Final Evaluation Tips – Before
- Set a schedule and plan out your study time. Plan your breaks so that you feel it’s ok to take a break.
- Chunk your studying. Don’t do too much at once. Your brain needs a break!
- Review the descriptive feedback that you have received from your teachers. Focus on how the “next steps” will be useful during your exams/final evaluations.
- Organize your study space!
- Organize study groups with friends.
- Take movement breaks during your studying - go for a walk, toss around a baseball, etc.
- Minimize distractions when studying - turn off your screens and notifications
- Is social media affecting your study plan? Unplug and go off the grid by taking a “face break”, “instabreak”, “snapbreak”...
- Study in 20-50 minute intervals with 5-10 minute breaks in between (set a timer!).
- Organize your notes for the semester and separate lessons, classwork and evaluations into different piles from which to study. Each of these sections will provide you with different information to help you prepare for your exam!
- Research says the top strategies for studying are:
- Organizing or transforming material (e.g., sort out the most important materials; make an outline of notes before studying);
- Self-consequences: putting off pleasurable things until studying is completed;
- Help-seeking: get a study partner or ask a teacher for help beforehand;
- Get a good night’s sleep - having enough sleep can be more important than those extra hours of studying.
Final Evaluation Tips – Day of
- Eat a healthy breakfast.
- Find a quiet space to review before going to the exam room. Don’t let yourself get pulled into stressful conversations of “did you study this? did you study that?”
- Tip - Read all instructions carefully, don't rush in.
- Tip - just before your evaluation find a quiet spot and write yourself a note reminding yourself of how you’ve prepared. You’ll relax and recall!
- Do the questions in the order you feel you can best answer them confidently. You don’t have to do the questions in order.
- Ensure you take a moment to read the entire evaluation before you start. Let this time be the time you take the strategize your approach.If something is unclear, ask for clarification. A teacher will always clarify if it doesn’t compromise the question (i.e. give you the answer)
- If something is unclear, ask for clarification. A teacher will always clarify if it doesn’t compromise the question (i.e. give you the answer)
Evaluation Tips - Post Evaluation
- Attend exam/final evaluation take up day. Discuss with your teacher goals for continued success as you progress from one course to the next.