The Edinburgh Academy

Planning your time

Coursework often presents the GCSE student with an unfamiliar challenge. Used to having time planned for him by the homework timetable with its requirement for a set amount of work each evening, he or she is sometimes bemused by what seems an enormous amount of time available to complete a GCSE project.

Procrastination however is the thief of time, as the old proverb has it, and putting off until tomorrow work that you could do today will usually result in a large pile of work to be completed in an improbably short time.

Your own work

In various subjects it is necessary for the student to undertake work on his or her own initiative rather than waiting to be told. Projects often have subjects that are unique to the individual rather than shared with the rest of the class. Although teachers may advise in general terms, sometimes only the student can judge what specifically needs to be done. Learning to take decisions for oneself and accept responsibility for one's own actions (or inaction) is an important part of this process.

Whilst parents are welcome to take an interest, they should beware of relieving the student of this responsibility. Not only will the object of the exercise be defeated, but the student will find it difficult to sign in honesty a declaration that the work is his or her own. It is compulsory to sign such a declaration. Plagiarism is punishable by exclusion from GCSE.

Deadlines

Missed deadlines do not only cause the teacher aggravation and the student unnecessary stress. All too often they result in work of an inferior standard because necessary preparation or research had to be cut short or writing up rushed. Easy to say, and difficult to do, time management is the answer. This grid is provided to assist parents and students achieve that objective.