Need a little help?
Friday 19 January 2007
For some of us, exams are coming up and it's yet another nail biting time as revision gets underway and assessments are completed to get that all-important final grade.
If you feel like you're falling behind a little with your studies, there are things you can do before it's too late.
Talk to a teacher
Your first step if you're feeling like it's all getting a bit much is to chat with the teacher of the subject that's causing you grief.
If you don't find this teacher approachable, talk to your personal tutor. It's important that you alert your tutor as soon as you can. The sooner they know there's an issue, the quicker they can help you work things out.
Admitting you need help is much braver and much more sensible thing to do than just hope the problem will go away. Asking for help doesn't mean you're thick or can't handle it, it just shows that you're willing to confront your problems and not sweep them under the carpet.
Get home tuition
One option is to get extra tuition at home for the subjects where you need a helping hand. It might sound like a drag, but one-on-one home tutoring can help you get back on track quickly.
The education department of your local authority should be able to help you find a qualified tutor. How much this will cost can depend on the subject you're learning.
Use online learning resources
The internet is a great way to learn more about your problem subjects, as long as you can trust yourself to stay on the learning sites and not wander off to check your emails.
Sites like BBC Bitesize have online resources than can help bring you up to speed in whatever subjects you need. You can take mock exams, find help on getting further reading and much more.
Do an online search for tuition site and see what you can find. Some sites may not give you this info for free, so be careful and be sure to read fully the terms and conditions of any site you use.
Study with a friend
Working with one of your mates can really help you look at a subject in a different way. As long as you're not ripping off their work or disrupting their studies, revising together is a good way of communicating your ideas and seeing where you might be able to improve.
It might be a good idea to tell a teacher you're planning to work together; the teacher might have some suggestions for exercises or projects you can do together.
Change course
If you're in the early stages of a course at college, it may be possible to change your subjects if it's not really working out.
Before you do this, you must be absolutely sure that it is what you want to do. If you can't change the subject, don't just jack it all in; try and get extra help to get you through it.
