By the end of next week schools and colleges throughout the UK will be closing for Christmas. This means students and teachers alike are already counting down to two or three fun filled weeks where they can switch off, indulge, and generally unwind.
Of course, for those students looking ahead to GCSE and A Level exams this summer, the thought of having a study free Christmas break seems nothing short of fanciful. Admittedly, you could decide to down tools and refuse to pick up a single textbook, but it really wouldn’t do you any good, no matter how tempting it might be. Whilst downtime is vitally important, our tutors, including our A Level tutors and GCSE tutors all say that taking your foot too far off the pedal can cause problems when it comes to getting back into the driving seat come the New Year.
So, if we’re all in agreement that some study is important during the Christmas break, perhaps we should be asking how much study or revision you should be doing. Unfortunately, as with many things in life, the answer is not an entirely straight forward one as all students and subjects are different. Ask a GCSE tutor how much time you should spend on a subject, and they may say 30 minutes twice a week – whereas an A Level tutor, who knows a greater depth of understanding is required in their subject, may suggest you do that same amount daily. You may even consider tutoring online as a way to ensure you keep a study routine in place.
If you’re interested in finding out what our top tips are for ensuring you do the right amount of revision without reaching burn out, have a read below.
It may seem like a crazy thing to start off with, but we highly recommend you start your Christmas holidays by not doing any studying at all. Some schools and colleges are likely to have been sitting mock exams in the lead up to the Christmas break, which means you’ve already had quite an intensive period of study and revision recently. Rather than diving straight back into that kind of approach again, take the time to enjoy your time off and a slight break from the day-to-day routine of education.
If, for example, you break up on Friday 16th December, it is perfectly reasonable to avoid all talk of study, and books, until the 19th or 20th December. The opportunity to recharge your batteries should not be ignored, but nor should it be taken to extremes. A short break will ensure you are rested, without finding it too difficult to get back into the swing of things again.
The Christmas holidays are a magical time of year, and for some families it may be the most time you get to spend with certain extended family members. It’s important you take the opportunity to make the most of this without feeling pressured to study, or as though you’re failing if you choose not to pick up the books.
In the first days following the end of term, why not create a mini timetable, outlining the days you are going to be required for family and Christmas activities. This might include a trip to the mall to finish off your shopping, a day spent wrapping presents, perhaps a trip to the cinema and of course the Big Day itself. Book these times out so you know you have things to look forward to, and then you can clearly see what you have left available to actually fill with study time.
Chances are, once you’ve taken out the main days themselves, accounted for any travel and other obligations that you have to keep you may only be left with eight days available for studying. This might not seem a lot on the surface, but if you approach them with a plan, there is a lot that can be achieved in this time frame.
The key is to be realistic in your expectations. On the first day of your Christmas holidays, you may well believe that spending eight solid hours revising is achievable, but the reality when you come to it on day one may feel very different.
Consider when you’re at your best – some of us are morning people, whilst others concentrate better late at night. Also think about what your household is like – is it going to be busy and therefore noisy first thing in the morning, or are you going to be able to study quietly at the dining room table whilst everyone else is at work or doing other activities?
You don’t need to do a full day of revision for it to be meaningful, instead, doing a couple of hours in the morning, rewarding yourself with a good break, and then doing another couple of hours later in a different subject is likely to be far more beneficial.
It might be worth considering arranging some GCSE online tuition, or A Level online tuition to give you some extra focus and support throughout the Christmas holidays. Booking in some study sessions with a dedicated online science tutor, or an online maths tutor, online chemistry tutor, online biology tutor, online physics tutor or an online English tutor is a great way to make sure that you’re on track when it comes to your revision.
A private tutor can work with you to not only help you identify your own educational goals and the direction you want to go in, but also set smaller goals and milestones to help you achieve them. They can help identify your individual learning style, fill any gaps you have in your subject knowledge and ensure that you are constantly improving and enhancing your skills and confidence. They can also provide you with tips when it comes to writing up your revision notes, and give you help with practice papers and completing questions under test conditions. So, online tutoring during the Christmas holidays could really help you to keep the momentum of studying going during this fun break.
If you’re looking for an online tutor to help you with your studies over the break, particularly a maths and science tutor, or for individual subjects, a maths tutor, further maths tutor, physics tutor, chemistry tutor, biology tutor or an English tutor, then Tutorspot can help.
Simply use our online search tool to find the right tutor for you and get in touch with them straight away to find out more. Alternatively, you can email us at info@tutorspot.co.uk or give us a call or text on 07480637128.
