How to prepare your children for SPM

You've tried tuition centres, paid for extra classes and have even invested handsomely in private tutors but are these efforts really enough for your SPM taking children?

SPM or (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) exams are centralised compulsory exams that mark the end of secondary school life and ushers the beginning of college life for nearly half a million young Malaysians, making it one of the most stressful times for many of us growing up. Its importance is undeniable.

In this economy especially, some parents are complaining that they have not seen significant difference in their child’s academic performance even after spending a large amount of money on their education.

What can parents do to help with SPM exams without extra expenses?

1. Familiarise yourself with your child's academic record

By understanding the performance of your child as a parent, you will be able to assess capabilities, allowing you to learn of their weaknesses, strengths, and identify opportunities to improve. This assessment will help prepare your child for what's to come.

This has to start at an early stage of the child's education. However, it is never too late to learn about your child's academic health, more so if SPM is just around the corner. Discussing future plans and expectations with your child is important because it will help you evaluate the situation better and provide the necessary feedback.

Parents need to get in touch with the school and talk to teachers to learn more about the child’s attitude towards learning and their performance. Teachers will certainly have valuable inputs that will help you decide which learning approaches and methods would suit best.

2. Be prepared for future expectations

Hard work is often rewarding for both parents and their children. Working hard and studying smart will certainly have positive impact on grades, which will lead to securing the desired place in the university of your choice.

However, you must be realistic and should have alternatives if expectations are not met, or the possibility that your child fails the exams. Failure, is not by any means the end. There are many avenues to pursue if the SPM scores aren’t desirable. Having a positive attitude may tip the scale in your favour by allowing you to have an open minded approach to other alternatives.

You might want to read: What to do after getting SPM result?

3. Providing a healthy study environment, both emotionally and physically

Fight exam stress by spending quality time with the family. Engaging in outdoors activities like running, swimming and even going to the park can be very useful in terms of fighting and reducing levels of stress.

Playing fun games while incorporating the study material can reduce burnouts and may improve the child’s appetite towards studying further, and even help the child retain information. It is important for both parents and the child to be relaxed and manage the mounting pressure effectively.

SPM candidates may have hard time studying. The job of the parents is not to make things harder and more stressful. Engaging in a conversation and providing emotional support can alter the state of mind and help give teenagers the boost needed to study.

4. Prepare a study schedule with sufficient room for breaks

Besides attending school, SPM candidates need time for themselves and time to study. Therefore, setting a study time frame is very important.

You may be able to get your child to face the books, but you cannot force the child to study. That is why parents are encouraged to spend time and accompany the child during certain periods of study time. The company can help you and your child see things from different perspectives and it may even give you the chance to revisit the knowledge from your own days in school.

It is important to have a study schedule that is suitable for both parents and their children. You will certainly be occupied with your duties as a working adult and your child will be occupied with other things that may consume his time. The schedule must include the time that both the parent and the child will be at home and allocated for studying.

5. Sufficient rest and good food

When it is time to sleep, it is important to see it through and make sure the child is well rested. It is important that your child sleeps at a particular time, which may depend on the study schedule set for your child. However, your child must have a minimum of 7 hours of sleep and wake up early.

A 20-30 minute nap after school can restore some of the energy lost and a good meal can boost that energy and get your child in the right state of mind to pick up the books and start studying.

When serving a meal, parents must consider food that doesn't make the child lazy or lack energy. The brain needs an adequate and a steady supply of energy. The following is a list of some of the food that can deliver the needed nutrition’s for your child’s brain:

• Whole grains, cereals, granary bread.
• Fish rich with Omega 3 and other fish oils. Consider the following fish (ikan kembung or mackerel, sardines, ikan tamban or round herring, ikan selar kuning or yellow fin, ikan bawal or pomfret). These types of fish are available in Malaysian markets at reasonable prices.
• Tomatoes, broccoli, and vegetables with the food (Not ketchup!).
• Eggs and chicken.

Don’t forget about the exercise and outdoors activities mentioned earlier!

6. Restrict access to mobile phones, computers and reduce TV time

Restricting is not the same as taking away. If you decide to take away their gizmos, you might need to expect some rough outcomes. However, restricting and limiting the access to these gadgets can help.

There are enough distractions around parents to take their minds off of their children. These distractions are definitely extended to the child as well. It is important to consider the following:

• Handphones can only be used during breaks.
• Computers can be used for study purposes and perhaps under the supervision of the parent.
• Limit access to video games, movies, series, cartoon or any other form of distraction.
• If study material is needed from an online source, parents may want to be present when these materials are being researched and saved.

Video games, on the other hand, can be very helpful to refresh the brain and rewire it. A study published in September 2014 in association with Indiana University shows that, contrary to popular believe that video games make young people lazy and less productive, there are links between action video games and brain function. Research has demonstrated that learning capabilities improve after engaging in an action video game play session.

However, this is not an excuse to kill the entire study time playing a game under the assumption that it would make the child smarter. Video games are merely a method to enhance the function of the brain and improve learning capabilities, which contribute to the study process. Without actually studying, your child isn’t moving forward.

7. Ensure that your child studies one subject at a time

For each subject, there are several aids that need to be covered besides the textbook. Parents may need to ensure that these materials have been covered and the child is familiar with the content.

Parents may want to use visual aids to help improve the level of understanding for many subjects. YouTube can be a great resource of visual aids for these subjects. Parents may want to be present during such times when the SPM candidate is using YouTube.

8. Practice exam samples and previous years papers

Parents may need to find past year papers or trial papers for this matter. There are many sources that provide such aids without adding to family expenses. To make things easier for you, Afterschool.my’s SPM Revision Guide, a great resource available for free that would give you and your child the help needed.

9. Count down to SPM

It is always helpful to have a reminder of how many days left for the SPM. This visual aid might be helpful.

Countdown to SPM 2016

10. Instil confidence not fear

As a parent, it is important to make sure that a positive and a reassuring attitude is the approach of choice to help your child.

If you, the parent, are doing any of the following, please refrain:

1. Do not do the work for your child
2. Add more pressure and stress on your child
3. Threat tactics
4. Last minute preparation
5. Think that grades are everything to succeed in the future

The test day is tomorrow, what should I do?

After all the preparation, time and hard work, parents need to make sure that their children get:

• Revision of important portions of the subject
• Positive attitude and confidence
• A good night’s sleep