Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from 10ticks!

Merry Christmas everyone hope you have all had a great year! Check out our Christmas video below which highlights some of the major changes to 10ticks over the last year and our plans for the next year.

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year from the 10ticks Team :)

Free Christmas Maths Worksheets

Christmas is just around the corner and to celebrate we are giving away some free Christmas maths worksheets. These are great fun and contain lots puzzles and games that are fantastic for consolidating basic maths skills. These are available to both parents and teachers with access to nearly 30 worksheets in total, perfect for keeping the kids busy over the Christmas break.

To get access to our free Christmas maths worksheets all you have to do is click on the link below and signup.

http://www.10ticks.co.uk/christmasworksheets/

Let us know you think of the worksheets.

Merry Christmas,

From the 10ticks team

White paper report on the UK’s new National Curriculum

At 10ticks we have been working hard creating and mapping maths resources for the new Curriculum set to come in next year for the UK. We also wanted to help teachers understand the new National Curriculum changes and what it will mean for their school. this is why we created a White Paper Report outlining the major changes and how best to prepare for them. It also gives examples of other countries experiences with Curriculum changes and what we can learn from them.

To view the White Paper Report just click on the link below.

http://issuu.com/tenticks/docs/whitepaperreport

Let us know what you think of the new National Curriculum and if you think the changes are a good idea.

Thanks,

The 10ticks team

Brand new maths worksheets available from 10ticks

We recently launched our brand new Annual Maths Worksheet Licence, which contains more than 3700 maths worksheets in one package. This covers every topic from Level 1 to Level 10 in the UK Curriculum, plus has maths worksheets ready for the new Curriculum set to come in next year.

The new Annual Maths Worksheet Licence is going to revolutionise the way we deliver our maths worksheets, giving schools and teachers more choice than ever! We have included 1100 brand new maths worksheets in the Annual Licence giving teachers more choice and flexibility. These build on our previous award winning maths worksheets to create an even stronger range of resources. Our maths worksheets comprise of 4 types of learning experience:

•          Traditional exercises to consolidate basic skills taught.
•          Investigations to let students explore mathematics at their own pace.
•          Puzzles involving key concepts centring around fundamental mathematical skills.
•          Games – Fun ways of reinforcing key skills without the monotony of repetitive exercise.

One of the biggest improvements we have made for our maths worksheets is the way you can search through them. We have created a brand new Search Tool, which allows you to search through this vast resource of maths worksheets in a matter of seconds, allowing to find exactly what you need when you need it. This will be a great time saver for teachers and will help take the stress out of find resources.

To find out more about what our new Annual Maths Worksheets Licence has to offer please visit http://www.10ticks.co.uk/mathsworksheet.aspx for more details. Alternatively you can contact a member of the 10ticks team and we will be happy to help.

Many Thanks,

10ticks

Bank of Education

Examination results bring huge pressure for the students, but in today’s accountable society, it brings pressure for teachers, head teachers, LEAs, Examination Boards and Governments! By being transparent on examination results the Government brings a stick to beat itself up with, to beat Examination Boards up with and everyone all the way down the food chain to the lowly teacher, with the teacher being the whipping boy for poor results (what is the opposite of a whipping boy?). Praise being given to those teachers achieving great things for their pupils –Definition of Great Things: moving a child from a Grade D to a Grade C. Where is the praise for moving a child from a Grade E to a Grade D?

It is no wonder that teachers constantly look for ways to beat the system, in most cases, honestly. And there are many ways to play the system. A Grade C is the Holy Grail for every school. These Grade C boundary pupils become the focus of every department resulting in an uneven distribution of the mathematics department’s resources. Typical tactics being, but not limited to: changing Examination Board, putting the best teachers to teach the sets which target these grade boundaries, extra lessons, early entries, withdrawal for targeted pupil one-to-one work etc.

For years I have advocated that if maths standards are to be upheld through the GCSE system then the Examination Board is key to this. The Examination Board cannot be in a competitive environment. The Examination Boards have little option but to erode grade boundaries as savvy Heads of Department tactically switch Boards dependent on the previous year’s Grade boundaries and pass rates. This erosion led to the introduction of the A* as too many achieved As to distinguish between them. Pressure on Examination Boards has led to a second successive year of a fall in the proportion of pupils achieving an A*-C grade. For maths this year the fall was by 0.8%.

