Written by Lenard Murray
Executive Head of Schools

“Success is where preparation and opportunity meet”. – Bobby Unser

With Semester 1 exams coming up in 3 weeks time, students, parents and teachers are starting to think more about what the upcoming weeks will have instore. Questions begin to pop up. Am I ready? Will I do well? Will I pass? Similar types of questions come into the minds of parents and teachers as well. All parties involved wish to see the best results possible.

A number of students overly wish to do their very, very best and sometimes they begin to panic bringing on unneeded stress to their lives. While it is good to want to do well, students don’t need high levels of stress, especially at a young age. On the flip side, some students have a more nonchalant attitude and approach to what they have learned and will be tested on. This can also be mentally unhealthy due to post traumatic stress, if outcomes end up being quite low, students can suffer depression and a dislike for school. We then have students who find themselves somewhere in the middle, they care a lot, but they don’t panic or become stressed, because they are very well organised and prepared and can easily connect with what’s been taught.

An important part of being exam ready is having the ability to distinguish between what you already know and what you still aren’t quite sure about. The mind absorbs knowledge and information and stores it for a later date. Many times the extraction of this knowledge and getting it onto paper is the problem. In the first portion of the SIS Group of Schools ‘Mission’ it states “To spark curiosity and inquiry” This  is extremely important as we believe that if the teaching and learning is interesting and exciting, it will be memorable and the mind will retain it and have a stronger connection to it. Thus, the extraction process will happen more often and more easily when the brain has experienced more stimulated learning. 

We need our students to develop 21st Century skills,  strong values,be problem solvers and analytical thinkers but having  an  unassailable retention of what’s been taught is as equally important. Most of us can agree that academics and tests are not the only or the most important parts of education, though we do need to realise that we cannot hide from assessments. At many points throughout years of school, exams will need to be taken and at certain points the results obtained may very well have a bearing on future educational and career opportunities. We strive to develop well balanced students by having them experience a holistic education, but  additionally, we need them to be successful by being exam ready.

Good planning and preparation are key! For some great tips on exam preparation please open the links below. 

https://www.fastweb.com/student-life/articles/the-20-study-tips-for-finals

https://blog.cambridgeinternational.org/tips-for-effective-exam-preparation/