Tips to help students prepare for exams

Parents can play a pivotal role in managing their children’s anxiety and helping them prepare for exams. Reiterate to your student that tests are only one of many factors in determining a student’s final grade for a course.

Set up a specific place where your child studies, like at a desk or a table. Children should avoid studying where they play or sleep. Parents can encourage studying in small increments, such as 20 minutes at a time, with short breaks. Create a schedule for test preparation, with time allotted to each subject as needed. This can help to avoid last-minute cramming.

Sleep should never be sacrificed for studying. Not only does lack of sleep have negative health effects, but a tired brain is unlikely to retain much more information.

The key to test preparation is engagement. The refrain, “Studying is not staring,” is often heard throughout Trinity Prep. It’s helpful for students to engage multiple parts of their brain in the learning process in order to aid retention. If your children’s notes are handwritten, have them type them, or vice versa. Rather than looking at a worksheet the student completed earlier in the class, your child can fill out a blank version again. Help your student complete practice math problems. Engage different senses when possible, by listening to a description, reading a passage, or building a model, for example.

Flash cards can help students review, but they should create their own flashcards. Writing the information on the card is part of the learning process. There are free flashcard apps online, such as Cram, Quizzlet, and Study Blue. Once your student has typed the information into the application, the student can play a variety of different games to increase learning.

Finally, make sure your child has time in his or her schedule to enjoy recreation, thus helping to reduce your child’s stress level. When talking to your child about exams, focus on the process of learning, rather than the outcome of the test.