How to Pass The Exams

A student at any level or stage of education is afraid of examinations. Be it a primary class or a Xth examination, students have this examination phobia. Even after preparing well the student feels nervous and insecure. Examinees need not remember everything verbatim. Only the salient points of each chapter or lesson should be clear which could be elaborated as required. Which implies that it is imperative to comprehend rather than to cram. To pass an examination whatever one reads and learns has to be reviewed and analyzed as per the questions asked in the examination.

Making Notes

It is a very good habit to make notes of what you read. Newton, Einstein, R.L. Stevenson, Charles Darwin, and other great people prepared notes for their studies. The advantages of making notes are

1. This is a condensed form of the matter studied and can be used to read, understand and revise.
2. Notes are an expression of the matter studied, in one's own words.
3. With the help of notes one can easily remember the main ideas and important details.

It is processed, cooked form of the whole material ready for digestion. Therefore, do not miss making notes of what you can hear or read.

When To Use Notes

1. Try to understand the study matter especially its implied principle or theory.
2. It is not proper to read again and again at a time, you must read at intervals. Fifteen minutes of regular study is far better and effective than doing nothing throughout the week and then reading for hours together.
3. Instead of reading again and again and trying to cram things, it is better to read carefully once and then recapitulate it. Research has proved that reading a thing immediately again gives only 7% more understanding and reading it the third time increases the understanding by only 1%. It means the achievement is not commensurate with the time consumed.
   Therefore it is better that:
   • You become clear about the subject/topic.
   • You question yourself on the topic or about which you have to answer.
   • You make brief notes.
   • You test yourself.
   • You apply the knowledge gained.
   • You try to visualize everything, recollect all the important points and comprehend it not partly but wholly.
   • You do not try to finish up the unit forcibly. Read as much as you deem proper and then stop.
   • Having read the chapter you revise it again within the next 8 hours.
   • If possible do not change the place of study.
   • Keep your back straight while studying. Sit erect. Do not resort to easy postures.
4. It is essential to solve old question papers.
5. Answers should be properly arranged, neat, clear and only conceptualized and not at all irrelevant.
6. While answering the paper always answer those questions first which you can handle well.

Important Advice

Prepare fully. "What to read and what to leave" is a wrong attitude. Do not leave or set aside the question asked in the previous papers. Take care of small things, like your pen, pencil, and ink/refill. Your ink must be brilliant and you must have an extra pen. Your writing must be clear and legible. A bad handwriting annoys the examiner. Keep your watch well set and in order. Take care of your handkerchief, spectacles etc. Every small thing has its own importance. Take care of everything, God is always willing and keen to grant you success. Only you must be sure how keen you yourself are!!


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Teaching Guided Reading

What is guided reading?

What are some guided reading activities?

How about guided reading demonstrations or guided reading lesson plans?

Using guided reading as a teaching strategy has become more and more popular as the emphasis in education continues to focus on how to increasing reading comprehension As a teacher mentor, I often have teachers ask me questions about guided reading similar to those above. However, as with any other reading strategy, increasing reading comprehension depends highly on what the teacher does “before” the reading assignment.

First, though, what is guided reading? Simply put, in guided reading students are placed in small groups with similar reading levels. Children read either silently or aloud to themselves, but they do not read in unison. In early guided reading groups books are chosen based on a 90% accuracy level. Books should also match a child's interests and knowledge base.

Of course, two problems exist. First, to do all that guided reading suggests can be quite challenging and maybe even impossible since kids with similar reading levels do not necessarily have similar interests or knowledge bases. And second, the teacher still needs to tap into and build upon the student’s prior knowledge of the subject matter (before reading) if the teacher truly wants to increase reading comprehension.

A great teaching strategy to overcome these obstacles and improve guided reading instruction is to do a three to five minute book introduction as a scaffold for the first reading of a text.

Here is an example from an historical fiction guided reading lesson I did with 8th graders during our unit on World War II. Eve Bunting's book, “So Far From the Sea”, is a beautiful story about the Iwasakis, a Japanese-American family that goes back to visit the "relocation" camp where the father was interned for three and a half years during World War II. While the content is serious, the book is actually a picture book written on a second grade level. Nevertheless, an introduction to the book is necessary to scaffold learning, clear up any comprehension concerns, and ultimately make the guided reading instruction more successful. I would start with the cover, both the title and the illustration. I would point out the mountains in the background and explain that the family is clearly very far from the sea. I would then ask a series of questions: Is the family happy or sad? Why are they standing next to a monument? What are monuments for? Why is the mother holding flowers? By answering these questions, the students conclude that the Iwasaki family has brought flowers to some solemn place, and at least one reason they are sad is that they are “so far from the sea”. Students can then predict where they think the Iwasaki family is on the cover and the goal of the guided reading can then be to discover if their predictions are correct.

