Dealing With Distractions.
(Week
3 (21-27th Jan 2013)
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"I
just start daydreaming"
Become an active learner. Always work with a pen and paper. Focus on a specific task, not a specified time for your study.
Become an active learner. Always work with a pen and paper. Focus on a specific task, not a specified time for your study.
·
·
"I
can't focus because I'm anxious about the exams"
Try to limit yourself to your immediate concerns, the things you have some control over (preparation for the upcoming revision test) rather than the things you cannot determine (like what questions the examiners will choose for this year's English Lit paper.)
Try to limit yourself to your immediate concerns, the things you have some control over (preparation for the upcoming revision test) rather than the things you cannot determine (like what questions the examiners will choose for this year's English Lit paper.)
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·
"I
often fall asleep when I'm supposed to be studying"
Try to get to bed on time over the coming weeks. A tired brain is very unproductive. Get some genuine rest at the weekend. Be sure to get regular exercise, even just a walk around the block at night to clear your head.
Try to get to bed on time over the coming weeks. A tired brain is very unproductive. Get some genuine rest at the weekend. Be sure to get regular exercise, even just a walk around the block at night to clear your head.
·
·
"I'm
constantly interrupted by other people"
Study in the location most likely to offer peace and quiet. Ask for consideration from family members over the final run up to exams. Never have a TV, phone, computer game, or music system within arm's reach while you are trying to work. Make a rule of not taking phone calls within certain defined periods.
Study in the location most likely to offer peace and quiet. Ask for consideration from family members over the final run up to exams. Never have a TV, phone, computer game, or music system within arm's reach while you are trying to work. Make a rule of not taking phone calls within certain defined periods.
·
·
"I
keep thinking of other things while I'm studying"
Divide the study session into smaller, short-range goals which demand your full attention e.g. vocabulary or poetry test. Keep a 'reminder pad' beside you, a little notebook to jot down something that strikes you (someone to call, a job to do, etc.) and deal with it after the study period. Having made a note of it, you can more easily re-focus on your work.
Divide the study session into smaller, short-range goals which demand your full attention e.g. vocabulary or poetry test. Keep a 'reminder pad' beside you, a little notebook to jot down something that strikes you (someone to call, a job to do, etc.) and deal with it after the study period. Having made a note of it, you can more easily re-focus on your work.
Become a Better Processor!
Revision literally means to 'see again' and this holds the key to your exam preparation and performance. 'Re-viewing' material, even briefly, on a regular basis helps to reinforce understanding and retention. It channels information to the long-term memory. To help you identify areas for personal improvement, rate yourself in the following areas and then seek out practical solutions:
Revision literally means to 'see again' and this holds the key to your exam preparation and performance. 'Re-viewing' material, even briefly, on a regular basis helps to reinforce understanding and retention. It channels information to the long-term memory. To help you identify areas for personal improvement, rate yourself in the following areas and then seek out practical solutions:
- Do you have a good grasp of each exam paper and the marking scheme?
- Do you have a systematic revision plan for all subjects?
- Do you review material covered on a weekly/monthly basis?
- Do you usually feel you make the most of your knowledge in tests?
- Do you always answer the full set of questions on a test?
Most students, when faced with a textbook or chapter to study, will 'start at the beginning, read through at the same pace until the end, then stop and put the book away'. This passive approach is a most inefficient way to learn, as it can take longer and leave you bogged down in detail, with no overall grasp of the subject matter. By adopting a more active approach to reading, you can begin to read better and faster within a very short space of time. The PQ2R method has proved to be most successful in this regard. Try it for the remaining weeks of term and see the benefits.
P = Preview Begin your reading task with a quick skim (2-3 minutes) of the text, trying to get an overview of the chapter or text. Look for section headings, illustrative charts and diagrams, signposts or key words. Don't start highlighting text at this point.
Q = Question This is the key to active learning. Look for answers to the basic questions of "Who?", "What?", "Where?", "Why?" and "When?" Identify the main theme or learning point of the particular text.
R = Read Now read the chapter carefully, with these questions in mind. Your mind will be actively looking for answers as you read. Work with a pen and paper, make brief summary notes, look for 'topic sentences' that summarise the most important point in a paragraph or section and highlight them, if necessary. Vary your reading speed - move quickly over lighter, less important material and slow down when you come to a difficult section.
R = Review Always check your understanding of the material by reviewing and testing your recall before putting the text away. Look at the notes you have taken and check that they answer your initial questions. Summarise your findings from this study session.
Dealing with Stress
Events in themselves are not stressful- it is the way we interpret and react to them that makes them stressful. Coping effectively with stress highlights the difference between dealing positively with events (reacting) and responding irrationally to the situation (over-reacting).
In the run-up to exams, it is vital that you are able to identify the stress factors and put some coping mechanisms in place. Here are some useful tips:
·
Make
sure your goals are realistic
Probably the biggest source of stress is when there is a gap between your declared goal and your perceived capacity. When a goal is viewed as manageable, your system doesn't over-react. Review your targets in each subject and get feedback from your teachers in this regard.
Probably the biggest source of stress is when there is a gap between your declared goal and your perceived capacity. When a goal is viewed as manageable, your system doesn't over-react. Review your targets in each subject and get feedback from your teachers in this regard.
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'Talk
it out'
Talking-through your situation with a parent, guidance counsellor, or close friend, is often a good way to put things in perspective. Discussing your academic goals and career options in a rational and objective manner helps you to focus on the positive and provides psychological support for your efforts.
Talking-through your situation with a parent, guidance counsellor, or close friend, is often a good way to put things in perspective. Discussing your academic goals and career options in a rational and objective manner helps you to focus on the positive and provides psychological support for your efforts.
·
Get
Organised
By dividing work up into manageable chunks and relating your revision to the structure of the exam papers and the time remaining, what initially looked like a huge task can appear more realistic. Make use of revision checklists to help you get the job done.
By dividing work up into manageable chunks and relating your revision to the structure of the exam papers and the time remaining, what initially looked like a huge task can appear more realistic. Make use of revision checklists to help you get the job done.
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Learn
to Relax
The body needs to be prepared, just like the mind. When you're tired, concentration is more difficult, you get distracted much easier and learning and memorisation are less effective. Take the opportunity of a 'mini-break' during the day, perhaps when you come home from school in the afternoon. Lie down for 15 minutes, use some relaxation techniques, get some 'quiet time' for yourself and relax those brain muscles. Ensure you get adequate sleep each night and at weekends. A regular 8 hours is much more beneficial to the system than a build-up of lost sleep followed by spending half the weekend in bed!
The body needs to be prepared, just like the mind. When you're tired, concentration is more difficult, you get distracted much easier and learning and memorisation are less effective. Take the opportunity of a 'mini-break' during the day, perhaps when you come home from school in the afternoon. Lie down for 15 minutes, use some relaxation techniques, get some 'quiet time' for yourself and relax those brain muscles. Ensure you get adequate sleep each night and at weekends. A regular 8 hours is much more beneficial to the system than a build-up of lost sleep followed by spending half the weekend in bed!
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