How are we helping students best prepare for the examination period?
As we approach the upcoming VCAA examination period, in Barak Campus we are providing the following events and activities which will prepare students and help teachers enhance learning:
- Exam navigator assembly
- Units 3 and 4 trial exam week
- practice papers (students are encouraged to do one per subject per week)
- preparing revision materials/study booklets/notes
- online subject revision materials — on Google Classroom, Studiosity and Edrolo
- Homeroom teacher exam coaching
- pastoral support and care.
Motivating students to start revision-planning early
“Don’t worry, I’ve got it sorted…” or, “Yeah, I’ll get to that later…” or “I’m doing that next week…” — these may be a series of familiar phrases heard at home at the moment for some families. Procrastination and putting off (or avoiding) any upcoming challenge is a major hurdle for students in exam preparation. To be fair, teenagers are biologically and socially predisposed to procrastinate and put off “until tomorrow, what we need to do today”. One American study (Schouwenburg et al., 2006) estimates that over 70% of students “exhibit [this] behaviour” and another study identifies that “evaluation threat” and “fear of failure” peaks with higher levels of procrastination in young people.
Developing resilience, not just ‘coping’ with exam pressure
Our goal at MLMC is to assist students in developing their learning resilience (also a key life skill for their future). We seek to encourage students to not just ‘cope’ and ‘manage’ their exam pressure, but to learn and apply strategies that will help them enhance their personal resilience. Some students worry or are fearful that they might ‘fail’ or do poorly in their trial exam or practice paper. If a student is confused by a question, or hasn’t prepared as best they could, or is struggling with a particular topic or subject — isn’t it better to have this ‘shock’ beforehand, to then better prepare for the final exam itself? This experience can be a ‘call to action’!
Prepare not just for several individual exams, but an exam period
One tip suggested to all students at the recent exam navigator assembly is to prepare not just for individual subject exams, but to prepare and revise for a series of exams. Students need to prepare a revision strategy that when applied, can support them equally through all of their exams alongside each other (as their exam dates are spread across the three-week period); rather than study a bit for the first exam, then the second, then the third… and running out of ‘puff’ for their last exams as they tire.
Appreciation for our teachers
Our teachers are to be commended for their excellent efforts in leading students in the classroom; providing advice and encouragement to students throughout the year; with their planning and delivery of classes and coursework; and, for their preparation and feedback with trial exam and practice papers.
In the next newsletter, there will be an article detailing ‘Exam support suggestions for Barak parents’. If you have any questions, please contact any of the Barak Campus team during school hours.