When SATs where introduced, no one blinked twice at one Examination Board administering the process and controlling the grade boundaries. This is what has to be done for each subject at CGSE, with the Examination Board’s remit in upholding the standards, and if the standards drops, so does the pass rate. At least some of this is being addressed.

But what of the bigger picture? In 1998 the Bank of England was given operational independence over monetary policy and given sole responsibility for setting interest rates to meet Government inflation targets. Government setting interest rates was a headache and an election loser, so outsourcing this way was a win-win. It wasn't the Government’s fault if the interest rate was high/low (different people want different things!) and experts – yes people who knew what they were doing - were in charge! As Governments come and go there is an uninterfered constant.

So what has that to do with anything? A body of experts running independent of the Government helping to achieve National goals. Could that be transferable? A body of people that run education with no affiliation to Government, that sets the National goals, hence the curriculum and maintains the integrity of standards through the examination system. Real maths teacher working with academics towards a common goal without political interference. What about the current committees, we do have them..after all if Carol Vordermann can add and multiply she surely knows how to advise the Government on how to teach our children, just as George Clooney should be helping out the Health Department – he did appear in many episodes of ER.

So the make-up of this autonomous, apolitical Bank of Education. Why not just academics in this body? By the definition they are very clever people..and that is the problem, they need grounding. How does a successful curriculum work? I have addressed that before but in a nutshell it has to be deliverable. There are many elements to this, but academics have to be realistic about what can be achieved, (and realistic about what the country needs in a workforce) hence achieving a balance with long serving teachers. It would deliver a constant through the changing political world.

Politicians flit between different departments, becoming instant experts in a wide range of areas. If only we mere mortals could become experts in our fields so easily. The current Education incumbent seems determined to mold education in his own image. Possibly the Bank of Education needs to have stern words with him.

Ian Fisher, Managing Director of 10ticks

Looking at the new maths national curriculum for 2014

A message from 10ticks Director, Ian Fisher

Looking at the new maths national curriculum for 2014, my first thoughts are,  “A lot in a short time!”. Rather than a rolling implementation, Years 1, 3, 4 and 5 in Primary and  Years 7, 8 and 9 in Secondary are all going to have to be taught the new curriculum from September 2014. This is particularly an issue for Years 4/5 and Years 8/9 who will not have the benefit of being taught the skills directly before them, but jumping blind into the depth of a new rigorous set of skills.

For Primary Schools the maths curriculum has been laid out Year by Year, giving some structure and guidance to teachers. At secondary level it has been laid out, rather more unhelpfully, as a series of statements for all of KS3, with little guidance. If you want to see a helpful national curriculum for teachers, have a look at the new CAPS national curriculum for South Africa. This has been laid out with a lot of thought and guidance for teachers. Time has been spent putting this together to support the teacher and a more helpful time frame for rolling this out has been introduced. Lessons have been learnt from their first national curriculum disaster.

The main reasons for introducing a national curriculum is to standardize teaching, putting continuity across schools, and so that each maths department doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel. Arguments range from, a more transient population needs this to support their children, to publishers can put more effort into, and therefore get better quality from, their resources. This is an argument Australians are debating fiercely as they strive to get a national curriculum established. A lot of countries, such as Canada, who do not have a national curriculum, perform better than most in international league tables!

What can history tell us? The very first introduction of the national curriculum here in the 1980s lasted 3 years before being changed, followed by a further stable period of 10 years. In Malaysia their first draft of a national curriculum lasted 8 years without change, South Africa’s first draft 6 years. Basically new curricula don’t last long!

So why does a curriculum fail? We write our national curriculum and then we implement the national curriculum. Easy! To me, the content of the national curriculum should be decided jointly by academics and business leaders. Academics can be far too clever and subtle in their approaches, assuming that every teacher has the same knowledge base as themselves  (South Africa found this, to their cost). Sometimes the most academic educational friendly approach doesn’t work (government definition: not score highly in international tables), look at the international maths scores of Malaysia. Malaysia teaches the four rules using rote and mechanical methods, but does this consistently through the Primary phase. Methods that Malaysian teachers understand and that are delivered consistently to the children throughout this phase. No bouncing along on a number line! These children are highly skilled in solving these type of questions, but are they numerate? What does business require from our young population?  What do academics, who devise curricula, want?  This can be different. Surprisingly Malaysia is now turning to our maths approach, just as we turn to theirs!!

