This week, the midterm exam schedule will be sent home in Friday folders. In addition, in the coming weeks, most of the content area teachers will be distributing study guides and other resources to begin preparing for January’s tests.
On one hand, there’s no one “right” answer regarding how students should organize themselves for exams. However, there are commonly-used strategies that work for most students, which are listed below.
Students: Feel free to print this checklist and go through all the steps!
Step #1: Gather study guides and specified papers
- Either at home or at school (such as during intervention time), take all of your study guides and make each one its own pile. (For example, make separate piles for math, religion, social studies, etc.)
- Look at the study guide and find out which old quizzes, tests, class notes, or other papers are specified by name. Find them and paperclip or pile them with the correct study guide.
Step #2: Separate into binder tabs or folders
- Decide how you’re going to store, carry, and study all of your piles. Do you have a folder for each class? One special midterm exams binder, with a tab for each class? An accordion file with tabs for each class?
- Correctly store all of your class piles with your chosen organization system.
- Expert tip: Why not organize your piles in the actual order of exams? (If math is first, then make your math section first!)
Step #3: Start Round One of Studying (ASAP)
- One class at a time, look over each study guide AND all of the papers for that class. (This should mostly be a quick skim or read-through.)
- Think about what questions you have or what help you’ll need, and proceed to step 4.
Step #4: Seek Teacher Help (ASAP)
You need to immediately seek teacher help if you...
- Are missing any old papers (and want an extra copy)
- Don’t understand a concept (and would like it explained further)
- Feel stressed, disorganized, confused, or overwhelmed (and need strategies)
- Want to show your study guide, practice problems, or other study tools to your teacher (to ensure you’re studying the correct information)
DO NOT WAIT to alert a teacher if you’re encountering organization or study problems. If you’re too shy to ask questions in class, then email the teacher. He or she will EITHER answer your question in an email reply, OR will tell you the best time to get one-on-one help in the school day.
Step #5: Balance studying with home life (December and January)
Now that you’re organized, it’s time to gradually start studying (instead of waiting until the last minute). Here are a few tips:
- Complete all practice problems, sample test questions, or study guides that teachers give you. (Don’t forget to check your answers if you were given an answer key, show them to a teacher to check for accuracy, or ask if you’ll be going over the answers in class.)
- Schedule some partner study times with your friends, parents, or tutors.
- Schedule help sessions with teachers if you need it.
- Schedule individual study time, taking sports practices and family schedules into consideration.
- Find (or make) study tools, practice questions, flashcards, or other supplies that you need.
There’s more than one way to PACE your studying. Your choice boils down to your personal learning style as well as your after-school schedule. Here are a few strategies:
- Option #1: Study for each test one at a time, in the order that you will take them.
- Option #2: Study at least two subjects every day.
- Option #3: Study a little from all subject areas on most days.
Thank you for reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.