Revision, Revision, Exam, Revision *STRESS*

[MollysVoice]

Hey there Guys,

I'm right in the middle of my GCSE's at school, and i must admit i'm feeling the stress but surprisingly and thanks to a special teacher i'm coping a lot better than i thought i would do.

Like most people with dyslexia i have an extremely short attention span, and i find motivating myself to sit down and study hard.

On top of all the extra study sessions and course work deadlines from school, going home and doing even more work is the last thing i find myself wanting to do.

So i don't, i simply relax...if I've been in school doing 6 hours of work for the day isn't that enough? I've discovered it's important to have the correct work/relax balance if you're going to achieve anything, and this is something schools don't touch upon or take into consideration, especially with dyslexic students around.

You do A LOT of work in school, and although other students may be going home and spending there nights revising, this wasn't working for me, i was doing so much 'revision' but it wasn't really revision because i wasn't taking it in.

I'd had a really bad day at school one day, and was in tears because i really didn't feel i was coping, everything i seemed to do went wrong, or wasn't working. I was overly stressed and with all my friends around me getting As and A*'s, i was constantly comparing myself to them, this didn't help in the slightest. I decided to go and speak to the one teacher i though might possibly understand or be able to help me. So with slight hope, i went to see my form tutor, who himself is Dyslexic.

Turns out i felt like this is because i was doing far too much work I was trying to cram everything into my brain every moment i had, thinking i was 'revising' but really i was just wasting time and hurting myself more.

He told me to go home that night, and not to revise, just to pick a work book up and see how long it was before i found myself just starting at the page, with my mind wandering everywhere else. I lasted 7 minuets... my next instructions were to go away and watch TV or sit on my laptop....so i did. After about 20 minuets i found myself actually wanting to do some work again, so back to my book it was for around another 7 minuets before my mind started wondering. I did this for about 2 hours that evening.

The next day, i went into form and spoke to my tutor again, i told him how long i had lasted revising, and he pointed out in those 2 hours i had probably done about 50 minuets of fantastic revision and it's true, i had, i could remember what i'd read over clearly and i realized it was some of the best revision i had ever done. I went home and did the same for about 2 hours, when i went to bed that night i found i actually fell asleep, and i wasn't stressed in the slightest. I'd relaxed but also knew that i'd covered what i needed to in revision, and this is what my weekends turned into.

I don't revising in the week now, i do the work i have to at school in study sessions and i go home, relax, play horses...whatever takes my fancy. Then on the weekend i do my short spurts of revision. Revising properly is something i never thought i would genuinely be able to do, but shock horror - 'CANT' is not a word! Because i CAN revise effectively.

So if you're struggling with revising, or exam stress, take a day or even just an hour to try this method- i know it's helped quite a few people i've passed it onto now, everyone having different times they can spend revising. You never know, you may surprise yourself!

As well as spreading revision techniques, i also think this proves that there is a need for decent teachers that are experienced, or genuinely understand the needs and feelings of Dyslexic students and that are approachable as well...because if you're anything like me you'd usually be far to suborn, un-confident or proud to admit any kind of struggle.

I'm sorry, i know this is long but i thought i should share it with you all, and i'm not to amazing at writing...Now seeming as this is my revision break, i genuinely do need to do some more revision!

P.S Good luck to anyone and everyone doing their exams at the moment! Let's show them;)!

Molly, x

[Kate_DA]

How are your exams going Molly? I think your teacher gave some sound advice - I struggle to concentrate on one thing for too long (I have 8 browser tabs open at the moment!) but don't think that it makes me less efficient (although I am sure some people will disagree!).

Thanks for sharing your advice

[MollysVoice in reply to Kate_DA]

Welcome kate

Exams aren't going to badly actually, just 1 more exam left.. i think i've kept on top of things....however results day will soon be looming!

I think we all have multiple tabs open constantly.....

[tizaac]

molly what an inspiration, my son zac is dyslexic and has problems with maths too, what you are saying makes perfect sence, and you are so lucky to have this special teacher in school. thats the problem most schools dont. we are going through a similar thing at the moment with zac, and trying to find a solution within school and outside school is extremely tiring and as parents we too are stressed and exhausted by the situation. We support zac and he has a one to one tutor we pay for but school is rubbish in our option and but it down to zac not trying hard enough. But after reading your story this is exactly how he has told us he feels and we are parents dont know how to make it better for him!!

[MollysVoice in reply to tizaac]

Hey there,

Yes,i'm very lucky to have a teacher like this. Most schools don't, i agree, they should! I've found that dyslexics are often disregarded in schools as they are 'too much hassle' at times.

My parent's have had the same struggle, and in many respects still are. My parents have always been supportive of me, and behind me in every way....resulting in LOTS of conflicts and meetings with school. I've been told my whole school life by majority of teachers, especially in science and maths that i'm not trying hard enough... nonsense, i just don't work in the same way as others or even at the same pace.

I think the best thing you can do for him is support him, that's whats helped me. I use a laptop in written exams, like English and History because i can write thoughts as they come to my head and then re-jig etc.... DONT give up on the school, they need things spelling out in black and white at times.

Also let your son know that Dyslexia isn't all negatives at all, it's hard to see and understand to start with, but we see things in a different way to others, and tend to excel in creative areas, rather than academic. It works to a big advantage, Don't ever believe you're not as good as everyone else, you'll be able to grasp things that they just can't.

Best wishes

[tizaac in reply to MollysVoice]

thank you molly, we continue to fight school for the best help we can and our son (zac) has a private one to one, his brain definately works differently because he is doing really well in science but struggles with maths and english mostly. We will never give up on him and totally support his physical (PE) strengths. schools should just remember that students are not all the same and that each child should have an education that is taylored to their needs but it just doesnt happen so all our children are often told they are lazy, need to try harder, yet to us its the schools that are full of excuses.

thanks again for your experience which we have shown to zac because like you none of his friends have this difficulty but they are really supportive of him. we believe the every one has a disability of some kind its the way you go about your life with that disability that makes it a negative or a positive, i was born with cdh (clicky hips) which has left me with bad hips and i always say i can do anything that anyone else can do, it may just take me alittle longer!!!!