·
Break
material up into manageable pieces. No good can come of opening a text book
to page one and attempting to digest the entire thing in one sitting. You will
not retain the information needed to pass your test, and you will absolutely
stress yourself out in the process. Instead, try breaking up study material
into smaller chunks, and tackle each bit one at a time. Oftentimes teachers
will provide you with a study guide that helps with this tactic.
·
Make a
list of things to review. Even if you don’t receive a study guide, you
probably have some idea of what will be covered on the final. Go through your
notes, textbook, and past assignments and make a basic list of everything that
has been covered in class. This will serve as your guide to planning an
effective study strategy.
·
NO
CRAMMING. As already stated, cramming the night before an exam is
counterproductive. Not only will you not retain the necessary information, but
you will wear your brain out trying to remember too many things in too short a
time. An exhausted, overworked student is useless come test day.
·
Be aware
of important dates and deadlines. It’s a good idea to keep a calendar that
lists when each final exam will take place. This will help inform your
decisions of what to study for, and when. This is of course also useful for
classes that require final papers or projects in lieu of an exam. Long-term
assignments should be tackled just as you would a final test: carefully over
time, broken up into manageable chunks.
·
Take
final exams seriously! This sounds like a given, but finals are not to be
taken lightly. They count for a large portion of a student’s final grade, and
sometimes whether or not they pass the class at all. Make sure your child isn’t
dismissing this as “just another test,” especially if they are new to the final
exam experience.
·
Consider
extra tutoring sessions. Regardless of whether or not your child is already
working with a tutor, hiring one to help to prepare in the weeks before finals
might be the best course of action. Tutors can help by giving their students
individualized attention, as well as teaching them organization skills and
test-taking strategies. Scheduled tutoring sessions will also guarantee that
your child is devoting time to organized and effective preparation.
Final exams don’t have to mean
weeks of excessive stress, sleepless nights, and emotional meltdowns. Getting
an organized start and sticking to a plan of action will help your child feel
more at ease, and hopefully will encourage good study habits in the years to
come.
703.390.9220. / www.tutoringforsuccess.com