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Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Time and the Eleven Plus

When is the best time of day for your eleven plus child to study? After school? Before school? In the morning? In the evening? Some of the time? All the time?

Do you remember the `Rime of the Ancient Mariner’? One foolhardy sailor shot the albatross and woe came to the ship:

Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.

Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.
Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.

Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.
Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.

Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.
Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.

Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.
Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.


Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.

The rest of the crew forced the sailor to wear the albatross around his neck. When the ship reached land he was forced to wander the world telling all of his guilt.
No parent would want the eleven plus to become an `albatross around the neck’.  We certainly don’t want the eleven plus to lay a heavy burden of guilt on a child. That could be self-defeating and could, over a period of time, become an obstacle to success.

It is likely that there can be no one best time of day to study. The weather, for example, changes from day to day – and sometimes from hour to hour. The changes can come from the weather, day and night and from season to season.

Your child may have a good day at school or a bad day, friendships may grow or wither. You may approach your child with concern in your voice or determination. What is the best time of day for your eleven plus child to study?

It depends.


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