Let’s not get too hung up on the curriculum content. I have worked on 5 different countries’ maths curricula and all are appropriate, on the whole, for the country – in every country everyone has an opinion (it would be a dull world if they didn’t), so every curriculum has its detractors. So set aside the differences on the content, the success will come down to one thing. You can have the ‘best’ curriculum in the world, but if you don’t train the teachers, then inevitably, it will be doomed to failure. There needs to be a certain time frame for effective dissemination and a period of equilibrium to consolidate.

Academies do not have to follow the national curriculum. Is this to encourage all schools to change to Academy status as soon as possible? If all schools become Academies, then what becomes of the national curriculum?? Is the curriculum a new born dodo, with built in obsolescence?

So what have we now got in this country? A hastily implemented curriculum. With the speed the curriculum has been put together, followed by an abnormally short implementation period, I give this maths curriculum 3 years before it is overhauled. This doesn’t account for the uncertainty of politics (next election 2015) and the constant need for politicians to meddle in education. This can only lead to frustration for teachers given no direction and seeing no long term goals.

What would I be doing in a Primary School? Well, this year gives you a bit of leeway. The four rules are going to be taught quite mechanically. Vertical addition and subtraction will be the cornerstone, so start teaching it this way within the number boundaries that pupils are comfortable with, then when they are catapulted into the tens or hundreds of thousands next year, the method will be familiar and pupils will only have to deal with the increasing complexity of the number system. Likewise for short and long multiplication. Year 5 have to multiply a 4-digit number by a 1 or 2-digit number. So again work through the process with small numbers, with which they are familiar and work upwards. And repeat with division. Learning the mechanical methods this year may help with being thrown into the deep end next year and help your pupils (and you) survive!

What would I be doing in a Secondary School? When talking to teachers in South Africa, Malaysia, India and South Africa they all cast envious eyes to the UK. They are forced to teach by Grade (Year) curricula. This can be very inappropriate for some children. They love the fact that we can set by ability and teach to an appropriate level. Does this mean a return to mixed ability teaching? This could mean a huge leap in content for some Year 9 children in 2014. I would be looking at the content for the KS3 and devising a Year 7, 8 and 9 curriculum based on the statements. With this in mind I would be looking to teach children in Year 7 and 8 a cross-over curriculum next year, so that pupils are not wildly off key in 2014.

At 10ticks we are dedicated to deliver to you the maths materials you need. We will be working feverishly over the coming years to ensure that you have the latest curriculum requirements covered. We already have a great deal of the material written for the new curriculum. We introduced the low cost annual plan to take into account all this uncertainty. If you subscribe to the 10ticks annual package, not only will you be able you get them started this year, you will have all the materials you need to deliver the maths curriculum next year, as we update and add to the materials available to you every year.

10ticks maths worksheets are now fully mapped to the South African CAPS Curriculum

10ticks is very excited to be releasing our new range of maths worksheets all fully mapped to the CAPS National Curriculum. There are over 3400 maths worksheets available that cater for all different types of learners and teaching styles. The maths worksheets have been made by experienced maths teachers over a number of years and are strongly recommended by maths teachers around the world. 99% of head of maths surveyed said they would recommend the maths worksheets to a colleague in another school and 82% said that the use of the maths worksheets had contributed to an increase in the standard of teaching in their school. There are now over 2 million students using our maths worksheets around the world.

When it comes to our maths worksheets we cater for all types of different learning and teaching styles. There are 4 main types of worksheets that help consolidate learning in different ways. The first is traditional worksheets which help consolidate basic skills taught in class. Then there is investigative maths worksheets which let students explore mathematics at their own pace, also by letting students figure out their own way to answer the questions they are much more likely to remember what they have learnt. Our puzzles worksheets help develop fundamental mathematical skills and finally we have games worksheets. These help to reinforce key skills without the monotony of repetitive exercises. With all these different maths worksheets to choose from you will never be stuck for resources again.

