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5 exam preparation tips that will surely help you.


Every student in the world dreads them, but still acknowledges their importance. Exams are an integral part of your journey to learning and each student appearing for an exam can do well if they are well prepared.

A few tips that can help you:

1. Relax

How many times have you stayed up all night for an exam the day after? How many times have you found yourself under constant stress of trying to learn everything so you aren't poorly graded by the examiner?

Relax!

An exam is held to test your learning, not to stress you into spending caffeine induced nights.

Don't kill yourself for it. Concentrate on learning rather than wearing yourself out in panic.

2. Schedule and Plan

Rome wasn't built in one day. It took effort and time. If you think you can fare well on an exam by studying overnight then you're wrong.

As the first tip says, relax because a relaxed mind learns the quickest and the best.

Your exam preparation should begin at least three weeks before your exam and it should be properly scheduled so that you complete your syllabus by the end of that time period. Ask yourself:

What subjects are you weak in? Which subject consumes more of your time and energy than the rest? Which subject is your strongest?

Now schedule accordingly. Give more time to the subject you dread, but don't forget your strong subject either. When you're too tired to study the difficult one, but relaxed enough to learn something, you can study the subject you find easy.

Set goals.

You should schedule each day such that you complete one small goal each day. Every small goal will merge with the other to complete the major goal that you had set in the beginning at the end of the decided time period and your burden during the exam period would have reduced substantially.

3. Take breaks

Studying without any pauses is a common practice followed by students, which starts two days before the exam (if there are two or more preparatory holidays provided to them).

Studying continuously for two to three hours is not good. Neither can your mind understand the material correctly nor is it suitable for your health.

Ten minute break.

Taking a ten minute break every hour during those intense hours of revision can be more helpful than you think.

Not only will a break, refresh your mind, it will also give you time and opportunity to grab a quick snack (so you don't run out of energy).

4. Eat well

The hourly ten-minute break gives you time to grab a quick snack, but what kind of snack should it be?

Do not eat junk food.  It will make you feel full and heavy and make you sleepy and lazy instead of energising you.

Eat something light and healthy. Crackers, sandwich, raw fruits and vegetables, buttered bread etc. are some small food items you could eat from time to time.

Don't forget to drink lots of water.

Water is the best fluid for your body and you should drink it in large and refreshing quantities during the final days of preparation.

5. Avoid last minute panic

Often, the rush of adrenaline pumps us up so much, we forget the minor details which are just as important for writing well. The stationary, watch and other small things should be ready the night before. Last minute searching will only lead to stress.

Don't study topics that you didn't prepare before at the last minute. Not only will it cause you stress (because you will not be able to grasp it well), it will also disturb the facts that you have already fed your brain.

 

Don't worry, don't panic. Utilise that energy to learn well and score well!


Author: Gunjan Vyas

Gunjan is a college student who likes to write as a hobby. She has contributed to internationally acclaimed anthologies and also published a well-received collection of short stories.

Learning Mathematics – Important or not ?



“Maths is the worst thing ever invented by man. What were they thinking? Language is too easy, so let’s make up some creepy symbols and manipulate them to haunt every generation of kids.”

On January 21, 2014, on the Facebook fan page of the renowned author, Chetan Bhagat, the above statement (from 3 Mistakes Of My Life) was published posted on a Facebook status. This gave rise to a numerous positive and negative comments from people throughout the globe. A few people appreciated the statement, whereas a few completely disagreed with the statement.

Few people, in fact expressed contentment stating even Chetan Bhagat actually thinks of those lines as they think! Whereas a few more people stated that “mathematics occupies an important place in various branches of studies” and the statement was not agreed upon.

Among the numerous comments that followed the statement a comment indicated that “maths is a language of scholars”, whereas there was another comment, which stated that Maths annoys that person a lot. There was one  more comment, which stated that “maths is like sweet and a few like it and a few people do not. This clearly tells as to how people are biased about this subject.

Even though the opinions vary among people, I feel Mathematics is an important branch of study and have put across my personal views herein.

Well! Maths is often considered a tough subject of study. Too many calculations, formulas, method of working out and such other things are really not a child’s play. The previous night of the Maths examination is truly a nightmare for many. But, what about life without mathematics? Learning only languages may help you to interact with people.

Even in various subjects of study like geography, physics or chemistry, various numerical calculations will be included and hence, mathematics can never be ignored. Apart from the usual arithmetic study, students will also be subject to study of algebra and geometry, with which mathematics is made interesting. Considering all these aspects, maths can certainly be considered ‘magic’. However, by following the below mentioned tips, maths can be learnt effectively.

  • Practice maths daily – It is better to make it a habit. Students are required to dedicate at least two to three hours on a daily basis for this purpose. Practice only makes better at maths.
  • Group studies can prove to be effective. - Compete with friends so as to decide who can solve quickly and effectively.
  • Memorize the formulae – The formulae should be memorized well. It is ideal to make a chart of it and hang it against a wall, so that they can have a glance at it every day.
  • Consider it equal to any other subject – When the students think this way, it will not generate any kind of stress. However, it is suggested to give a little more importance.
  • Be confident – Solving the math problems confidently is extremely essential. Try to find new methods of solving a particular problem. Understand the concept well, so that it facilitates easy calculation.

If these things are followed, maths will never be a difficult subject of study.  Children can easily excel in it and score well!

The author Chetan Bhagat’s statement, does not actually fit in the current competitive world. May be he feels that for a writer it is not that essential as most of the time and efforts are revolved around thinking on creative lines and putting across good language. However, considering the needs of the current world, knowing at least the basic concepts of mathematics is essential.

