We have reached the end of the academic school year. Classes are winding down, exam review guides have been distributed, and spring fever has emerged, yet there is still important work to do. With the final exam period – the finish line – in sight, students must dig deep within themselves, stay the course, and end robustly.
As a parent, your job is clear: You must set the tone. Although most parents anticipate the end of school just as anxiously as their children do, children need their parents to maintain structure at home and to keep the home running on a regular schedule. Routine – knowing what to expect day in and day out – can help students maintain the proper frame of mind to engage in intense studying and to perform optimally.
In addition to providing structure, parents should consider promoting my ten suggestions for students during exams:
1. Create a realistic and detailed study schedule and stick to it.
2. Prioritize coursework where your final or semester grade is “on the bubble,” hovering between grades.
3. Rely heavily on teacher study guides for exam preparations. If your teacher does not distribute a study guide, use the teacher’s syllabus or your textbook to identify focus areas and to schedule your review time.
4. Consider the test maker’s perspective during preparations. What concepts will be emphasized?
5. For math-based coursework, work and rework problems. You cannot learn math by reviewing someone else’s work, or even your own prior work, alone.
6. Outline your responses to anticipated essay questions. Include thesis statements, topic sentences, and supportive details.
7. Maintain a consistent sleeping pattern.
8. Keep a healthy diet.
9. Take time to exercise which is critical to maintaining energy levels.
10.Avoid video games, your phone, and social media.
If your child can adhere to these ten steps and if your household can adopt a disciplined, serious tone about exams, your child will find success during final exams – consolidating school lessons to long-term memory and eking out the points needed to secure that higher grade.
Remember that, according to Thomas Edison, “[o]pportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks a lot like work.” Don’t let your child miss this opportunity!