If you haven’t had a chance to see 10ticks maths worksheets we have plenty that you can download for free. This will give you a chance to test out our maths resources and see just how good they are. We also offer seasonal maths worksheets for free, these are fun for the whole class and are great for the last few days before your school breaks up for the holidays you can even set them as festive homework. So visit http://www.10ticks.co.za/mathsworksheet.aspx today and see what’s on offer.

Look forward to seeing you soon.

The 10ticks team

How to understand the National Curriculum levels

Understanding the National Curriculum levels can be difficult especially if you are not involved in the education system. At this time of year you will be receiving reports back from your children’s schools telling what level they are currently working at from 2a to 4c what does this actually mean? In this article the aim is to give you a clear understanding of how the system works so you can truly understand how your child is doing.

The National Curriculum levels are used to compare a child’s ability against the national standard of achievement. They are used in key stages 1, 2 and 3 for English, Maths and Science. Each level is divided in three different levels, with A being the highest and c being the lowest. This means level 1C is the lowest level and 8A is the highest level.

The best thing to do is put these levels into context, so below is a graph which shows where a child should be at a particular age.

From this chart you will be able to see where your child is in relation to the national average. It is expected that the majority of 11 year-old children will achieve level 4 by the end of year 6. This is the level the government considers the minimum required for children to be able to access the high school curriculum.

These levels are then sub divided as mentioned earlier into A, B and C:

·        

      C the child has started to work at the level

·         B working well within the level

·         A the child has reached the top of the level and is working towards the next level

Typically a child is expected to progress at a level every two years (e.g. a child working at level 3A in year 4 will be expected to be working at level 4A in year 6). However this isn't always the case as every child is different and will progress at their own rate.

Hopefully through this article you have an understanding of how the national curriculum levels work. If not the best thing to do is to talk to the school. This way you will be able to get a clear understanding of where your child is working at and I they need any extra support or if they are doing fine and just need to carry on.

Thanks,

From the 10ticks team

Physical exercise helps boost brain power and can relieve stress when revising

As we’re in prime revision time right now, I thought it would be a good idea to offer some tips on how to get out your frustration and boost brain activity, at the same time giving you the best possible chance of succeeding in your exams.

Did you know that donning a pair of trainers and going out for a run can boost not only your physical health, but also increase your brain health? The benefits to brain function can be seen on multiple fronts, ranging from the molecular to the behavioural level. It has been shown that just 20 minutes of exercise can lead to an increase in information processing and memory functions.

There are a number of reasons for the increase in brain power. Firstly, exercise increases your heart rate, which pumps more oxygen to the brain. Secondly, exercise aids the bodily release of a plethora of hormones, all of which participate in aiding and providing a nourishing environment for the growth of brain cells. These two benefits help stimulate the brain plasticity by stimulating growth of new connections between cells in a wide array of important cortical areas of the brain, helping to boost memory and mend damaged brain cells.

There are also behavioural benefits, with a decrease in stress hormones. This is why exercise can have a positive effect during revision as it will allow you to concentrate more and to focus on the work rather than worrying about the exam. One of the best times to exercise is in the morning before you start revising or even before work. This will help boost brain activity and prepare you for the mental stresses of the day. It also produces increases in retention of new information and better reactions to complex situations.

So if you’re getting frustrated with your revision because you don’t understand it, or are feeling stressed out at work get those trainers on and go out and do some exercise. You will feel much better! Even when you’re stuck on one particular problem or feel mentally exhausted, doing a few star jumps might reboot your brain.

Thanks,

The 10ticks team

10ticks has linked up with the Eden Project to offer a fantastic prize!

We are excited to announce that 10ticks has linked up with the Eden Project to offer you a fantastic prize of a family ticket for two adults and up to three children. This will be a great day out for the whole family with the Eden Project being one of the UKs biggest attractions.

To be in with a chance to win the prize all you have to do is make sure your child is in the top 200 most logged in students by the end of the month. We will then pick a winner at random from these 200. The competition deadline is the 30^th of April 2013 so make sure your child has logged in by then! All entrants must have an active account at the end of the month to take part in the prize draw.