         Image credit:  Chetan Bhagat Facebook fan page.

Author: Priyanka Kamath
Priyanka is a successful content writer and has written various webpages, blogs and articles and has contributed greatly to the content writing field. She has completed her Bachelors in Commerce from Mangalore University and has set up a wonderful career in content writing. Apart from being a prosperous homemaker, her passion for writing is tremendous.

The classroom will learn you.

IBM predicts classroom learning will be tailored for each individual child in next 5 years.


                           Picture credits: IBM

The IBM 5 in 5 is the eighth year in a row that IBM has made predictions about technology, and this year’s predictions are sure to get people talking.

The classroom will learn you.

Since the days of the one room schools, both K-12 and higher education classrooms have been focused on a one-to-many communication between a teacher and a group of students. All students receive the same material from a teacher in a lecture setting because individual attention for 30 or more is nearly impossible. The classrooms of the future will give educators the tools to learn about every student, providing them with a tailored curriculum from kindergarten to high school. So classroom of the future will shift from a one-size-fits-all model to a truly personalized environment.

The classroom of the future will learn about each specific student over the course of their education, helping them master the skills that match their goals. The rapid digitization of educational institutions will allow unprecedented instrumentation of the learning process. Cognitive computing, or learning technologies, will help us calculate everything we can about how each student learns and thrives, then create flexibility in the system to continually adapt and fine-tune what we deliver to that student and how this supports teachers and employers.

Two out of three people globally, haven’t got the high school education. So there is highly possible in a decade, globally, the school pass out will be increase exponentially.

Bernie Meyerson, vice president of innovation at IBM in his interview to venturebeat says “Now teachers learn about a child every year, but moving forward teachers already know everything about a child how he/she learn.”

IBM also mentions clearly that this doesn't replace teacher. It allows them to be far more effective. 


 Author: Shatru Naik

Shatru is start-up specialist with experience in education and IT domains, currently he founded maths9.com. Shatru is interested in education research. He can be reached at shatru (at) maths9.com. You also connect him on LinkedIn.

Classroom Management Tips - How to Engage your Students

Classroom management Tips

Nothing can be difficult than engaging your students during class timings so that they perform well in the finals. Being a teacher, you may find it absolutely impossible but in actual, it is not! What if you make certain changes in sitting arrangements and introduce a bit different learning technique than before? Well, Kristine Smith, over at Essaymall.co.uk, has sent me some excellent advice about classroom management tips and, with her permission, I’d like to share it with you her innovative ideas that  will truly work out and help to reduce your stress during teaching in the classroom. Kristine is an education technology coordinator who frequently writes about modern teaching trends for both primary and high school students.  So, are you ready to make these little fellows attentive during lectures and other imperative class activities? If yes, then have a look at these easy ways:

 

Ask students to tell what you just taught

Isn’t it great to revitalize the minds of your students by asking them to tell what you just taught? Well, this technique helps you a lot in checking their memory skills along with the level of attention in the class. Also, it improves their confidence level by presenting the respective explanation in front of you.


Show them an inspiring movie

Visual learning is a fundamental option to draw your students’ attention in the class.  An interesting movie or documentary can raise their interest up to high extent because the thing which you want to teach them through lectures can easily be taught by a fascinating movie. 


Stand up and take a round

Well, this is the easiest technique that compels your students to sit attentive and note down the significant things. This practice induces them to listen carefully and stop those vague gossips that are real time wasting activities.


Throw a challenging question to answer

Students want something creative to show their skills and abilities. A challenging question which asks them to do something out of the box is the best option to enhance their interest level. By this, they engage themselves with several activities such as thinking, organizing and writing to find out the correct answer.

 

Remove distractions

A peaceful environment is a pre-requisite of effective learning. Remove all the distractions such as an open window, too much light and other distractive objects to create a best learning environment. This practice helps strengthen their focus and provide them a chance to perform well.

 

Make groups

By dividing your class strength into small groups, you can create new enthusiasm in your students to participate in group discussions. By this, they will not only learn things but also increase their speaking power in front of the entire class.

 

  Play a game

A little game regarding your topic of discussion will not only increase their attention but also, amplify their knowledge in a great manner. Ask certain questions related to the respective topic and see how they respond to this activity.

 

Encourage a student to teach lesson

It is good to ask someone to teach on your behalf just to change the traditional learning atmosphere. As the other students become excited to see their own friend, they take more interest in learning with fun.

 

Give small rewards

How about giving your students certain rewards on performing well in the class discussions and other activities? Well, this is the most successful idea to gain their attention. Purchase a wonderful gift or announce a cash price so that they take more interest.

 

Ask students to gather certain information

Last but not the least, assign them a project to gather interesting information from a book or a magazine so that they take more interest in the given activity.

Try these amazing tips to increase the level of attention of the students in the classrooms and improve your teaching process for acquiring better results.

Image credit: Woodcliff Academy

Katie Alice

Author: Katie Alice

Katie is a professional research writer and a successful education blogger, currently serving herself as an editor at Essaymall, London, UK. Katie became a writer after completing her Masters in literature and then established her career in the field of education and research.


 

   

Kids don't learn from the people they don't like.

Rita Pierson: Every kid needs a champion.


Rita Pierson, a teacher for 40 years, once heard a colleague say, "They don't pay me to like the kids."

 

Her response: "Kids don't learn from people they don’t like.”

A rousing call to educators to believe in their students and actually connect with them on a real, human, personal level.

 

 

Source: www.ted.com