1. Exam Boot Camp Building Towards Success

2. Introduction  Organization & Time Management  Effective Study Skills  Test Taking Strategies  Managing Anxiety and Stress

3. 1 - Organization & Time Management  Develop a 4 Week Plan for Exam preparation  Week 1 – Organizing & Planning  Week 2 – Studying  Week 3 – Studying  Week 4 – Reviewing, Resting and Writing

4. Week 1 – Organization & Planning  By weeks end you should: *Organize your binders * Get missed notes/hand outs * Ask teachers about exam review sheets * Create a study plan * Prioritize * Where and when to study * Identifying and avoiding obstacles http://youtu.be/i1nHtq10HD4

5. Prioritizing Activity  List your daily/weekly activities, then rank them from most important (1) to least

6. Planning for Week 2 & 3  To organize your weekly planner you should:  * Get clear understanding of what is expected of you for your exam(s). * Determine your fixed commitments. * Estimate how much time you will need to study. * Use a daily to do list. Realize that every minute is important. * Plan breaks – reward yourself.

7. Exam Schedule

8. Week 4 – Reviewing, Resting & Writing * Reviewing *Review your study notes daily * Resting *Plan to have a good night sleep * Writing * Know the time and place of the exam(s).

9. Learning Environment  * Finding a good place to study  *Quite  *Free of interruptions  *Prepared with supplies/organized  *Knowing your learning styles  *Auditory  *Visual  *Kinesthetic

10. Tips for Auditory Learners  Relate most effectively to the spoken word  Often information in the written form will have little meaning until it has been heard. * Sit where you can hear well (front & center of class) *Learn by participating in discussions *Record your study review information and listen to it frequently. *After you have read something, summarize it and recite it back to yourself. *Find a friend/classmate who will tell you what they learned from a new concept.

11. Tips for Visual Learners  Relate best to written information, notes diagrams and pictures ◦*Look at all study materials (charts, maps, movies, notes and flash cards) ◦*Take good notes, compare notes with other students ◦*Write out everything for frequent and quick visual review ◦*Practice visualizing or picturing words, concepts and even spelling in your head ◦*Color Code to organize ◦*Ask for written directions

12. Tips for Kinesthetic Learners  Relate best to information received through movement or when physical activity is involved * Learn skills best by imitation and practice * Facts that must be learned should be written several times * Taking and keeping good notes will be very important * Make good study and review sheets * Take frequent breaks in study periods * Trace words as you are saying them * Use a computer to reinforce learning * Memorize or drill while walking or exercising

13. 2 –Effective Study Skills  * Time Distracters  *Black Holes of Time Management Activity * Creating Effective Study Skills *Know Yourself as a learner

14. Study Skill Techniques * Study when alert * Alternative topics * Review reading/study notes frequently * Use short blocks of time * Plan study breaks – Budget time for fun * Break down the larger tasks into smaller chunks. * Study difficult or boring tasks first

15. Study Skills Continued * Create and use practice tests * Manage review time – start early * Create review time – study sheets, flash cards, diagrams * Plan a strategy – study routine, time/place

16. Memory Quiz cheesecar elktrain bearbicycle milkcookie catapple bushorse lettuceplane lion

17. Memory Quiz FOOD VEHICLESANIMALS cheese planehorse apple bus bear lettuce bicycle lion milk trainelk cookie car cat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLdZVm8o6xs

18. Memory Techniques  You need to learn how to get information into your long term memory and be able to retrieve this info. when needed. * Learn from the general to the specific – get the big picture or concepts first. This will make understanding of details easier * Create associations – mind is similar to a file cabinet. Try to make connections with previous knowledge or concepts * Learn it actively – talk out loud, move around * Relax – much more difficult to retain info. when stressed * Start studying early

19. Memory Techniques Continued….  * Create pictures – diagrams and sketches allow us to tap into our visual learner and helps us organize concepts * Recite and repeat – most common memory device * Write it down in your own words – causes you to think about the information, can create ‘study sheets’ * Distribute learning – marathon study sessions not effective for recall. 3 – 2 hour sessions better than 1 – 6 hour session * Use it before you lose it – info in long term memory needs to be accessed frequently or it will become harder to get. Keep re-visiting the information.

20. Effective Reading - SQ3R  Survey – a quick scan of the chapter  Question – creating questions from the survey  Read – read the chapter  Recite – talk about what you are reading  Review – keep coming back to the material

21. The Cornell Method  * A simple way to organize your notes  * 3 parts ◦*Note taking area: where you actually record your notes in class ◦*Cue column: when reviewing notes, place cues that will force you to think about the material ◦*Summary: a few sentences that provides a concise recap of the class

22. 4 - Test Taking Strategies * Know what you are preparing for * Arrive early to reduce anxiety and feel ready Practice calming techniques as you are waiting to start – positive self-talk.

23. Test Taking Strategies Continued…. *Jot down memory aids, formulas, facts, etc. on the back of your exam *Listen carefully to directions *Scan the whole test immediately – sense of pace, stuff you know, build confidence * Read the directions slowly, then re-read them – highlight key words, circle words * Answer easiest questions first * Pace yourself – don’t waste time on questions that are not worth a lot * Be neat – write legibly

24. Multiple Choice * Read instructions carefully * Decide on answer first before looking at list of choices, then carefully read each choice * Process of elimination – the one(s) you know are not correct * If you don’t know skip it – sometimes answers may be in another part of the exam (but make sure to come back) * First guess is usually the right response

25. True/False & Matching Questions * Answer questions you know first * Read carefully – often one word will make an answer true of false * If any part of the statement is false it’s usually false, i.e.. Paris is not the capitol of England.

26. Short Answer & Fill in the Blank  There is usually one best answer… understand the question – underline the key word(s)  Start with key part of the answer, then support what you are saying with examples  Answer should fit in the space provided (brief and concise is always better)  If lost look at other parts of the exam for help

27. Essay Questions * Read instructions – do 2 of 3, etc * Read each question and then start with the easiest * Start by brain storming – jot notes, time lines, charts, number lines, ideas * Use neat, clear and concise sentences * Support your points, avoid personal opinion unless requested * Work with time constraints * Better to be concise and to the point than long winded

28. Writing Under Time Constraints * Outline to organize ideas quickly * Get to the point * Avoid wordy rambling writing * If almost no time is left, use point form

29. Exam Boot Camp Managing Anxiety and Stress

30. Managing Anxiety * A Certain amount of tension can be helpful to let you perform at your optimal level. Very low stress may lead to apathy. Very high may cause perceived “blanking” on tests. * Anxious students have harder times concentrating, waste time on worrying thoughts and negative self –talk. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s93ywqFa6CM

31. Stress and Performance

32. Dealing with Test Anxiety * Thought stopping – internally yell ‘stop’ at anxious/irrational thoughts. Shift attention back to now. * If your mind has gone blank you have been focusing on the wrong things. Close eyes, take a breath and try again. * Visualize success – concentrate on what you do know, assume that you do know it and that you will do well. * Focus – the feel of the desk, the pen in your hand * Praise yourself – treat yourself as a friend – what would you say to help them out? * Consider the worst – make it absurd. * Breathe – control the physical symptoms of anxiety

33. Stress Management Strategies * Awareness – identify the things that cause you stress and try to avoid them * Ignore – things you can’t change – need to ignore and be positive about things that are part of our control * Life style – Exercise regularly, eat well, avoid caffeine, alcohol, drugs, get lots of rest * Management your time * Reinforce positive self-statements * Relax – take mini break during the day * Seek support * Practice stress reduction