This competition is one of the many incentives on the site to encourage children to log in and learn. Don’t forget our merit and certificate system, this creates positive reinforcement helping build up confidence and self-esteem. You can award merits from the parent user area for your children. Children can then use this confidence to further their success and achieve great things in maths and beyond.

To opt out of the competition, log into the parent area and look for the competition box in your User Area. Uncheck the box.

What’s on at the Eden Project?

Freaky Nature

29 March- 14 April

Visit Eden this Easter holidays and you’ll never be able to look at plants in quite the same way again. Discover sticky plants, smelly plants, poisonous plants and even carnivorous plants that bite back!  We’re also exploring the freaky side of food, where it comes from and, of course, where plants come in! Discover how plants eat, how they avoid being eaten themselves, explore the fascinating food cycle and take part in some freaky food experiments!

http://www.edenproject.com/visit-us/whats-on/kids-and-families/freaky-nature

If you need any help on the system the 10ticks team are always here to support you. You can contact us via email, phone and Skype as well as through Facebook.

Thanks,

From the 10ticks team

Top Food tips for revision

Although eating a balanced diet when you’re trying to cram for the end of year exams may not seem like you biggest priority it can actually make a big difference. So it’s time to put down the pizza and the Redbull and take on board these top tips on how to eat your way to success.

So what are the reasons for eating healthily? Although your brain only weighs 2% of your total body weight it uses approximately 20% of your body’s energy at rest. The brain is powered by energy which comes from broken down food. The primary source of energy for the brain is glucose which comes from carbohydrate rich foods like breads and pasta. The brain stores are very small so to keep it functioning at its best, it needs constant glucose replacement.

Breakfast

I know you have heard this before but breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Your body has been starved of food all night while you sleep and you need to refuel to prepare for the day ahead.

·         Cereal or toast, but make sure it is low sugar/salt cereal and try and go for whole meal bread

·         Try and get a portion of fruit in the morning a quick and easy way to do this as well as tasty is to have a glass of pure fruit juice.

·        Porridge is a great way to start the day it tastes great and will keep you going all the way through to lunch. Try adding in some banana and honey.

Lunch

Keep it healthy at lunch don’t just go for the easy option of a packet of crisps!

·         Salads can be a good choice but make sure you don’t drown it in dressing sauce

·         Jacket potatoes can be very healthy especially with some baked beans or tuna but try and avoid the cheese

·         You should be trying to get your 5 portions of fruit and veg everyday so make sure you stock up at lunch time.

Dinner

The important thing for dinner is to avoid the fatty and greasy foods this does your brain no good and makes you sluggish.

·         Fish is perfect for boosting brain power; it is high in protein and omega 3 and low in fats.

·         Chicken is also high in protein and low in fats but make sure it’s not deep fat fried and covered in batter. Serve with some new potatoes and some veg

·         Pasta is great for maintaining those energy levels throughout the day. Serve with a nice tomato sauce and you will be well on your way for reaching that 5 a day.

Snacks

It is important to have a few small snacks throughout the day to keep those energy levels up but stay clear of the chocolate bars and crisps.

·         Fresh vegetables with humous is perfect and helps towards your 5 a day and you get some healthy protein from the chickpeas in the humous

·         Peanut butter on toast, good for breakfast as well as a snack

·         Fruit, cheap and full of sugar to boost your energy levels

·         Nuts, high in protein and good at filling you up try and avoid the salted ones though

If you follow these simple steps you will be well on your way to succeeding in your exams.

Thanks,

From the 10ticks team

Teaching firm ticks right boxes home and abroad

10ticks makes the news! This is an article from Bolton News highlighting how we are doing in the UK and abroad.

A BOLTON firm is booming — both here and abroad.

10 Ticks designs maths and English computer based tutorials aimed at pupils, students and families at school or home.

Its customer base ranges from 20,000 children aged from five to 16 to a smaller number of older students aged in their 70s.

In the past 12 month the firm, based at Bolton Enterprise Centre, in Washington Street, has won new deals in Malaysia and Australia and more recently in South Africa.

Darren Wood, the firm’s head of business development and marketing, has been travelling abroad to deal with agents and meet customers.

