The mocks never fail to stir up feelings of anxiety and oftentimes, feelings of downright panic. Whether your child is sitting the Junior or Leaving Cert mock exams, it’s often the first time when genuine despair kicks in.
Many students will react by trying to cram in every bit of knowledge in a matter of weeks; others will opt for a more complacent approach. It’s important to find a balance somewhere between being overly panicked and being too laid-back.
It’s important to remind your child that the mocks are only a test-run and there is still three months to the actual exams. There is still a lot to learn and the majority of students will improve by the time of the actual exams.For instance, the higher level maths course is generally not completed by the time of the mocks so many students can hope to improve their marks in the Leaving cert by around 15pc.
Parents should be aware also that there is a danger that capable students will panic after the mocks and switch from higher to ordinary level.One of the most important things students should take away from the mocks is to learn the importance of timing. Students should walk away with a good understanding of how long each section on the exam paper is going to take them. A good way of doing this is to find out the number of marks for each question and divide up their time. This can be learned from previous exam papers.
Parents should also impress the importance of attempting to answer a question, even if they aren't sure of the answer or don't completely understand the question. Marks can be gained just by making some attempts at the question even if it isn’t completely right. Leaving a question blank means no marks can be gained.Students studying for the mocks should focus on mastering the three Ps -- preparation, perseverance and presentation.
Students should spend 10pc of the total exam time planning what to write in an essay, 80pc on writing and 10pc checking back on what you have written.
