Top tips for helping motivated talented DD15 complete art coursework?

[loveyouradvice]

Hi... until this year DD was getting A* in Art... then deeply shocked to get a B this autumn half term

All to do with quantity of work - fallen way behind - rather than calibre

She invests huge amounts of time and finds it difficult to focus and complete it easily.

She does have recently-diagnosed ADHD but I suspect that advice from parents across the range would help.

She is determined to catch up this Xmas hols - and does indeed have time. We are also determined it doesn't take over and she invests some time in other subjects - a third of time on Art, two thirds on other subjects.

Top tips for helping her

• organise, focus, complete?
• manage her time around art?

One thing we have already picked up is she has always argued that watching Netflix while doing Art helps her focus.... we are going to ask her to try 3 days with just music to see if that helps.

Also considering she plans exactly what she has to do and allocates time on each day to clear sections of work - though not sure this won't cause more stress

Other ideas?

Huge thanks

Walks....in the fresh air. I have issues concentrating and am also artistic. If I work on something for two hours then have a short walk outside, it gives me better, longer concentration.

Can't tell if it is just mumbo-jumbo or if there is something in it, but in the nineties I heard about something called the Tomatis method or the Tomatis effect. It's about music therapy, and here is something little about music therapy with a list of classical music pieces that supposedly are more beneficial for concentration (like Bach or Mozart). Might be worth to swap Netflox for these, assuming you could stream it over eg Spotify or wherever people stream music nowadays. www.additudemag.com/slideshows/music-therapy-for-children-with-adhd/

ooh... hevonbu that sounds good... and cheap sausages Im delighted that works for you and Im going to flag up to her.... it works for me but Im her mum so she always says , natch my mind doesn't work like yours mum

GCSE art takes up a LOT of time!

DC1 used to make To Do lists on post-it notes stuck to the front of their book. Every single step of what was needed for that week. It help with "oh crap, I really do need to get on with this" then they felt immense satisfaction at crossing each bit off... then ripping up the finished list.

Brilliant advice BringontheScience - We've just bought oodles of post it notes which DD adores.... I'm going to encourage this for the Art....

Get her to try the Pomodoro method of focused bursts of work - 20 minutes/10 minute break/repeat.

Do a lot of “popping in” with tea etc! Harder to hide any procrastination!

Don't you love Youtube? Cant believe there are multiple variations of Pomodoro videos so you can choose who you fancy studying with!!!

Brilliant...

And yes, Im becoming a past master at popping in with tea - but want to become more enabling is possible.... Skill for life.... Says the woman who should have turned her light out hours ago... Hmmm

Does her teacher allow them back in at lunchtimes and after school to catch up. If so, that might be worth doing for anything that comes up next term as there will be less distractions. Before chosing A level art DDs teacher had made it clear they'd regularly need to attend at lunchtimes and after school, about three sessions a week.

Yup she's spent hours on it at school in lunch breaks and after school - issue seems to be really focussing and getting things done rather than putting the hours in.... I havent really nailed it yet....

and so far Christmas hols vanished in fun and friends with a bit of English and Maths thrown in... tomorrow going to help her create a more rigorous schedule I think... at mo lots of days, lots of gaps!