As part of this, he recently visited a maths conference for teachers in Melbourne, Australia.

Back in Bolton, he said: “The conference was great and I got to speak to teachers at first-hand. They were really embracing the new curriculum, which has been a great development because teachers previously had reservations about the country’s new curriculum.

“South Africa is the latest country on our list. We’ve just developed a partnership there and looking at charities and other developments.”

He said the firm also wants to expand its UK business by selling 10Ticks products in national supermarket chains, such as Asda.

Mr Wood said: “It’s not easy getting the attention of the big retailers. But as the sales are increasing the big chains are starting to take note. We’ve been telling them that if we want to improve the country’s numeracy levels then we need to get programmes like 10Ticks widely available, as they are proven to work.”

10 Ticks has also taken on a new marketing manager, Ryan Davies.

A Manchester University graduate originally from Gloucester, he said: “My role involves travel which I’ve always loved, so that part of the job was a big draw for me. It’s good to be working in Bolton, which has a good business community.

“Some of my friends support Wanderers and I’ve been to the Reebok a few times. I also think celebrities like Amir Khan and Peter Kay help put Bolton on the map.”

The business was founded in 2000 by Ian Fisher, a former Bolton maths teacher and education consultant.

His work has included designing and online test which helps identify a child’s individual strengths and how these can be used to get the most out of school .Study could include learning through visual aids or activities rather than listening.

Visit our website for more details about the Home and School Learning System.
www.10ticks.co.uk

Thanks form the 10ticks team.

Jenson Button: Formula 1 would be nothing without without maths and science

Formula 1 racing driver Jenson Button urges young people to study maths, science and engineering in school. He argued that the glamour and excitement of racing would not exist without the brilliance of scientists and engineers.

Having a public figure like this endorsing maths and science is great news. Someone like Jenson Button who is a role model for kids all across the country and the world is a great ambassador, and can really help to encourage kids to work hard in these subjects. In the future these are the subjects that are going to help young people get the best jobs and drive the economies of the major nations across the globe.

Research this week published in the UK warned that 1 in 5 young people will need to become an engineer if the UK has any chance of re balancing the economy more towards advanced engineering. This is going to be a tall order and really needs a lot of backing from the government as well as people like Jenson Button to encourage and make sure young people continue with subjects like maths and physics.

Not only is it important to encourage young people into maths and science when they get older but also it is really important to build up a good base when they are young. In the previous article I posted I mentioned how being top of the class in maths in primary school has been proven to boost income by the time you are 30. So this article ties in really well with that and shows that with the shortage of skilled workers with the right knowledge, focusing on these subjects early on can help lead to a great career in the future. You never know your son or daughter could be the next lead engineer at McLaren with a bit of extra maths help.

Thanks for reading.

The 10ticks team

Extra maths help in primary school can boost potential earnings significantly

How extra maths help in primary school can boost your income when your 30!

Government funded research shows a child in the top 15% of maths scores at age 10 is likely to earn an extra 7.3% by the age of 30

Children with the best skills earn the most money, according to government funded research.

A study by the institute for fiscal studies (IFS), funded by the department for education, measured the maths achievements of a group born in 1970 and compared it with the salary they earned once they were in there thirties.

A child in the top 15 per cent of maths scores at the age of 10 is likely to earn 7.3 per cent more at the age 30 than an otherwise identical child who achieves a middle ranking maths score, even after controlling for the qualifications that they go on to obtain.

This was calculated as being able to earn an extra £2100 per year.

This is great news for all the parents who have got their kids on the 10ticks Home Learning System from an early age, as they will likely be at the top of the class throughout primary school. This makes paying for that bit of extra maths help with 10ticks seem like a great investment not only in your child’s education but will actually help boost their earning potential when they are older.

The maths helps 10ticks offers, ranges from the age of 5 right up until the age of 16 with A* GCSE. So 10ticks can be with you every step of the way helping to really boost your child to the top of the class. It is also interesting to note maths skills made a much bigger difference to potential earnings than reading and even more important than the qualifications young people go on to achieve. This highlights the importance of investing in skills, particularly maths skills early on.

If you would like some more information about 10ticks and the maths help it has to offer feel free to email us at r.davies@10ticks.co.uk.

