Parents of Hardworking Teens

Ep. 31 An easy and effective way for you to help your teen create practical strategies to achieve their goals this year. Just ask these three simple questions to help them highlight good things they're already doing and identify potential improvements - all in a super-tangible way. Extension task ;) - Make sure they know 'WHY' for each answer, so they have logical reasoning and a cl...

Ep. 30 If your teen ever finds their study (especially exam revision or test prep) challenging,  the good news is, they're likely 'doing it right'. ​As long as the challenge is coming from the content rather than any feelings of overwhelm or stress, that is. Because I often see students busy 'studying',  but...  being 'busy' does not necessarily create progress....

Ep. 29 I want to share with you two words I used to say all the time to students, and you’ve likely said them to your teen too. But, I’ve very intentionally stopped saying them over the past few years (or at least tried to - they do slip out every once in a while). Listen in to find out what they are and - more importantly - why I never say them anymore. FEATURED ON THE SHOW The 10WGT: 10 Week Gra...

Ep. 28 More from inside the world of exams! In PART 2 I explain: - why your teen doesn't need to be a natural writer to succeed in English written assessments. - the 10 criteria the marker is looking for in writing tasks.  - how one command word can make a Maths question smooth and simple, or tricky and lengthy. Because if your teen can master exams, they can nail every other part of their st...

Ep. 27 Join me inside my world of external exam marking as I share my most memorable exam marker experiences that I think will be helpful to you, and that you can pass on to your teen. These will give you the story behind how I’ve become a self-confessed exam geek, seeking out every opportunity to get involved with all things exams. In PART 1 I explain: - how and why I got into external exam marki...

Ep. 26 If you've ever heard 'scare stories' of the 'Summer Slide' and how much learning your teen's going to lose over the summer, then I want to reassure you that, from my experience, the Summer Slide is 'a thing', but, it isn't THE thing holding hardworking students back from their goals and their potential. So, good news if you’d like your teen to st...

Ep. 25 If you’ve ever seen your teen seem like they’re hanging on for dear life in their study, just to stay afloat and thinking, 'just get to the holidays', then this episode is for you.    Join me to discover how to make term time less stressful, so that holidays can be enjoyed, not just 'needed' for recovery. And be sure to grab a seat at my 'Get Your Teen Ahead Over Su...

If you’ve ever wondered (or doubted ;) ) how students completing the 10WGT see such incredible changes in just 10 weeks, 'The Skill Web' is how. The Skill Web is the combination of skills and strategies that all come together to create outcomes bigger than the sum of its parts. It's the magic that happens when everything clicks, makes sense and creates a whole lotta clarity (and cra...

Tune in for answers to these listener questions: - What are your top revision tips? My daughter is currently spending hours writing notes and although I’ve heard you talk about active revision, I’m not sure how to explain what she should be doing. - What is an ideal pre-exam routine? - Heated debate in my home right now! I know all teenagers are different, but I’m pretty sure that having music on...

This in-depth conversation with 'Teen-Parenting Expert' Michelle Mitchell covers the wellbeing side of all things study and exams. With finals approaching for many students, this can bring stress and pressure and it can be difficult for parents to know what to do or say to help. In this episode, you will learn: - How to easily get your teen to communicate to you how they're going. -...

Get the final three secrets to what really goes on inside the world of exams, exam boards and marking hundreds of thousands of papers every year. I'm sharing my observations and experiences of the paper writing and scrutiny process, and of course the marking of student answers, to help you support your teen in their exam prep. YOU WILL LEARN: - The two critical steps required before your teen...

What really goes on inside the world of exams, exam boards and marking thousands of papers every year? In this episode, I share the first three of my top six secrets; insider info I'm totally allowed to share and that you're allowed to know. In fact, I think it's crucial that you know it. So that you, the parent, can feel like you actually 'get' what's going on, and y...

