Brainiac - How to be one in time for the exams
Become aware of the questions you need to do extra work on by going through previous exam papers.
MAXIMISE YOUR STUDY...
Eamonn Maguire has over 30 years experience as an Irish teacher and is the author of ‘Irish Revision for Leaving Cert (Higher Level)’ published by Gill & Macmillan, €9.99
1. Study in a comfortable environment, with plenty of heat, light and space. Ideally, it should be a place you like.
2. Ensure that you have all the notes, books and pens you require for the subject or subjects you plan to study.
3. Make a study timetable, with daily and weekly times for subjects; otherwise, your study will be all over the place. Hang the timetable in a prominent position, and tick off each slot after you have finished.
4. Test yourself. In my experience as a teacher, nothing is ever taught until it is tested. Regularly test yourself to ensure you are learning.
5.Batteries need recharging regularly. Make sure to get a good night's sleep.
REVISE YOUR REVISION...
George Humphrey is a maths teacher at St Andrew's College, and is author of ‘Maths Revision for Leaving Cert (Ordinary level)’.
1. Become aware of the questions you need to do extra work on by going through previous exam papers.
2. You are your best teacher – know the questions causing you problems from going through exam papers, and bring these questions to your teacher or someone who specialises in the subject.
3. Show your work: for example, there is no rough work in maths – you can get points for your attempts if the examiner can see them in front of him. Get in the habit of putting your work on the page in a way an examiner can see it and make sense of it.
4. Use the experts, ask people who know, invest in a good study book, access past exam papers on the Department of Education's website, 5. Try every question on a previous exam paper – it prepares you for doing the required number of questions in an exam. Remember, it's approximately 25 minutes per question.
TIME MANAGEMENT...
English teacher Anne Gormley writes for the ‘Less Stress More Success’ series of study guides.
1. Know what is expected – how long is each exam, what do you have to do in each exam – and delegate your time accordingly.
2. Know the time scale, for example, the essay on the English paper is 100 points and can take an hour, so it makes sense to leave it till the end, especially in the event of you being stuck for time.
3. Revision time management – study for half the time, and question yourself on what you have learnt for the other half of the time.
4. Compulsory questions – be aware of which questions are compulsory on each paper, and allot time accordingly.
5. Answer the question – you will know a lot when you get into the exam hall, so it is important you select information relevant to the question being asked. Take time to read and understand the question, decide what you have to say, and decide on an opening and a conclusion for your answer.
PARENTS NEED TO SURVIVE EXAM STRESS TOO...
Tommy Walsh is president of the Parents Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools.
1. Your expectations.
Don't tell students this is their big chance, or that they have to get so many points. We perform best when we feel people will love us, whatever we achieve. Let them know you'll be delighted whatever they get, and that you love and support them.
2. Your support.
Help control the stress suffered by a student by regularly distracting them. Four or five hours spent sitting at a desk is counter-productive, and leads to stress. Call them down for a cup of tea every hour, or a quick chat.
3. The siblings.
One child is studying and another is kicking a football outside their window – the result is tension. Explain the importance of exams to younger children, remind them you will be there to support them when their turn comes.
4. Your worries.
It's not the end of the world if a student aiming for 400 points achieves 380 points. There are other ways to get to the job they want. Last year there were more courses on offer than there were students to fill them.
5. Their reward.
Don't use the carrot-and-stick method to get a child to perform in exams. After all, they are becoming young adults and need to learn self-motivation. But support them in their own post-exam plans and express trust and faith in them.
LESSEN STUDY STRESS...
Leading psychologist Fiona Kelly Meldon says:
1. Drink lots of water
Water is full of oxygen and gets rid of toxins in the system. It maintains the oxygen balance in the brain and is good for cognitive function.
2. Eat well regularly
Routine gets broken because of study, and this includes meal times. But don't skip meals, and eat nutritious meals. High protein, low carbohydrate meals are the brain's building blocks.
3. Exercise
Being stuck in a dark, airless environment may contribute to stress, depression and seasonal affective disorder. Get out into the air for a brisk walk. Make it time to meet friends.
4. Socialise
Not planning work/ study well is a source of stress to many students. So when they do go out, they are worried and anxious because they don't feel they've earned their break. Instead, plan your study hours, so when you do go out, it will be with a sense of achievement.
5. Goals
Don't get overwhelmed by what your parents expect of you, or what friends are planning , and express trust and faith in them. for themselves. Try to play your own shot.
CLAIRE HENNESSY (20)
is studying English and history at Trinity, and her seventh novel, That Girl, is out in bookshops now “I sat the Leaving Cert three years ago and am thus among the generation who appreciate it for the terrifying beast that it is. One set of exams determining what you do for the Rest Of Your Life, or for the next few years, at any rate?
It's utterly fiendish.
“Trouble is, you can get so caught up in thinking about how fiendish it is, so busy fuming over the injustice of it all, and coming up with wonderfully insightful ideas about where the educational system has all gone wrong, that you forget to study.
“It's amazing how everything in the universe seems more appealing than studying when you have exams coming up. Bad television is suddenly a work of genius. Te xting your friends or significant others about how they are/ how bored you are/ how you should really be working when you've seen them an hour ago seems like a completely valid use of your time.
“How do you get over procrastination? I think you have to use the skill of procrastination to your advantage. Put off doing your geography homework by going over a section in your maths course. Avoid finishing that troublesome Irish essay by reading a chapter of your chemistry book.
“Familiarise yourself with past instead of tidying your bedroom. If it all gets too much, then take exercising regularly, not because it'll you healthy but because it's a excuse not to study.
- Anna Coogan
