Exam Exam PreparationPreparation

The EssentialsThe Essentials

Cautionary Tales

“I left my revision until the last minute – I figured I worked better under pressure – look at me now…”Michael – Fast food crewmember

“I always found something else that seemed more important to do than my revision…”Kylie– Public Facilities Cleaner

“I tried to revise but it was so boring – I just kept falling asleep at the desk and I’ve never really been a morning person so I missed a few of the exams”Sam – will work for food

“I never did any revision – I just relied upon my God-given talents and raw intelligence and it worked out just fine… ”George – President

Seed moments and the fork in the road

Factors Affecting Exam Performance

•Subject knowledge

•Exam history

•Exam preparation and practise

•Attitude and mindset

•Energy levels and health

Energy Levels and Health

What would a world class athlete do in the 3 months building up to a major competition?

•Water

•Diet

•Sleep

•Exercise

•Stimulants – energy credit cards!

Take Responsibility for your choices

GCSE revision and examination is a long distance event – start now!

Attitude & Mindset

Exam success comes at a price?

What grades have you been predicted?

What grades do you want?

What are you willing to pay?

Genius:

1% Inspiration

99% Perspiration

Triggers: + Attitude

•Good energy habits

•Small victories

•Shared challenge

•Visualise the outcome

•Pride in progress

•Being ‘in the zone’.

Triggers: - Attitude

•Poor energy habits

•Boredom

•Stress

•Fear of failure

•Inability to delay gratification

•Feeling powerless.

Motivation Boosters

•Race against the clock

•‘The Joe Simpson’ strategy

•Eating the elephant

•Have your ‘why’ on view

•Act as if – fake it till you make it!

•Starting is half done!

Revision – What is it?

•Refresh your subject knowledge

•Check your understanding

•Fill in any gaps in knowledge and understanding

•Reorganise and prepare information for aid of recall

•Exam preparation using past papers.

When Should I Revise?

NOW!

When Should I Revise?

•Remainder of Lent term

•Easter break

•Summer term

•Study leave

•During the exams

When Should I Revise?

•Commit to a start date and write it down

•Make your revision plan public!

•Work the plan by turning up!

•Keep a register

•Make good any unmet sessions.

Dr. Evil & Mini me Sessions

To make best use of the time you’ll have, plan dedicated study sessions but also make use of ‘dead time’ by using mini focused revision sessions of 10 min. or less.

Which are you?

Find your own rhythms but remember that the exams are during the day!

Whenever you study, make sure you are focused and switched on

Attention Span

How long should I revise for?

Followed by a physical break for at least 5 minutes

How to cheat your

attention span!

Power Breaks

•Get up and move around

•Change your environment

•Breathe!

•Relieve your bladder and re-hydrate!

•Have a snack

•No more than 5-10 minutes!

5 Easy ways to make a power break last a day!

•Don’t plan your TV time

•Leave the console plugged in

•Keep your mobile on hand

•Have a lie down between sessions

•Forget to wear a watch.

What should I revise?

•Use the exam schedule to create a revision planner

•Don’t make the planner a work of art!

•Study between 2 and 4 subjects a day

•Be realistic about which subjects will require extra attention and plan accordingly

What should I revise?

•Be aware that you will tend to want to revise those subjects you enjoy or find easy over those you are weak in

•The tougher subjects need to be tackled using ‘The Ross Method’

The Ross Method

30 min 30 min30 min

‘A Typical Revision Day’

•Preparation (5 min.)

•Subject / topic (30 min.)

•Power break (5 min.)

x3Repeat this cycle 3 times in a day and you have the foundation of a solid revision schedule!

Leave an hour between cycles = 8hr. day with 4.5 hours of study

Why Stress is a GOOD thing!

Boredom

In the zone

Distress

•A dedicated space without distractions

•Room to allow an organised spread!

•Immediate access to all materials needed during study periods

•A timer or clock in view

•Music & the myth of the Mozart Effect.

Where should I revise?

How should I revise?

•Active vs. Passive learning (think in ink)

•Work with the exam requirements in mind (have past papers on hand)

•Make your revision multi-sensory

•Work smart – get in the zone

The Alchemy of Active Study

•Hunt & gather materials

•Sift and organise them

•Filter, reduce and refine them

•Test yourself using past papers

•Past papers under timed conditions.

‘I know Kung Fu!’

Passive learning

nothing!’

To actively revise you have to DO something with the information rather than just read it.

Converting course notes into visually memorable revision aids is the key to working smart, not hard

•Make sure you write your revision notes in your own words

•Use headings and subheadings, bullet points and abbreviations

•Try to cut away any unnecessary words or information and create condensed and colourful index cards

•Carry them everywhere you go and steal back your ‘dead time’

Your Secret Weapons!

Study Buddies!

Beware Lobsters

Study Buddies!

•Agree to productive ground rules

•Decide where and when you’ll get together and how long the session will last

•Decide in advance what subjects or topics you’ll study together

•Build silent study, coaching and testing periods into your session.

Unlocking Your Super Memory!

The Brain’s LanguageThe Brain’s Language

StoriesStories HumourHumour ExaggerationExaggeration MotionMotion Order & sequenceOrder & sequence Bizarre ideasBizarre ideas ColourColour Personal valuePersonal value

Kings and Queens of BritainKings and Queens of Britain

The NormansThe Normans The PlantagenetsThe Plantagenets The House of The House of

LancasterLancaster The House of YorkThe House of York The TudorsThe Tudors The StuartsThe Stuarts The House of HanoverThe House of Hanover The House of WindsorThe House of Windsor

MnemonicsMnemonics

MMy y VVery ery EEnergetic nergetic MMother other JJust ust SServed erved UUs s NNine ine PPizzasizzas

Formulae & Dates

14th April 1912 - Titanic

14 - 4 - 12

The Power of Repetition

To Understand is to know

•The more you understand your material, the less memory cramming you’ll have to do – look for patterns and connections between topics

•Being interested is the ultimate revision technique!

Good LuckGood Luckand remember, the next 3 and remember, the next 3 months will be tough but…months will be tough but…

Things could be a lot worse!

GHOTI =

Tough

Women

Station

Can you draw a line through every face using just 4 straight lines? You can start anywhere but you must not lift your pen off the paper once you begin the lines