Thanks,

From the 10tick team

The 10ticks New Look Student Area

Here at 10ticks we are very excited to announce the release of the new look student area! The new look is aimed at older students who are looking for something a bit more grown up. The feedback we have received so far has been great so thanks to everyone who contributed on that.

It would be great to get even more feedback though so take a look at the video below and tell us what you think :)

Thanks,

The 10ticks team

Top tips for getting your child to do their homework

We often get parents asking us how they should use the 10ticks Online Learning System. Below is a guide on how to formulate a structured homework routine that is effective but also easy to implement. Using 10ticks alongside this routine will be great for your child’s maths and will really help them excel. Enjoy the article J

It is often a struggle to get kids to do their homework and can often lead to a shouting match and become a daily frustration. However it doesn't have to be like this. In this article the aim is to outline some ways you can help motivate your child to do their homework on a daily basis. Not only will it make your life as the parent easier, because you won’t have to be constantly nagging, but it will also help get your child to the top of the class and really help them reach their full potential.

There are some key areas that can make a big difference to get your child to do their homework. These are simple and not that hard to implement. You just need to be consistent and establish a routine. The first place to start is by setting how long homework should take. Eventually you will want your child to be working from 1 to 2 hours a night on homework by the time they reach secondary school. But to start with you will want to build them up, so 30 minutes to an hour is a good place to start. Once you have set this time it is important to be strict with it. This includes not going over that limit even if you know your child has just been staring at the work sullenly for a big chunk of that time. The reason for this is because even if they haven’t done the work, children will need a rest and it is important they feel they are not doing school work all the time, as they will become even more reluctant to do homework in the future. Also some children that lack confidence and are sensitive will become perfectionists and will actually try and spend longer on their homework if allowed. This is not good for them as all children need down time.

Another really important rule is to eliminate distractions. This means you as the parent have to make sure before your child starts that all distractions are removed. This includes screens that are on, toys and even pets. They all need to be out of sight so your child can really focus.

After school your child will have had a long day and need to reenergise and refresh. So it is important that they get something to eat, preferably a healthy snack, and have a chance to play and get some exercise. Ideally you want them outside getting some fresh air and exercise. So playing football or going on the trampoline or something similar would be ideal, this will reenergise them and get them ready to start work again.

Break up homework into three stages. First spend up to five minutes going over what your child has to do. This will make it clear for them, and for you, what they are doing and it will make it easier to get started. The second stage is to let your child do the homework without any help. This is important as homework should be on-going training in self-reliance. It is important to let them make their own mistakes, so don’t frown or give any indication that it is the wrong or right answer. The third stage is where you can comment on the work. It is important to first point out the things they have done well and for both of you to point out 1 or 2 mistakes or improvements that can be made. It is important not to point out too many mistakes even if there are a lot, because your child will become demotivated and will be less willing to do homework next time.

Don’t overdo it Let your child take breaks every 15 – 30 minutes. This will allow your child to absorb what they have learnt and come back refreshed for the next task.

Do the hardest task first. This is when the brain is at its freshest and will take in a lot more information. It will also stop the nagging feeling that there is still worse to come. If you get the worst over and done with first, it will only get easier from then on in.

During holidays, especially the summer, children can actually go backwards. This is often referred to as the summer slide. So make sure your child is still doing work regularly. This will stop the backwards slide and put them in good stead when it comes to the new school year. In the 6 weeks off in the summer a child can actually go backwards by a few months or more, so it is important to do regular work in the holidays.

Positive reinforcement is a much better way of motivating your child then just telling them off. So even if it is a struggle when it comes to homework pick up on the good things when possible. Even the most reluctant child will occasionally be proactive and may get out their workbook without being asked. It is really important to recognise this and praise it.

Another way to motivate your child is to give little rewards and encouragement such as a hug or a thumbs up or even a high five. Give these when they have made small steps in the right direction, even when the result is still not quite what you want.

With these homework tips you will hopefully see your child’s attitude towards homework change, making your life easier and helping them reach their full potential.

Thank you for reading,

The 10ticks team
www.10ticks.co.uk

Need maths help 10ticks has the awnser

For all your Maths Help needs check out 10ticks. In this short video we show how 10ticks can benefit your child.

