaged gap - unlocking every family’s opportunity to level up by supporting their child to achieve in line with their potential, not just their postcode.
Designated Study Space
How you can create the perfect study space for your child at home.
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Silent Focus
Our brain is not as efficient at multitasking as we think it is!
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Distractions
Mobile phones and notifications are now part of our everyday life, but they have become the killer of focus and attention, especially when trying to concentrate or study.
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Rest and Sleep
Making sure that your child gets adequate rest and sleep every night is essential for not only a healthy lifestyle but it also plays a major part in the learning process.
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Equipment Ready
One of the things that can cause interruption to your child’s study flow, is not having everything they need when they begin their period of study.
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The Pomodoro Technique
The brain can only focus deeply and concentrate for a short period of time before it becomes fatigued. Therefore, the longer a child studies for without a break, the more inefficient they become.
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Retrieval Practice
Retrieval Practice is a powerful study tool that is important in the act of revision. It helps strengthen memory by pulling information out of your head rather than cramming information in.
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Flashcards
Flashcards are the easiest and most effective way to recall information so that it sticks in your long term memory. Let’s look at how to create them, use them and organise them in the best way possible…
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Brain Dump / Blurting
A ‘brain dump’ or ‘blurting’ is when you give your child a blank piece of paper and a pen and then ask them to ‘dump’ or ‘blurt’ everything they can remember about a specific topic.
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Look, Cover, Write, Check
This is a technique that works in a similar way to a ‘brain dump’ or ‘blurting’, but this time, it doesn’t have to be something your child learned in the past.
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Habit Stacking
Getting into good study habits at home can be difficult to establish and even harder to maintain; the secret is in our everyday habits. The trick is to attach a new routine that they want to become a habit to an existing habit. This is what we call ‘Habit Stacking’.
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Productivity
Productivity is a loaded word, and sometimes, it might feel like we’re never productive enough. But all we really need is good time management, uninterrupted focus and motivation!
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False Sense of Familiarity
When we recognise something as familiar, our brain makes us think that we know more about the topic than we really do. Familiarity can be the enemy of real learning… but it doesn't have to be this way!
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Desirable Difficulties
By getting your child to make learning harder for themselves, they are creating exactly the right conditions in which to remember something. We call this a ‘desirable difficulty’.
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Distributed Practice
One of the most interesting, but least well known facts about how our brains remember information, is that as human beings we forget 90% of what we have been taught within the first 7 days, unless we go back and do something with that information to enable us to remember it
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Study Planner
Let us introduce you to the humble study planner, a great tool to help learners feel more responsible for their studies and prioritise appropriately!
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Motivation & Rewards
It's hard to stay motivated when there's nothing to look forward to. Have you tried scheduling little rewards and treats throughout your child's study sessions? It's time to step up to your new role: study buddy!
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Night Before An Exam
We'd never expect an athlete to train right before their game or match and neither should a student before an exam!
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Breakfast, Hunger & Set Meal Times
Ever wonder about the impact of nutrition on academic performance? Dive into the crucial role that food plays during exam periods and revision!
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You Can’t Fool Your Body
Think about a time when you’ve needed to get to sleep but you can’t. Lying there actively thinking about needing to get to sleep is actually one of the worst things you can probably do. Unfortunately if we’re not tired and our body is not used to going to sleep at that time of night, then there’s very little you can do.
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Stress Can Be Good
You heard it, stress can have its benefits!
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Hydration and Concentration
It's no secret, you need to keep watered if you want to perform well!
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Energy Drinks
Yes. Water may seem too simple to be that effective, but if drunk alongside a good intake of high-energy-yielding foods, it will always be a more effective source of hydration for your body, helping you to concentrate and focus.
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Movement and Exercise
By incorporating exercise into your daily routine, you are equipping yourself with valuable tools to excel academically, build resilience, and maintain a healthy approach to learning – qualities that will serve you well throughout life.