Real answers (that may not be what you're expecting) to real parent questions on: Whether your teen should be doing extra study. What makes extra study worthwhile - and what doesn't - with specific examples. What not to do if you think your teen should be doing more reading. Practical ways to help your teen widen their vocabulary and become a better writer. FEATURED ON THE SHOW - 10WGT:...

If your teen's not naturally creative, or struggles in the more open types of tasks, OR if they are super-creative but aren’t achieving the results they really want, then is the episode for you!  Listen in to discover what creative tasks are really about  (hint - it’s not creativity and unique ideas),  and how your teen can take advantage of this, whether they're the creative type - or n...

Today I’m answering a question about Maths exams - in fact any kind of exam questions where your teen has to do calculations within time limits.  This is one you might want a pen and paper for, or want to have your teen listen in on too.  So grab one (or ideally both!) of those and get ready to take note of:  - the most common ways students lose marks in Maths exams  and  - my 5 tips to make sure...

If your teen is using past papers to prepare for exams by: - doing the questions - timing themselves to complete the paper - testing their subject knowledge then that's good... but it's not GREAT. There are so many more strategic ways to use this gold mine of resources, and I'm sharing four of them with you in this episode. These BETTER ways to use past papers not only revise subjec...

Real-life stories, examples and an alternative take on some common advice, as I answer your questions about:  Subject selection / options subjects and my take on what to base decisions on. Command words across different subjects - are they the same? Perfectionist teens and how to deal with this in their study so they’re more efficient without sacrificing grades. FEATURED ON THE SHOW - Episode 12:...

Emotions are a part of teen years and study-related situations are no exception.  From elation and celebration, to frustration and disappointment all of these present opportunities for learning and growth.  FEATURED ON THE SHOW: - Online references: https://www.psychologistworld.com/emotion/emotion-memory-psychology https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200713144408.htm#:~:text=Multiple%20...

Once your teen’s completed an assessment, whether it’s an exam, essay or other type of assignment, is the tendency to just bury it and move onto the next item on the to-do list? If so, they’re missing huge opportunities to develop their exam technique and build skills and understanding in how to achieve success criteria in the most efficient and effective ways. WHAT WE COVER: - Why most students d...

Should you look into getting a tutor for your teen?  Do they need one?  Will it make any difference?  How do you find a good one?  Do you already have one and want to make sure you’re maximising what your teen is getting out of the sessions?  Or, even if they don’t have one and you have no intention of hiring one, listen in, because I’m going to also be covering all the ways that may well be a per...

Listen in for mistakes 6 - 10 of the top 10 mistakes I've seen  hardworking students making throughout my years of teaching, external exam marking, and coaching.   I'm going into detail on mistakes around: - answering exam questions, - organising study and revision, - completing essays and assignments and more.   I'll show you how to fix them if your teen is making them (or you&apos...

I'm sharing the top 10 mistakes I've observed throughout all my years of teaching, external exam marking, and coaching.   I'm going into detail on mistakes around: - answering exam questions, - organising study and revision, - completing essays and assignments and more.   I'll show you how to fix them if your teen is making them (or you've ever given them any mistaken advi...

Ever said to your teen, in an effort to try to keep them calm or relieve the pressure when it comes to exams and assessment: “Just do your best” or “The results don’t matter, it’s the effort you put in that’s important”?   If so, listen in because I'm sharing my experience of how this phrase can actually do more harm than good.  And I tell you exactly what I now say and do INSTEAD to reduce t...

You want to support your teen as their parent, but you also want to help them with their study. BUT, very often... they don't want to take your advice ( because... teenagers ) or you're not sure how best to help them ( we never even got to see, let alone understand the rubric or success criteria in our day! ) or you end up walking on eggshells, trying to balance helpful suggestions with...

I think every hardworking teen will experience exam stress at some point (or many!) in their studies.  And it can be hard to watch or try to help during these times. However, not all stress is bad.  (Really).  So, in this episode we look at what causes exam stress and then consider which causes to accept and which ones we can reduce - and how.  FEATURED ON THE SHOW: 10WGT: The 10 Week Grade Transf...