What does sustainable revision look like?

Embedding learning and revision in daily family life can be a lot easier than we think. Dr Kathy Weston of Tooled Up Education writes about the resources and methods parents can use to implement a sustainable and even fun revision programme in the home.

We often associate revision with sitting down at the dinner table for hours at a time, cajoling a child into doing some necessary work. However, we have other ideas for how you might bring learning to life and test your child’s knowledge at the same time. Have you ever considered doing maths on the trampoline whilst playing with a ball? Have you ever considered using an egg-timer to quiz the kids on their times tables? Or considered car journeys as the perfect context for acquiring new vocabulary? Let your child morph into your teacher and ask them to educate you regarding a given topic or test their knowledge in different places, situations and times. These are just some of the ideas, activities and suggestions included in the Parent Power Toolkit, developed in partnership with ISEB, designed to help you glide through necessary revision, whilst maintaining that precious, positive connection with your child.

Children can benefit from our resources directly, by watching and engaging with videos and activities designed to inspire them, and many of the activities can be used as a family unit. It is natural that our children will face obstacles and challenges throughout their learning journeys, but our tips are designed to promote the development of academic and emotional resilience. For example, a necessary part of preparing children for exam success involves taking into account how they manage disappointments and setbacks. Our resources support children’s emotional literacy whilst equipping parents with some reflective ideas and tools to install resilient thinking habits at home, preparing for every outcome.

In the face of tests, exams and future academic challenges, parents typically ask children to simply ‘do your best’. Our tips are designed to help parents do their best when supporting children in their care, and feel empowered to do so. Find out more and access the second Parent Power Toolkit – Setting a Sustainable Revision Programme – and visit the ISEB online shop for families.

Explore the ISEB Parent Power Toolkit – Part 2: Revision resources now.

Dr Kathy Weston is the founder of Tooled Up Education, an organisation that produces evidence-backed resources for parents and teachers on all aspects of parenting, education, and family life.