However, I would not start the guided reading just yet. First, I would take the students on a "picture walk" through the book. The pictures in a book can go a long way towards increasing comprehension. In this particular book, the father often reflects back to his youth when he and his father were interned in the prison camp. This reflecting, however, can create problems for some readers. Fortunately, the illustrator, Chris K. Soentpiet, has drawn pictures in both color and black and white. The color pictures are present day (1972) at the abandoned prison camp. The black and white pictures are during World War II when 10,000 Japanese-Americans were interned at the Manzanar War Relocation Center in eastern California. The "picture walk" also provides a great opportunity to point out any words that the students may have trouble with. For example, I would certainly point out "Manzanar War Relocation Center" written on a sign in an early illustration in the book. These words come up often and the pictures provide a great opportunity to explain their meaning.

By "walking" through the pictures to introduce the book, a teacher can tap into students' prior knowledge and also have students predict what the text is about. Furthermore, teachers can clear up any comprehension concerns they may have about the book, such as "jumping" back and forth between 1943 to 1972. The "picture walk" will, in turn, increase students' interest in the book and therefore increase students' motivation to learn. This is all done prior to the actual guided reading. Remember, guided reading is a great reading strategy, however, teachers must still activate prior knowledge and clear up any comprehension concerns if they really want to increase reading comprehension and get the most success from their the guided reading.

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Student - Tutor Relationships

The Student-Tutor Relationship

The student-tutor relationship is a very important one. Nowhere is this more true than in e-learning. Yet students are often unsure as to how best to take fullest advantage of the unique access an e-learning course can provide them to a qualified expert/tutor.

The best tutors will guarantee a full response to a student's questions or queries within 24-48 hours. This is good, because it means that the student can feel the tutor is really there for them. Make sure that any e-mail is addressed directly to the tutor or expert concerned. Though length of query is not an issue, clarity is. Ensure that you use punctuation, and paragraphs. If you are asking multiple questions, consider numbering them or using headers. Spell-check before you send, to avoid potential misunderstandings that might delay a response.

Don't feel shy about sending a number of e-mails to your tutor. This is common practice, and it demonstrates your proactive engagement in the course. The more you ask, the more guidance you will receive back in return. For example, lessons with assessment tasks or questions can be answered and sent back for marking. Don't be afraid to make mistakes - the tutor will not only correct them, but show you how to get it right in future.

To save time, start each e-mail to your tutor with the number of the lesson (and, where applicable, the task or sentence) in question.

E-learning tutors are experts in their respective field, and often qualified and experienced teachers. The opportunity to have one-on-one, direct access to them and their expertise and knowledge is an exciting and extremely empowering one for the student.

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Useful Tips to Prepare for Cbse Exams

Student and examination- well this combination does not go well for many. Yes students love to bunk class and enjoy and loath to give exams. They often pray to God that they be spared from the evils of the exams and their consequences on their academics. Yet alas! Nothing can be done other than to face the exam and its dire consequences on their poor heart and even poorer academics! Well now that there is no get away so it’s better not to sit and sulk rather follow some interesting tips of how to prepare for CBSE exams and win the battle.

About CBSE

Before spilling the beans regarding the precious tips of how to prepare for the CBSE exams, come and lets know a bit more about CBSE. CBSE or the Central Board of Secondary Education is one of the two most important boards of education prevailing in India with more than nine thousand schools affiliated to it both in India and abroad. CBSE lays down the syllabi for these schools according to the World Class requirements of the Education System. CBSE also conducts several important exams like board exams of 10th, 12th and medical, engineering and dental exams to enlist a few. CBSE evaluates these exam sheets and gives out marks to the appearing candidates that have worldwide acceptance in all the major institutes and work places. Scoring in CBSE can be difficult for some and easy for the others all depending upon how they prepare for CBSE exams.

How to prepare for CBSE exams

CBSE exams can be prepared by following certain simple rules like scheduled method of learning and revising and daily basis study etc. Yet apart from your classroom study, the tough competition requires much more in today’s world. So to compliment classroom study, other mediums such as online and the on air syllabus wise studies through various TV programs have come. These TV programs are scheduled in many repetitive telecasts for the better understanding of the concepts by the students. Along with the TV programs there are respective websites that compliment the TV programs with respect to the tutorials that you can access anytime and with the query solving sections you can discuss your academic problems. These query solving sections are maintained and administered by experts available round-the-clock. Also the mock tests will help you access your preparations anytime you wish. To know more about how to prepare for CBSE exams online, kindly surf the net and find several websites providing necessary information.

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Tips to score good marks in English Exam

1. Read each question carefully and follow the instructions

2. Strictly adhere to the word limit given with each question. Marks will be deducted for exceeding the word limit.

3. Attempt all questions in each section before going on to the next section.

4. All the answers must be correctly numbered as in the question paper and written in the answer sheet provided to you.

5. Before answering reading questions, carefully read the whole paragraph.

6. You need not to write entire sentence in answer sheet for fill in the blank questions.
For example :
The course of our life is largely determined .............................

You can just write answer as "By Decision Making"

7. Make sure your spelling's are correct. 

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CBSE class 12 Mathematics preparation tips

Mathematics is an important subject of study for students who want to pursue a career in the field of engineering, business administration, chartered accountancy, statistics or even economics. For even those, who do not want to pursue a career in fields related to Math, but have it as a subject in their Class 12, CBSE, it becomes important to score well in each subject, for an admit in colleges that consider CBSE Class 12 marks for admission.
Important topic 
     Integration
    Differentiation
    Matrices and determinants
    Relations and functions
    Probability
    Limits

Important topics by marks
   Calculus 44 marks
    Vectors and 3-D Geometry – 17 marks
    Algebra – 13 marks
    Relations and functions and Probability – 10 marks each


How to score well

   1. Before you start the exam, utilize the first 15 minutes to scan the paper. Read the question paper thoroughly before jumping to write the answers.
    2. Among the questions with internal choices, select the ones that you plan to attempt, and frame skeletons of the answers you are going to write for these questions.
    3. Follow a pattern. For example, in case you start with long answer questions, complete that section and only then move to short or very short answer section.
    4. Highlight the important points and write your answer in points to enhance visibility. Take mock tests. You can appear in Topper Pre Boards to test your preparedness for CBSE boards.

Recommended books

    1. NCERT books are the best source for a CBSE exam. Math part 1 and Math part 2, both cost Rs 90 and should be the first source of reference. Do all problems from the NCERT.
    2. R.D Sharma is a good book to follow, in case you are through with your NCERT book. The book has a lot of solved and unsolved questions of good difficulty level. Textbook solutions can again help in completing R D Sharma.
    3. CBSE Sample papers: You can download the papers from this website. The sample papers provided by the CBSE are as close to the real exam as it gets.




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Tips for Final Revision of CBSE – 2012 Board Exams

for your upcoming final exams of CBSE-2012. You all could be nervous about it. Every student has a different way of studying. Some students may actually do better while listening to music or studying outdoors; others find these environments distracting. Although preparation for the CBSE Board exams should begin on the first day of the semester, there are many things students can do, to maximize their final scores:

1.    Students should divide their time according to their daily tasks especially when they are preparing for board exams.
2.    There should be a break after every 2 hours of studying.
3.    There should be refreshments in the breaks they take in their study schedules.
4.    Cell phones and other such devices should be turned- off. So that you should not get distracted when you are preparing for CBSE board exams.
5.    The student should be out of earshot of any computers, televisions etc.
6.    The place to study should be quiet and devoid of any distractions.
7.    Every hard or uninteresting subject/topic should be followed by any easy or an interesting subject/topic.
8.    Students should avoid doing ‘at stretch’ studies.

So, a planned study time-frame can minimize the stress and feelings of panic that may occur when you only have a few days before the exams.

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Preparation Tips for CBSE Class X

With the board exams being made optional and more weightage being given to the practical learning and school assignments, there is certainly less stress on the students. But one should not forget that one still needs to take the written exam. Please find the preparation tips for the following subjects mentioned below:

Preparation Tips for Science

The science subject in class 10th mainly concentrates on the following areas – Chemistry, Physics and Biology. Students opting for the science stream in class XI will be required to especially concentrate on these subjects for clearing their foundations.

The students will be required to:

• Create a complete list of derivations, formulae and experiments and keep that list handy.
• Make some important notes and highlight them in the note book and even summarize the page in the margins.
• Start attending classes and laboratory lectures so as to perform each and every experiment in the laboratory.
• Make a habit of writing the definitions in one’s own language without altering the meaning.

Preparation Tips for English

English is very important subject for all the students. One should concentrate a lot on this subject since it helps one in acquiring a good job as well.

The students will be required to:

• Students must first understand the subject carefully.
• While communicating with others try to communicate in English as much as possible.
• Buy a good grammar book and recognize the basic rules.
• Try to read as much as you can. Any piece of good literature must not getaway your hands. For example textbooks, newspaper, etc.
• Make a habit of reading various books with variety of topics from philosophy to science to fiction. This will help you in enhancing your vocabulary.

Preparation Tips for Social Science

The programs in social science provide a basic understanding of their surroundings, historical developments and their consequence on the present world and fundamental economics to the students.

Students will be required to:

• Learn maximum things about the place you are learning in Geography. It’ll not only be interesting but also enhance your knowledge.
• Know why an event is important and understand the main reasons for its occurrence. For this reason the history exam contains so many essay and long-answer questions.
• While reading from the books or notes try to note down the places, names and dates.

Preparation Tips for Mathematics

At Class 10th stage mathematics is very basic subject which teaches the concept of numbers, such as basic geometry and trigonometry. It develops a basic skill in a child and the concepts which are taught are useful while appearing for any aptitude based tests at a later stage.

Students will be required to:

• Read the question properly to get an idea about what you are being asked to do. Make a note saying what you are given in the question and what you need to find. Work with the things given in a systematic way and try to find what is asked.
• Make notes of important concepts and formulas.
• Recognize the problem areas beforehand and work on them with the help of teachers.

Complete the NCERT book for ensuring all concepts have been covered.

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How to make your errors help you learn

What do you do when an answer is wrong in your homework, or on a test? Do you throw it away and forget it-and then make the same mistake the next time? If you are wise, you will make those errors teach you something. Here’s what you can do:

1. Analyze the error to see if you can find what you did wrong.

2. If it is a careless error and you really knew how to do the work correctly, make a note of it, and if you find that you keep making careless errors frequently, start working more carefully.

3. If you can’t find where your error is, ask the teacher or a classmate to help you.

4. Keep a page in your notebook entitled, “Warning: Errors to Avoid.” On the same page write a description of the corrected way to do that kind of exercise, being sure to emphasize the important idea behind it.

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Classwork: How to make the most of your time in class

1. Get ready. In the minute of two before the class gets started, think over what you have been working on recently.

2. Have all necessary equipment: book, pencils or pens, notebook, homework assignment.

3. Take down the assignment promptly and accurately.

4. Concentrate. This takes an effort if you are the kind whose mind tends to wander.

5. Ask questions when you do not understand.

6. Listen to the questions and answers of others in the class. When another pupil is answering a question, think how you would answer the question.

7. Take part in the class discussion.

8. Do not write at the wrong time. When you are taking notes, be sure you do not miss anything that is said while you are doing so. When taking notes, there are two conflicting things you must try to do. One is to make your notes complete and accurate enough to be valuable to you later. The other is to make your notes brief enough so that you can continue to listen to what is being said in class.

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5 Ways to Improve Your Memory

You can give good performance in exam only if you remember what you have studied, right ? Don't worry. You can improve your memory.

Here are five simple ways to easily remember what you study:

1. Study with short breaks

Take short breaks while studying. Do not study continuously for more than 30 to 45 minutes. Give a break of five to ten minutes in between two sessions.

Such short breaks give rest to your brain and help it to reinforce what you are learning. This will make it easy for you to understand more and remember better.

Do not read any new information during these short breaks. Just relax or walk around.

2. Explain to yourself

Explain what you study to yourself. Pretend you are both the student and the teacher, and try to explain the chapter or study topic to yourself.

This kind of 'explaining' automatically helps you to learn the subject in detail. Hence you will remember it better.

3. Discuss

Discuss important study topics with a willing classmate. Holding such discussion will jog your memory. This is like another form of revision.

Also, you will become aware of important points about those study topics. This will help both you and your classmate to learn more and remember more.

4. Sleep well

Believe it or not, good sleep is essential for good memory.

Recent research has shown that lack of sufficient sleep interferes with memory function. Because during sleep and rest period, our brain processes and consolidates information which it records during the day.

So do not skip sleep especially during the exam days. Sleep for at least six hours. Eight hours is best.

5. Eat Well

What we eat affects our brain's performance. Poor nutrition leads to learning and memory problems.

So make sure you include nutrient-rich food items like–whole grains, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and milk in your diet. This will keep your brain healthy and happy.

The above five remedies are easy to follow. And they definitely help to strengthen your memory.

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Top tips for CBSE Board exams

Exams come every year but the board exams are made out to be every CBSE student’s nightmare. Things do not have to be all that bad. There are so many resources available today that it is near impossible for a student to be unprepared. Lectures, notes, CBSE solved papers are all available easily online. Premier websites like Edurite provide superior easy to learn CD’s to help you score more and completely in line with the NCERT syllabus. With some good time management, a dash of persistence and concentration you can easily score well in your CBSE Board exams.

• Make sure you have a study corner that is quiet, well lit and has a comfortable seating arrangement. Don’t get too comfortable and doze off midway though!
• Keep distracters away and inform your parents not to call you until your designated study hour is up. This includes keeping away from emails, SMS’s, social networking websites and more.
• Have study supplies and a bottle of water next to your seat. Keep the area clean and uncluttered so as to make sure you have the right ambience when you get set to study.
• Plan out learning modules for every day according to chapters you have done, revisions, new topics and allot them in a schedule for each day. Set realistic goals and break down the larger chunks into smaller ones so as to stay motivated.
• Make sure you eat right and sleep well. Avoid drinking too much coffee as it will affect your sleep patterns. Get proper sleep and eat a balanced diet.
• Exercise your mind and your body so that you stay fresh enough to accomplish your goals. Work on solved papers towards the end so you can apply your learning well.
• Take proper breaks, your mind can only take so much of one activity or subject at a time. Do something invigorating and soothing during short power breaks such as a brisk walk.

AIEEE 2011 Preparation

AIEEE Preparation

The AIEEE consists of two papers; first paper comprising objective type questions from subjects like, mathematics, physics and chemistry; second paper consisting of objective type questions from mathematics, aptitude test and drawing test. The first paper is meant for getting the B.E. / B.Tech admissions and the second paper is for B.Arch. / B.Planning. Some of the important aspects of preparing for the exam involve the following points:

• Now the online services are improved a lot and there are many free online tests available; one can use those services in their leisure time to enhance their knowledge; but finding the best sites, which one could trust is really significant!
• Working out on time is a very important concept; it would be really appropriate to allot time to each question, while preparing for the exam. Try to get solved, half an hour before the actual timings; i.e. while practicing the sample question papers, try to complete within two and a half hours; hence the remaining half an hour would be ample enough for revising and verifying the answers.
• If you are stuck up with a question, then leave the question and move on to the next one. But later, make sure that you are giving attempt to all the left out questions.
• Try practicing the sample questions in the same format of the original question paper, i.e. the shading part of the question paper, etc. this could be done only through imagination, but practicing such small things would ease the exam pressure and it would also make you familiar to such practices; when one’s mind is familiar to some things, or concepts, then it is likely to make one comfortable to the same.
• Try concentrating on the logics of concepts, rather memorizing the formulas and procedures. Develop your own methodologies to solve a problem; this imparts confidence at the first place.
• Also it is advisable to undergo group discussion with friends and classmates, as such ways will expose you to the other’s alternative methodologies to solve the paper. But try to collaborate with friends, matching up with your frequency; the ultimate objective of such methods is to boost our confidence and energy and not otherwise!
• Concentrate on your speed of solving the problems. Analyze the different categories of possible questions and plan a suitable strategy to solve each one of them.
• Prepare yourself without stress and strain; developing such attitude would fetch you good results, as sound mind could think energetically!
• The ‘out of box thinking’ helps in segmenting the entire preparation process; it also improves the focus of concentration, but not every person does this! When two or more persons bear the same cut-off marks in AIEEE, then the inter-se merit of the students would be determined by the AIEEE by comparing the student’s AIEEE mathematics marks first and followed by their physics marks and their ages; in case of engineering admissions and in case of architectural and planning admissions, it compares the student’s AIEEE aptitude marks first and followed by the mathematics marks and their ages.

Hence, being aware of such procedures and practicing accordingly would fetch more marks than the competitors.

• AIEEE doesn’t need any premium coaching classes.If you are familiar with concepts inNCERT books then you can score good in this test.
• Speed and Accuracy is also an important factor to crack AIEEE exam.
• Do no forget to practice last year AIEEE papers.
• Numerical and Theory part should be given equal importance while preparing.
• The biggest difference between CBSE and AIEEE is CBSE focus on theory part whereas AIEEE focus on numerical part.

Last-Minute Tips for Board Exams

Believe in yourself: If you have prepared well for the exam, do not worry unnecessarily. Only, make sure you have the right perspective. If you think that anything less than 90% is a failure, you are creating unnecessary stress for yourself. Don’t bottle up: Confiding in someone you trust is a great way of alleviating stress. Right perspective: The board exam may seem to be the most important thing right now, but in the bigger scheme of your life its plays a small role.

STUDY TIPS

• Enrich your environment with light, inspiring messages, flowers and plants.

• Avoid distractions. This will help you to concentrate better.

• Discipline yourself. There is no substitute for self-control and discipline. It is not a restriction of your freedom. Instead, it enables you to be a confident learner.

• Be persistent.

• Analyse the task and divide it into smaller study tasks to experience success.

• Take frequent tests to evaluate yourself.

• Use your intelligence to create study tools to learn and memorise. 

TIPS ON HOW TO REVISE

• Keep aside enough time to revise so that you don’t get into a situation of lastminute cramming. This approach will boost your confidence and reduce any pre-exam stress

• Work on a timetable so that you can track and monitor your progress. Make sure you allow time for fun and relaxation so that you avoid burning out

• As soon as you notice you are losing concentration, take a short break

• Experiment with alternative revision techniques so that revising is more fun and your motivation to study is high

• Don’t drink too much coffee, tea and soft drinks. The caffeine may blur your capacity to think clearly. Eat healthy food. The nutrients will help you

• Regular and moderate exercise will boost your energy, clear your mind and reduce stress

• Try out yoga or other relaxation techniques. They will help you stay and sleep better. That will improve your concentration level

Exam Result Stress

What is stress?

Stress is the reaction people have to excessive demands or pressures, such as passing exams. You may find it difficult to cope with tasks, responsibilities or other types of pressures or you might get anxious trying to meet such demands. This could be seen in you worrying excessively about getting results or about what you will do afterwards. Not only does it mess with your mind, it could also be affecting your physical health.

What are the symptoms?

Difficulty getting to sleep or difficulty waking up in the morning
Constant fatigue
Forgetfulness
Aches and pains for no apparent reason
Poor appetite
Social withdrawal
Loss of interest in activities
Increased anxiety and irritability
"Flying off the handle"
Increased heart rate
Migraines/headaches
Blurred vision
Dizziness
Everyone has bad days but if you've noticed three or more of the above symptoms and you've experienced them for some weeks you may need to do something about your stress levels. Visit your local GP to rule out other possible reasons for the symptoms such as depression. If you think you may be suffering from stress it is worth visiting your GP for a check up. Stressed out people have higher blood pressure, and where stress-levels hit boiling point sufferers are at a higher risk of death from any cause than their more chilled out colleagues. They are also prone to heart disease, colitis (inflammation of the bowels), thyroid disorders, and ulcers.
What causes it?

In the case of exam results time it may be:

Pressure from parents and relatives to do well
The need to get high grades to get on track for the career you really want (be it medicine, journalism or mechanics)
Uncertainty on what to do next - "There are so many options, what if I make the wrong choice?"
The whole process of everything changing in your life - friends and yourself maybe moving away, your daily and weekly structure will be totally different
The thing to remember is that while all of these fears and concerns are completely natural (all your mates are probably feeling exactly the same whether they let on or not) if you are getting yourself really worked up you need to try and relax.

How do I deal with it?

If you are suffering from stress try some of the following ways to calm down and chill out:
Try to make time for yourself away from work to wind down. For example relaxing in a warm bubble bath, listening to soothing music and shutting out the world for a while.
Take time for your mind and body to relax. Methods can include reading, meditation and yoga.
Take time to exercise. Regular and frequent exercise is a good stress reducer.
Eat well, skipping meals will deplete your energy and leave you drained.
Talk to your family and friends. Make time to see your mates, it will help you unwind and let you unburden any problems.

Exam Stress: Natural Feeling learn to deal with it.

Stress Points to Ponder

Stress comes in all forms and is an unavoidable consequence of life. Transient feeling of anxiety and Stress is part of life for every individual.

In the course of normal development transient feeling of anxiety is experienced and usually mastered by every child and adolescent.

Anxiety may be focused around certain issues or situation.

A mild degree of anxiety and stress may be stimulating and motivating, and may help to overcome stress; but high degree of stress may be disrupting.


The idea is to function with a level of stress that is life enhancing, not life threatening.

Examinations and interviews are undoubtedly situation, which call for stress.

Every child goes through such situations and learns to cope up with stress arising out of them. They are also learnt by imitation of the parents or parent figures.

Appearing for examination: is one of very common situation, which an adolescent finds difficult of cope up with.

Right approach and right coping strategies may stimulate an adolescent to over come anxiety and maximize own performance in the examination.

Stress is the body's response to any unpleasant situation.

Anything can cause stress as long as it is perceived as unpleasant.

However, some stressful event, such as a close contest in sport, can bring out the best in people.

Common Physical reaction during exam preparations

• Muscle tension
• Indigestion
• Sleep difficulties
• Repaid uneven or pounding heartbeat
• Frequent urge to pass urine
• Fast, shallow breathing
• Chest discomfort
• Change in appetite,
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Backache

Eating Healthy

• Balancing food choices over time is what counts.
• Breakfast provides the energy needed through an active morning
• Children who skip breakfast may have trouble concentrating
• Fast food supply more fat, salt & calories that good nutrition
• Fast food is moderation won 't ruin a healthful diet, especially when consumed with green salads.
• Replace finger chips with an apple
• Add roughage to your diet - Dalia, Corn etc. will help prevent stomach discomfort and you will feel lighter.
• The golden rule for food safety is to keep hot foods hot& cold foods cold.
• Parents should teach good habits by example.

Good Sleep - Good Exam.

• Insomnia ( The inability to fall or stay asleep) Can be caused by Stress & anxiety of Exam.
• Disturbances of 'sleep- wake' cycle during exams.
• If sleep struggles continue, talk them over with your doctor..

Exercise and Physical Activity

• Walk or cycle 15 minutes a day at least thrice a week.
• Avoid sitting cross - legged on the ground because this is bad for your knees.
• Avoid being a couch potato.
• Cut out junk food and control your weight.
• Swim or play a sport at least twice a week.

