All the test taking tips in the world won't help if the student doesn't study.
But the reward of seeing A's and B's on tests shouldn't only go to
students who are good at taking tests. It's normal to get nervous, but
as long as you're prepared, rested, full on a healthy breakfast (but not
too full) and confident, the stress will disappear with each answered
question.
Many students claim to be just bad test takers. No matter how
much they study or how well they understand the information, when it
comes to taking the test, they can't perform. Well, rest-assure that the
problem probably isn't that the student is a bad test taker, but that they
let stress get the better of them. In 9 out of 10 students, inability to
perform on tests is caused by stress and tension. Luckily, there are
some test taking tips that will help any student conquer test
apprehension.
*The first tip seems like common sense, but is oddly enough ignored
by most students. Take care of yourself physically. You've grown-up
hearing reasons why consuming fatty or heavy foods, as well as
overeating, is bad for you. Well here's why it's really bad before you
take a test. When you eat, in order to digest it, an increase of blood is
redirected to the stomach. It is taken from other places in your body, like
your brain. Proper blood circulation in the brain is what enables us to
think quickly and be more alert. When you eat a large heavy breakfast
or lunch before a test, you are telling a portion of your blood supply to
leave your brain and go to your stomach.
*Another often-neglected tip is getting adequate rest. Whether a
student stays awake worrying about the test or talking on the phone to
their latest crush, it puts them at an immediate disadvantage the next
day. It has been said that fatigue makes cowards of us all (Vince
Lombardi) And how true that is. When we're tired, our whole body is
tired, including our mind. We've all entered a test where you just stare
blankly at an essay question you may or may not know the answer to for
10 minutes doing nothing because you just don't have to energy to start
writing. Being tired can prohibit a student from correctly reading
directions or missing a trick question. Fatigue caused by a long night of
cramming can also do more damage than good. Even if you're lucky
enough to remember the information the next day, you won't the day
after that. And it can even reduce the retention and confuse the
information you learned while studying properly.
*Once a student gets to the test, well rested with a light meal in their
stomach, it's still easy to get nervous. It's important to remember to relax
and give yourself positive affirmations. Reassure the mind that there is
nothing else you can do. If you studied
good, and if you didn't study
there is nothing you can do about it at this point. If you're well prepared
give yourself positive affirmations that you know the material. When you
come to the first question you don't know, skip it. Laboring over a
question you can't answer or you can't remember disengages you from
the rest of the test and often causes panic. Always skip it and go back
later. Moving on to questions you know will help calm nerves, build
momentum and clarity, and build confidence. It is also fairly common for
another question within the test to answer or give clues back to skipped
questions. So when you read a question that might as well have been
in a foreign language, don't throw the test in the air and declare that
you've failed. Just leave it blank and go on to the next question.
All the test taking tips in the world won't help if the student doesn't study.
But the reward of seeing A's and B's on tests shouldn't only go to
students who are good at taking tests. It's normal to get nervous, but
as long as you're prepared, rested, full on a healthy breakfast (but not
too full) and confident, the stress will disappear with each answered
question.
Roger Seip is a nationally known memory trainer. He has helped
thousands of students across the country improve their memory as well
as study habits. His new program, The Student's Winning Edge -
Memory Training, teaches students how to train their memory to study
more effectively and get better grades. For more information on how
your student can have a more powerful memory visit http://
http://www.memorytrainingforstudents.com or email
info@memorytrainingforstudents.com