The research behind what makes 10ticks extra maths help so effective

If you need some extra maths help then 10ticks has the answers. The way we teach maths is a tried and tested formula that delivers great results with independent researchers backing this up. In a paper by Professor John Hattie and Professor Geoff Petty they researched into the greatest influences on student learning. If you can address these influences then you can increase learning results by a huge margin. According to them, you can increase the rate of learning by 50% with the average student receiving this teaching exceeding 84% of students not receiving the teaching method.

The important thing is to try to focus on the areas that can produce the biggest increases in results and give the students the maths help they need. One of the most important areas Hattie points out for improved learning is feedback. It is important to tell students they have done well, creating positive reinforcement, and also to tell them what they need to improve on so they can really focus on the areas they find a bit more difficult. How we do this with the 10ticks Online Maths System is through our merit system and with messages through a phone in the student desk area. Emails out to the parents/teachers also really help with this process, so they can see where they child or student needs extra help and give them a hand. Every time a student does well in a test they will be awarded a merit which once they have collected enough merits will lead to a certificate. When a student hasn’t done quite so well on a test we will send out a message which will appear in their desk area. This will give them feedback on where they went wrong and suggest some more materials for them to have a look at. This will allow them to build on their weak areas and really get a grasp of the topic before they move on to the next one and then reward them when they have done well. In this way they are encouraged to put the effort in because they can see the benefits. This is one of the most effective ways to help improve a student’s maths.

Another key area we focus on for maths help is the way different students learn. We like to cater for all learners by offering a mix of online and offline learning. The offline learning done with our worksheets is great for kinaesthetic learners who prefer a more hands on approach to learning. It is also important for younger learners as they will gain a lot more from writing and drawing it themselves rather than just doing work on a computer screen. The online side of the System is great for tracking results, evaluating where you are as a student and for visual learners that like being shown examples which is where are video guides come in. Our videos also have audio commentary which is great for students who like to learn through hearing, so our System truly caters for all learners and makes sure no student is left behind. This well rounded approach to learning benefits all learners, by varying the way a student is taught it keeps them stimulated and interested in learning. This means no student will get left behind and all students will get the maths help they need.

This is how the 10ticks Learning System can help your child achieve great results. Just a bit of extra maths help can go a long way and we aim to maximise the time spent on the system so the student gets the best learning outcomes possible. If you would like more information, visit the 10ticks website.

Thanks for reading,

The 10ticks team

Check out an over view of the 10ticks Maths Learning System for all the maths help you will ever need

Need Extra Maths Help

There are many reasons why you may want your child to have extra maths help. The first is that your child may be struggling in maths and may be losing confidence as a result. A second reason is they are already good at maths and you want to build on this and want to really encourage them. A third reason is your child as exams coming and a bit of extra maths help will really boost their results. So there are clearly many reasons for wanting extra maths help and 10ticks can cater for all these different needs. We have one of the most comprehensive maths learning systems around and we have made sure the maths help we provide is first class and will let your child enjoy maths.

With a small amount of extra maths help your child could gain significantly we suggest using the system just a couple of times a week for 20 to 30 minutes each time can really make a big difference. With most jobs now requiring a minimum of a c grade at GCSE it is more important than ever to make the grades. Also most universities require good grades in maths as well so if you want your child to gain access to a top university a good place to start is with some extra maths help. These are some of the long term benefits but you will also see some immediate benefits as well. When a child is doing well at a school it boosts there confidence and encourages them even more to do better in other subjects. So again with a bit of extra maths help you can see your child’s confidence boosted having a positive knock on effect in other subjects as well.

So come and check out the 10ticks website for more details on how you can gain all these advantages no matter what level your child is at in maths we can cater for all levels. A little bit of extra maths help can go along way.

Hope to see you soon,

The 10ticks team

Our first blog post!

We at 10ticks are excited to be to announce that we now have a blog! The aim is to provide expert advice for teachers and parents on the latest developments in education from experts across the globe. Also for parents we want to offer useful advice on revision and how to encourage your kids to learn and excel in education and particularly in maths. So watch this space we will have some great contributors on here not least our resident global national curriculum expert and MD of the company Ian Fisher.

The 10ticks team