THE MUST DO'S FOR STUDENTS

1. Know your concentration span, Study with breaks.
2. Work out best time for concentration
3. Group study for difficult subjects.
4. Do Not let pervious results discourage you-identify your weak areas from previous exams and work on them.
5. Time Management plan must be made for all subjects.
6. Choose a study place with minimum distractions and auto suggest to your self about your resolution.
7. Try to coincide study time with the time, you would be giving an exam.
8. In case of average achievers, master what you know and are comfortable with.
9. for low achievers, master the essential information first.
10. Prioritize the workload. Give your best concentration time to the toughest subject.
11. Repeat your learnt work so the recall in exam is easy. Work not repeated or revised is easily forgotten.
12. Try to plan your revision time by drawing up a timetable. Build in time for the things you enjoy - like watching your favourite TV programme, going out with your friends, or going to play football in the park.
13. Give yourself a few treats - pamper yourself with a long hot bath, or listen to your favourite CD for an hour after you have finished your revision.
14. Relax with what you know before entering the exam hall.
15. Do not get anxious about the result - cross that bridge when you come to it --- options await.

"Active" Study Strategies
when studying you can Recite You could

• Describe or explain aloud any topic in your own words.
• Teach or explain the information to someone else ( or record into a tape recorder ) or,
• Engage in simulation or role play.

When studying, you can WRITE you could

• Make a chapter study Review Card ( Use an index card: include special vocabulary, main ideas, examples, key events and people, causes, result and so on )
• Make and use a set of flashcards ( vocabulary and definition, math problems and solutions, questions and answers and so on),
• Make list of related information by categories ( causes results, important event or concepts, main ideas examples, key people and so on and recite them,
• Draw a diagram, map a sketch, or a chart; do this from memory and check your notes or books for accuracy,
• Write questions you think will be on the test and recite the answers, Create a mnemonic to remember, information ( such as please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally, used for order of operations in solving an equation - Parenthesis - Exponent - Multiply - Divide - Add - Subract )

MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON EXAMS 
How do I deal with exam related stress?

Recognize your negative thoughts. Once you closely examine these thoughts you'll see how unrealistic they are. Challenge the thoughts that say you are a failure and that you can't succeed. Remind yourself that it was just another exam and with effort, you will do better in your next attempt.

What if I don't get the marks I'm expecting?
Concentrate on your achievements and be realistic about your expectations as well. Usually we know when we have made a mistake, so take these into account while drawing up expected marks. If you are still dissatisfied with the results, the option of rechecking is always open.


I think there is too much pressure can't cope with it. 
Take professional help. If you feel that there is pressure and you are unable to handle it and your self-esteem is coming down and you are unable to cope, then you must consult a psychiatrist to help you tide over this phase.


How much sleep is required?
The human body requires an average of 8 hours of sleep per day but there is no hard and fast rule. Each one of us has to understand our body rhythm and know by trial and error how many hours of sleep keeps us fit.

What happens if we sleep less than what our body requires?
If you sleep less for a day or two your body copes up by taking more sleep over next two days. If continued for long then the body gets into what is known as sleep debt. Then you get symptoms of feeling tired and sleepy, headaches, body aches, poor digestion, inability to concentrate, irritability, short temperedness etc.

Should I study in the morning or at night?
First understand whether you are an owl or a lark. IF you can get up early in the morning and feel fresh then you must sleep early and get up early and study. If on the other hand you can study later at night but cannot feel fresh when you get up early to study then you must sleep late after studying and get up later in the morning.

How to get good night sleep?
Try to keep a fixed time every night for sleeping as far as possible Avoid afternoon prolonged sleeping, a short nap may be helpful. One hour before bedtime avoid stimulating your sensory system by too much noise like loud music, too much TV, arguments or fights. Three hours before sleep time avoid taking any food or liquids, which contain caffeine, like aerated cold drinks, drinks containing chocolate.

To keep awake for studying students drink lots of coffee. What is the harm?

Caffeine in small doses acts as a stimulant and keeps you awake, so a cup once a day may be OK, Excessive coffee drinking gives side effects like tremors, fast pulse rate, irritability and stomach pain. Coffee also causes addiction.

How does exercise help ?
Regular aerobic exercise ( Swimming, bicycling, jogging ) improves the function of our cardiovascular system. This makes the circulation better, the lungs process oxygen more effectively so you have less exertion. Heart pumps blood with fewer heart beats ( the athletes pulse is always slow) it stimulates the growth of capillaries that increase blood supply hence better oxygenations to muscles. All this makes your body more efficient and give your more endurance capacity giving you more stamina for working so that you can sit longer hours without discomfort. This will make you study harder and better.

Diet During exams:
Diet is very important during teenage years, improper diet will lead to poor growth and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.


What happens If you miss breakfast?
If you miss breakfast them by the time you have lunch nearly 10+12 hours have gone by after your last meal. This means your blood sugar level has gone and you have nothing to provide your body with energy. This low blood sugar or hypoglycemia causes short term memory problems, difficulty in concentration problem solving.

