More free stuff: Exam Study Timetable Template
A free template of one of my most favourite exam study tools for your teen.
Hi there Parents,
With so many teens about to sit exams, like, literally this week in NZ, and over the next couple of months, I thought it was high time I added a free Exam Study Timetable printout to the free stuff at cramlab.org.
If you’re in a hurry here’s the link (via cramlab.org)
This is what the template page looks like:
If you’re thinking jeez I could have made that template myself in five minutes, well, I agree with you.
But I’m not here to boast about my, um, amazing graphic design skills. The benefits of this template lie in the fact that now, your teen doesn’t have to make one themself, and neither do you, but mostly, the benefit of my template is actually the instructions that come with it:
The instructions explain to your teen exactly how to fill in their timetable, which is really important, because this timetable is going to help guide them through their exam study.
I can’t overhype the benefits of having an Exam Study Timetable.
They really are a lifeline during exam study, which, let’s face it, is at best an intense time for your teen, and at worst, a bit of a nightmare.
If you haven’t already read this article which looks at the amazingness of using an Exam Study Timetable, here’s why they are one of my favourite exam study tools:
Structure: They give your teen’s study time structure. Exam study requires your teen to work their way through a lot of information in a relatively short amount of time. Using their time efficiently is key to survival.
Keeping track and stress relief: There is a lot to keep track of during exam study; What should I study today? What other topics do I need to study? Will I have time to fit everything in? Don’t we also have Grandma’s birthday lunch soon? This is too much information to keep stored in your teen’s brain without them feeling overwhelmed. I vividly remember feeling huge relief after making my timetables. It was like, ooh yay I do actually have time to cover everything.
Overcoming inertia: Starting exam study is the worst part for many teens. Getting over that initial inertia, knowing there is a mammoth task in front of you — not fun. But making an Exam Study Timetable gives your teen a starting point and a roadmap through their exam study — something to stick to. Something to keep them accountable.
Extra tips
But wait, that’s not all! Who knew there was so much to say about a timetable, but there is!
Here are my other tips to help your teen squeeze every last drop of awesomeness out of their timetable:
Study chunks: The hour time slots in my template are not indicative of the length your teen’s study sessions should be. Your teen might like to schedule three hours to cover a topic they quite enjoy and know they can study productively for, whereas for a subject they struggle with, they might be better off scheduling 3 x 1 hour study sessions so that they can have a quick break in between.
Study System: Relatedly to the point above, your teen should use the template in whatever way works for THEM. That’s why I am giving you a template rather than an example. How I go about preparing for my exams will differ from your teen. Your teen’s Study System needs to work for them.
When to start? How many weeks should your teen study for ya say? Well, look, ideally I would encourage them to start about six weeks out from their first exam. But obviously that does not always happen. You might be reading this when your teen’s exams are right around the corner… Your teen just has to do their best with whatever time they have left. (For a deeper dive into how much study your teen should be doing check out this post shown below:)
Past Exams: In the template instructions I tell your teen to schedule time to complete Past Exams; one of my most favourite exam study techniques. This is because it is essential that your teen actually practices answering exam questions before the real thing. Applying what they have studied to answer exam questions is a different skill to just knowing stuff. I suggest your teen makes time to complete at least one past exam paper under exam conditions (i.e. in the same length of time they will have in the real exam; not looking at notes; phone away etc) in the week before each exam.
Go old school and print it out: There is reason I have made a template designed to be printed out. I think there is a lot to be said for having a 3D (as far as paper goes…) timetable that your teen can hold. I think it’s a lot harder to ignore, and I think the process of filling it out old school — with a pen — will make your teen more accountable to their timetable and more likely to stick to it. They can make copies and stick it up everywhere so the whole family is in on it — by their study desk, in the hallway, on the fridge.
Okay I’m finally done. I hope I have managed to convey my enthusiasm for using an Exam Study Timetable. They basically have magical powers. I didn’t actually realise until writing this how much of a timetable enthusiast I am, but there you go.
If your teen is about to embark on their exam study I wish them all the best.
Clare
P.S. There is a symbiotic relationship between an Exam Study Timetable and Subject Maps and last week I sent out a free Subject Maps template, so if you haven’t downloaded that already for your teen you can do that here over at cramlab.org.
P.P.S. I mention having a Study System above. This is really important and basically the whole point of Cram Lab. If you have no idea what I’m talking about and haven’t already I strongly suggest you head over to my Study System page over at https://www.cramlab.org/study-system. There you will find 8 free teen-friendly prinouts to kickstart your teen’s entire study process. They look like this:
