Taking test is a common struggle amongst high school students. Unfortunately, many students have chosen to simply accept their (self-assigned) fate as poor test takers. This often happens because this route is easier than trying to tackle a weakness. In addition, many teachers have resorted to offering extra credit, grading on a curve, or lowering the value of tests in the overall class grade as a response to the growing number of poor test scores. Ultimately, it is the student who misses out on the opportunity working on the skills of preparing, taking and reflecting on the test taking process.
On the other hand, many students have good
study habits and are strong test takers. In that case, my hope is that some of
test taking tips listed below can help these students to become better, more
efficient test takers. Please feel free to contact me at bdurnell@lindberghschools.ws if I can offer any one on one help.
Before the
Test
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· Get your head straight- Look at the test as your
opportunity to prove to the teacher what you learned from the unit, show off
your knowledge
· Study for the test- If you are unsure of how to do
this or the old tactic does not work, talk with your teacher for suggestions
· Study in three 20 minute sessions as opposed to a
full 60 minutes in a row. This leads to better memory of what you are
studying
· Put time towards studying over a two to three day
period
· Get a study guide and begin by crossing off the items
you know already. Then focus on the ones you don’t know.
· Talk with the teacher before or after class to ask
specific content questions or to set up a time to come in for a longer
session
· Consider studying with others
· No distractions-Phones, computers, TV, music, video
games, noise, pet, etc
· If there is a map on the test, get some blank copies
and quiz yourself
· Look into staying after school for After School
Instruction (ASI) to study. This is an hour after school where an experienced
teacher is sitting in a room waiting to help students study for tests
· Have a positive attitude. If you are convinced that
you will fail, you will fail. Put in the time preparing and believe in
yourself
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During the
Test
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· Put your name on the tests and read the directions
· Be sure to include specific names, places, events,
and terms from the unit as opposed to being vague or speaking in generalities
· Do more than mention an item from the study guide,
actually explain what it was or what happened to verify to the teacher that
you know the info
· Do more than the bare minimum- If the directions
call for 4-6 complete sentences, provide 5 or 6 sentences. It sends a message
to the teacher
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During the
Test
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· Skip questions you are unsure of as you go through
the test. Be sure to put a little X by the question number so you can find it
when you come back
· Spelling counts- It is a reflection of your
education. Ask the teacher how to spell words that confuse you. This is how
you improve on spelling
· Ask questions- Do not be silently confused, raise
your hand and seek help. There is nothing wrong with being confused, but
problems will follow if you are too shy to seek help when it is needed.
· Scan over the words and questions on the test to
help jar your memory before you go back and tackle the questions you skipped
· Use the entire time period, do not hand your test in
until the bell rings
· Come back to the questions you skipped earlier
· Check your work before you submit the test. Correct
spelling (or ask the teacher), add content, make sure all of the questions
are answered, verify that you read the directions and put your name on the
test, etc.
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After the
Test
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· Look back over this checklist to see if there were
any items or tactics you forgot to use. Decide if they would have helped and
make the adjustment for the next test. Learn from your mistakes as opposed to
being bothered by them.
· Did you ask questions, use the full time, add more
info, scan for spelling mistakes, etc. All of these factor into your score
· When you get the test back, do not just look at the
score and bury or trash the test. Look at what points you lost so you can
learn from your mistakes.
· If you are unsure on why you lost some points, talk
with the teacher before or after class to get clarification. If you are upset
or angered, wait until the next day to talk about it
· Utilizing this list, develop a game plan next test
and set a goal for yourself.
· Share the process with a peer or your parents. This
should not be a solo mission.
· Take pride in your work. Bring your improved test
home and put it on the fridge
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There is clearly a lot of material here.
Realize that there is no way you can remember all of this up front. This is
going to be a learning process that requires thorough preparation before the
test, focus during the test, and meaningful reflection after the test. People do
not master skills overnight. Plan on setting your goal for improvement over a
quarter or semester of the school year. There will be set back, but how you
respond to those is what defines your character. Get back up and get back in
the game. Your teachers have been in school for 20+ years, which means they
have passed a lot of test (and probably failed a few too). So use them as a
resource for suggestions on how to study.
There are dozens of ways to study for a
test. Some will work for you and many will not. Each student has his or her own
learning style and different circumstances. So, the tactic that got me through
over two decades of taking test, may not work for you. Do some research, ask
around, or talk with your teacher to find new study tactics if your old was
does not exist or has not worked. Be proactive and seek to improve your skills.
