Acing Assessments Performing your best on tests and quizzes comes down to preparation.

Acing Assessments  The more that you prepare as you go, the less you will have to do at the last minute.  Preparing ahead of time allows you to spend those last couple of days addressing your specific weaknesses.

Quizzes  Every day after you have completed your assignment, go back and choose 1 – 3 problems from the list of B problems.  Make sure that the problems you pick represent DIFFERENT skills.  Transcribe those problems onto a separate page. BE SURE TO INCLUDE INSTRUCTIONS!

Quizzes  Be sure to include questions from the assignment that is due on the day of the quiz.  You should now have a practice quiz consisting of problems that represent all of the material on the quiz.

Quizzes  On the day before the quiz, sit down and take the quiz as you would take a quiz in class.  Time yourself for about 15 minutes.  Only use a calculator if its use would be allowed on the quiz.

Quizzes  Grade your practice quiz using the B Problem answers on my web site and identify your strengths and weaknesses.  Review any concepts that you missed on your practice quiz, working additional problems as necessary.

Tests  With only two tests per six weeks, there will be a significant amount of mostly new material to review in a short period of time.  Consequently, the more preparation that you can do ahead of time, the more productively you can spend those last 2 days before the test.

Tests  This semester, we will NOT be giving you review sheets for tests. Consequently, it will be up to YOU to make and work your own set of review problems.

Tests  Make your own Test Review in the same way that you made your own practice quiz.

Tests  Every day after you complete your assignment, identify problems that represent that day’s lesson.  Be sure to include as many different kinds of problems as possible.  Be sure to include the DIRECTIONS for each problem.

Tests  Not all homework problems have corresponding B problems. Therefore, you may have to include A problems in your review sheet as well.

Tests  By review day, you should have a comprehensive review sheet of 25 – 30 problems with directions.

Tests  If you have your review sheet ready when you come to class on review day, you can spend your time working problems instead of hunting for problems to work.  Since your partner made a review sheet independent of you, you can work your partner’s review sheet as well as your own with minimal duplication.

Tests  Be sure that you work and check every single problem on your own review sheet.  Analyze any mistakes that you made and work additional B problems as necessary to address any weaknesses.  As additional resources, you still have your quizzes and your practice quizzes.

Summary  Preparing for assessments isn’t any different that preparing for a performance in music, theater, sports, or any other domain. You wouldn’t wait until the day before that performance to begin practicing and conditioning, would you?

Summary  Doing your best on assessments begins with making a commitment to dedicate a few extra minutes each day towards preparing.  Revisiting the material more frequently reinforces the content and frees up time on those crucial last days before the assessment.

Summary  Your understanding of the material will be deeper, and you can spend more finding and addressing your particular needs.