All tutors have seen it. In the run up before exams, in weeks, days, or sometimes even hours, panicked requests from new students or new parents to help prepare for an exam. Their aim could be to avert disaster or to guarantee success. Most tutors have taken one or more of these jobs during the course of their work. I think the most important question is, when does cramming actually work?
By identifying when it works, what makes it easier and what makes it harder, we can maximise the conditions for successful cramming. The term itself, cramming, is defined as ‘to learn a lot of things in a short time, in preparation for an exam’.
I’ll use a case study. Chloe was an A-level Politics student who had just received a C in her mocks. She needed A*AB to get into Psychology at Bristol, and Politics was her second best subject. She really needed it to be an A. She had one month, and she was incredibly motivated. The A-level Politics syllabus is broad but not especially deep – a student needs to know and retain a lot of information, but the ways in which they will be asked about it are relatively few and straightforward, at least to an experienced tutor. Chloe was motivated, had plenty of time, but had poor technique and limited knowledge of a favourable syllabus. There was a huge amount to do – could we do it?
We started by building a good rapport and setting clear goals, getting the student-tutor relationship off on a firm foundation. Chloe worked well, I showed her excellent revision strategies, and she slowly mastered the syllabus. I also emphasised the importance of sleep, rest, and wellbeing in helping retain information, study effectively, and living. Chloe came away with an A*. She achieved her Bristol offer and was delighted.
Some variables we can identify from this are:
– Timeframe (how much time is available)
– Motivation (how motivated the student is)
– Exam technique (this can be one of the easiest areas to improve quickly)
– Syllabus complexity (memorisation is easier to do quickly than work that requires more analytic engagement)
– Learning habits (can the student take on an excellent approach to information?)
– Other workload (how much time can the student dedicate to cramming?)
Last, but not least, I would like to highlight the aptitude and attitude of the student. Whilst exam technique is relatively easy to improve within a short window of time, and knowledge of the content can come on leaps and bounds, different students operate at different levels, and aptitude is the least likely thing to come on leaps and bounds within a short time frame.
Attitude can be worked on – especially if a clear goal is in sight – but recalibrating a student’s attitude takes time in a cramming setting, where every hour can be vital.
From my experience, the students least likely to cram well are those who don’t want to, and whose parents have insisted on tuition that they themselves are sceptical of. Always ask, what are the student’s goals?
Of course, all of this is easier the earlier you start. Cramming can sometimes work wonders – but the best guarantee of success is a longer run in time.
Takeaways:
The earlier you start working, the higher your chances of success.
The more motivated you are, the higher your chance of success.
The better your learning habits, the higher your chance of success.
And if you have an excellent, subject-expert tutor on your side?
You have an even higher chance of success.
If your child would benefit from understanding the concepts clearly through 1 to 1 tutoring, please book a call in with us to discuss your specific needs further, and get started on a learning journey that attains exceptional outcomes.
- TP – contributed by our professional tutor team member