DO NOT MISS LUCNH if you do so your blood sugar level will again dip down and you will have all symptoms of hypoglycemia and will not be able to perform after lunch hours. You will be also be very fatigued by the time you come home and will not be able to study in the evening.

DO NOT HAVE A VERY HEAVY DINNER 
You will feel very heavy and sleepy and will not be able to study well.

How to Pass The Exams

A student at any level or stage of education is afraid of examinations. Be it a primary class or a Xth examination, students have this examination phobia. Even after preparing well the student feels nervous and insecure. Examinees need not remember everything verbatim. Only the salient points of each chapter or lesson should be clear which could be elaborated as required. Which implies that it is imperative to comprehend rather than to cram. To pass an examination whatever one reads and learns has to be reviewed and analyzed as per the questions asked in the examination.

Making Notes

It is a very good habit to make notes of what you read. Newton, Einstein, R.L. Stevenson, Charles Darwin, and other great people prepared notes for their studies. The advantages of making notes are

1. This is a condensed form of the matter studied and can be used to read, understand and revise.
2. Notes are an expression of the matter studied, in one's own words.
3. With the help of notes one can easily remember the main ideas and important details.

It is processed, cooked form of the whole material ready for digestion. Therefore, do not miss making notes of what you can hear or read.

When To Use Notes

1. Try to understand the study matter especially its implied principle or theory.
2. It is not proper to read again and again at a time, you must read at intervals. Fifteen minutes of regular study is far better and effective than doing nothing throughout the week and then reading for hours together.
3. Instead of reading again and again and trying to cram things, it is better to read carefully once and then recapitulate it. Research has proved that reading a thing immediately again gives only 7% more understanding and reading it the third time increases the understanding by only 1%. It means the achievement is not commensurate with the time consumed.
   Therefore it is better that:
   • You become clear about the subject/topic.
   • You question yourself on the topic or about which you have to answer.
   • You make brief notes.
   • You test yourself.
   • You apply the knowledge gained.
   • You try to visualize everything, recollect all the important points and comprehend it not partly but wholly.
   • You do not try to finish up the unit forcibly. Read as much as you deem proper and then stop.
   • Having read the chapter you revise it again within the next 8 hours.
   • If possible do not change the place of study.
   • Keep your back straight while studying. Sit erect. Do not resort to easy postures.
4. It is essential to solve old question papers.
5. Answers should be properly arranged, neat, clear and only conceptualized and not at all irrelevant.
6. While answering the paper always answer those questions first which you can handle well.

Important Advice

Prepare fully. "What to read and what to leave" is a wrong attitude. Do not leave or set aside the question asked in the previous papers. Take care of small things, like your pen, pencil, and ink/refill. Your ink must be brilliant and you must have an extra pen. Your writing must be clear and legible. A bad handwriting annoys the examiner. Keep your watch well set and in order. Take care of your handkerchief, spectacles etc. Every small thing has its own importance. Take care of everything, God is always willing and keen to grant you success. Only you must be sure how keen you yourself are!!

Balancing Commitments

Things to remember

1. Time managementPlanning your time will allow you to study as well as take time off to watch TV, go out with friends and have extra curricular activities such as music and clubs etc.
2. Planning and disciplineSelect a time for study when you concentrate the best and develop a habit of studying at this time. Some students prefer the early morning, others the afternoon or night. Try to make this study time when there are fewer distractions around you.
3. Keeping fitExercise and keeping fit are some things that many students worry about as it is time consuming - but don't put this off because of a lack of time. A fit and healthy lifestyle helps you feel more positive and have more energy. It also helps concentration. Play a sport, get outside for fresh air and exercise and try to do this on a regular basis. Even 10 minutes of fitness activity each day has benefits. And don't forget, relaxation exercises are also helpful. (your school counsellor could give you more information on these)
4. Manage your stressIt's the rule rather than the exception for student to feel nervous before exams. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Aim to keep your routines as normal as possible during exam periods. On the day before an exam, stick to your revision plan. On the night before, have an early night, so that you give yourself the opportunity to get plenty of sleep and wake up alert.
5. Learn to say noYour friends want to go out on Wednesday but you're committed to studying for that Economics exam? Or you're not allowed to go out on weeknights so you get the weekend free? Then, say no. It's the only way your plans for the rest of the week will stay in place.

Balancing Commitments

School is more than books and assignments.

It is important to maintain balance. Balancing commitments is especially important to senior high school students. Being able to balance your school commitments with social, recreational and family life is important for a happy and healthy lifestyle.

Key ways for students to achieve this balance include: having a set of priorities and goals; being as positive as you can; having support networks of people you can talk things over with; and being prepared to tackle problems early and work out ways to manage them. There is no perfect way of 'doing the HSC'. Each student needs to be supported to find their own way of managing their lives at this stage. If things are not going well at school or there are other pressures it is useful to know that there are other pathways to the HSC.