Preparing for exams could be stressful especially in the final days of a semester. Searching through many tips on how to prepare for the upcoming exams, we came across an excellent article from the Simon Fraser University.  We especially like the strategy that targets how to avoid/deal with exam anxiety and will be sharing it here.

To minimize exam anxiety try to practice as if you are in the exam room. Here’s how to do that:

• Try to  create the same conditions of the exam-writing situation as much as possible
• Solve prior tests and quizzes then check the right answers, and make mental notes on where you made mistakes
• Find or make-up practice questions that are of the type that will be on the exam
• Put your books away (unless it is an open book exam)
• Work under similar time conditions while you complete the practice questions.
• You may even want to visit the examination room to get comfortable in the space.

Here are a few ways you can find or create practice questions:

• Answer chapter review questions in your textbook
• Turn the headings in your readings and class notes into questions
• Use questions from the textbook study guide or your class notes
• Participate in a study group and ask each other questions based on the material
• Make flashcards with a question on one side and the answer on the other, then quiz yourself
• Write outlines for any sample essay questions provided by the professor
• Make “Cornell notes”: Draw a line down your page about one-third of the way from the left edge; write questions in the left column of your page; write the answers to your questions directly across in the right column; cover up the answers and quiz yourself.

For the full article click here. We hope that you will find these strategies, and tips helpful. We wish you the best of luck with your exams!

To get the most out of your study time we suggest that you:

Customize Your Notes

Note-taking is an excellent studying method for high school and university students. It helps to retain information in an organized way. Here are a few tips to make your notes look amazing:

• Read your textbook or lecture notes
• Summarize the important information you find
• Write what you gather from the read text in your own words
• Make sure to include visuals when needed
• Engage with the materials by answering questions
• Choose between typing and writing according to your preference

Realize that asking for help can be hard

People in general, and students in particular shy away from asking for help. They fear that their peers, and teachers will look at it as a weakness. As a matter of fact, the opposite is true. Asking for help when needed is actually a STRENGTH.
Asking for help from a tutor is the next best thing to asking your teacher in your class. On one hand, a tutor is a qualified person to answer your questions, and reteach you the missed lessons. On the other hand, you don’t need to worry about peer pressure.

Make a Plan

• Take notes during class, and ask any relevant questions. Remember, there is no stupid question!
• Practice on your new learned materials at home and review old material. Don’t procrastinate!
• Check your understanding by answering questions after finishing off a chapter or a unit
• Get organized, and stay on top of your assignments, tests, and due dates
• Stay positive about your learning experience. Remember all hard labour must bear its fruits!

In a typical school year, report cards come home every nine weeks or so. The purpose of report cards is to
communicate about a child’s progress across subject areas. Most report cards also include a Work Habits,
Social Skills, or similar section.

Some kids, especially those having difficulty in school, dread report card time. Here are some suggestions
for making report card time a little less scary and a little more productive.
• Become familiar with the grading system in your district and at your grade. Many schools
use a different report card for K-2 than they use for 3-5. Are letter grades used? A numerical
score from 1-3? Other letters such as O, G, S, N?
• Make sure you understand the different competencies on the report card. Many use vague
descriptors such as “Uses time constructively.” If something is not clear to you, ask your
child’s teacher.
• As you look at your child’s report card, RESIST THE IMPULSE to jump directly to an area
with a lower score. Find an area with a good grade or score and focus on that first. “You did
a great job in _____! You must be so proud of all your hard work.”
• Once you’ve focused on the positive, talk about areas in which your child’s grade was lower.
“Tell me how things have been going in science lately.” Start a safe, open dialogue with your
child about the difficulty he or she might be having with the subject matter.
• Together, develop strategies to help in subject areas that are difficult for your child. Is there
a textbook that needs to come home more frequently? Is there a website that can help with
math fact drills? If you’re not sure how to best help your child, call the teacher to set up a
conference.
• Last, let your child know that she is more than just a report card. Remind her of all the
things that make her special and important in your family. Too much of a focus on grades
can only increase the amount of stress your child feels.
Report cards should not contain any huge surprises about how your child is doing. Most teachers work to
talk with parents if a child is having particular difficulty, whether it’s through interims or informal phone
calls. If that is not the case with your child and his report card, call the teacher to talk about that. An
open, ongoing conversation is the best way to manage everyone’s expectations.
See also this post from our blog Sound It Out: I’d give this report card comment an N (for needs
improvement)

(Credits: This is a shared article from Reading Rockets, Colorín Colorado and LD OnLine)

When you think about hiring an in-person math tutoring service, it might get difficult for a parent to make the right choice of hiring a suitable tutor for your kid.

Many companies like “Math Plus Tutors” can provide excellent tutoring services to your children, which can help you take the burden off your shoulder.

While some of you might be skeptical about the idea of hiring a personalized tutoring service in Sarnia, you must know that there are many benefits of one-on-one tutoring in Sarnia Lambton.

1. Individual Attention

When it comes to modern classrooms, a teacher pays attention to 20-30 children at once, and giving the appropriate attention to every child in the classroom seems impossible. Many children might need more attention than a schoolteacher can offer; that is why a tutor can help the student give individual attention to a child to focus on their issues.

2. Low-Pressure Environment

One of the unrecognized benefits of tutoring is that many children find it challenging to ask questions in a classroom, leading to difficulties in the learning procedure. Still, with private tutoring, a child might feel free to ask questions without being afraid of getting embarrassed in Infront of others. It can encourage the child in the learning process. Your child can quickly pick up stuff when there is room for making mistakes and learning from them without fear.

3. Personalized Feedback

One-on-one tutoring can assure you that your child is progressing in their procedure. Communication is the key in every relationship, whether a teacher-student relationship or any other relationship. A tutor can give you personalized feedback about your child, which wouldn’t be possible with a school teacher. You will be able to help your child better even when your tutor is not available at the time of need.

4. Better Value for Money

One-on-one tutoring has a better value for money as your child will get undivided attention from the tutor without worrying that it might not be as valuable as any other method. Your tutor will cater to your child’s growth needs with patience and support.

5. Flexibility

Tutoring allows you to be more flexible about your child’s needs. A child can’t get along with the tutor every time. With tutoring services, you have the flexibility to replace the tutor if your child is unhappy with the current or if you wish to change the sessions or session timings; you can easily do that.