Exam Preparations

Examinations are an important part of the school year and should be a highlight instead of a lowlight for students. Think of final grade 12 examinations as the Olympics and every set of examinations before that match/race performances helping prepare the athlete, aka, student for the big performance.

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Examinations should be a time for students to ‘show off’ their skills, progress, and knowledge. Yes, examinations are not perfect, and some students struggle to show their learning in this form. However, for now, examinations are used globally to assess learning and open doors for students. This means we need to help students make the most of the opportunities and methods.

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Students need to be preparing for examinations throughout the school year.

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1. Study actively throughout the term

Students should be studying throughout the term so that by the time examinations come the bulk of the work is done. For many students, they want until they have the pressure of examinations to study and this can leave them with too little time and too much stress.

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Students should work through their material and create summaries of the work in their own words. They can then ‘teach’ the material to someone much younger than themselves. This is the best way to check understanding of material.

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Students should ask questions and ensure they feel confident in the material.

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2. Mental prepare for examination conditions

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Athletes use visualisation to prepare for their performances so why don’t students visualise examination conditions. Students should close their eyes and visualise being in the examination venue. They should feel at their best and imagine themselves writing the examination at their best.

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3. Develop good sleep habits throughout the term

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Sleep is vital to learning. Check out Matt Walker’s Ted Talk “Why Sleep Matters” where the science proves the need for sleep. Students must build healthy sleep habits throughout the year to train their body for optimal performance. This includes getting 7-8 hours of sleep per night, building a sleep routine (yes that means going to bed and waking up at a similar time each day) and avoiding screens and food one to two hours before bed.

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4. Practice mindfulness and relaxations techniques

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Stress and anxiety are not always bad. They are emotions that let us know we care about what we are doing. It is how we talk to ourselves when we experience these emotions that matter and how we calm our minds and bodies down. I encourage students to avoid labelling emotions as good or bad, but rather experience the emotions. Students can then learn to talk to themselves in a manner that helps them process the emotions. Techniques such as breathwork, meditation, and tapping, to name a few should be practiced throughout the term so that when they are needed students are able to use them.

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I challenge my students to think of themselves as professional athletes and to train and perform as such. Like athletes, each race is an opportunity to grow. You cannot fail, you can only learn.

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