All schools have by now released their State examination students to allow them to put in the last full week of study before they sit their first paper next week. Now is a good time for students – and parents – to review how the preparations have gone to date and to make any necessary last-minute adjustments.
There is a range of steps students and parents can take to prepare effectively for these exams over the coming week.
1 Access all the support you can
The extent to which you fulfil your potential in the exams can depend on the degree to which you tap into the network of support that is available to you from your family, friends and teachers.
Don't forget the State Examination Commission, which has various supports to help you achieve your best possible result. They provide access to the marking schemes, showing you how all past papers were marked. examinations.ie
2 Manage your stress
Stress is a perfectly normal physiological response when undertaking a major exam. Managed properly, it can maximise your examination performance. Allowed to run out of control, stress can paralyse your capacity to perform well.
Firstly, talking to those you trust about how you are feeling helps reduce stress. Simple breathing techniques can also help your body to relax. Physical exercise – such as a brisk walk, run or swim – can help relieve excess stress.
3 Plan your study timetable
Plan your study timetable, back from your final paper to now. When you have completed this, you will have a clearer picture of how you are going to use the time available to you to ensure all sections of every paper have an identified time slot for final revision.
4 Stay sharp
Achieving good exam results is akin to winning a league rather that a cup match. It is best achieved through consistent performance, rather than a dramatic one-off performance. Try to maintain a disciplined approach by sustaining a well-balanced study routine, eating regular healthy meals, going to bed before 11pm each night and relaxing for at least an hour before you do.
5 Review the requirements
A simple check of your requirements for each day’s exams before leaving home is always advisable, as different papers may require you to have different instruments and materials. You may also wish to take a set of revision cards with you, to review on your journey to your examination centre. Just ensure you never inadvertently or deliberately take any written material or mobile devices into the exam centre. If you attempt this, you will almost certainly be caught, and it will destroy your entire exam.
6 How to manage the first 15 minutes of any exam
When the invigilator arrives at your desk, he or she will offer you your paper. Always opt for the paper you have prepared for. Never attempt to change levels at the last moment. Start to sketch out at the back of your answer book the answers to every question you are planning to answer. You might not be able to fully complete this task in 15 minutes, but it is time well spent. When you have completed this process to the best of your ability, start working on the question you feel most comfortable with.
7 Time-management
Allocate a number of minutes to each section of every question and write down the time you are due to move on to the next section or question, on your answer book. When you have used that time, move on to the next section, leaving a gap on your answer book between sections, to enable you to return to sections you have not completed, once you have finished answering all the required questions. Never leave the exam centre until the exam is over, as you can always achieve higher grades by reading through your work, and editing it to add material that comes to mind.
8 Don’t erase anything
All correctors are supplied with a marking scheme, outlining the marks they are required to allocate if the correct answer is on the paper. Therefore, everything that you write will be read and marked. If the correct answer is on the answer booklet, you will be awarded marks. Therefore, it is advisable never to tear out or erase any material.
9 If you feel unwell, ask for help
If you arrive in a centre and are not feeling the best, inform the invigilator and your principal. You can be supported during the exam with a warm drink, or the opportunity to leave the centre under supervision for a few minutes, if necessary. If you begin to feel unwell during an exam, it m
ight be as a result of overanxiety. In such circumstances, you should always inform the invigilator, who will probably allow you to leave the room under supervision and take a little walk in the air and help break the cycle of anxiety.
THE SUPPORT TEAM: SIX TIPS FOR PARENTS
1 Know the exam schedule
Pin a copy of the exams timetable in a prominent place in your home, with each exam to be taken circled or highlighted. You should also note the date and time of each paper, so that in the stress of the whole examination period, you are at all times aware when your son or daughter has to be in the exam centre.
2 Ensure your son or daughter is present for each exam
For parents who both leave the house early for work, avoid the ultimate disaster of your son or daughter missing an exam by ensuring they are up and dressed each morning before you leave the house. Believe me, it does happen.
3 Listen to the story of the day and move on
After each day's exams, allow your son or daughter to recount to you their daily story. Do not be tempted to review in detail the errors or omissions they might have made in answering the paper in question. Such a process achieves nothing, other than to increase the student's stress levels. Simply allow them the time and space to tell their story and move on to the next paper.
4 Help them to focus on the next challenge
It can be helpful to your son or daughter to review the paper or papers immediately ahead. Simple questions such as "What's up next?", "Are there any compulsory sections?" and "Are there any predictable questions?" can be very useful in helping sons and daughters to devise their schedule for the study time available before the next exam.
5 Help them maintain a well-balanced daily routine
You should ensure that your son or daughter maintains a proper balance between study and rest. After an exam , they need time to rest and recharge before they can do any beneficial study for the next paper. Remember that this is – on average – a two-week process and students need to be as sharp on the morning of their final paper as they are on June 8th. Late-night study sessions are not to be advised.
6 You are what you eat
What you eat and drink affects your performance in any field of activity, especially one involving mental sharpness. As a parent you should try to ensure that your son or daughter eats and drinks nutritious food during the coming weeks, from their breakfast each morning to the lunch they bring with them and their evening meal.
