As much as we try to prepare students for the concept of studying, it becomes real once Year 11 hits – in NSW schools this is the first of the two year Higher School Certificate. I am working with some students now and am reminded of that steep learning curve again.
There are two issues at hand. First, the syllabus is not an easy to read document for a student or parent with no education training. Second, you don’t need to study something you already understand and remember – studying is another word for the task of learning again or learning differently.
In terms of the syllabus, it is wonderful that this exists and provides such clear guidelines as to what is needed. In class students are told by their classroom teachers to study the dot points from the syllabus. The trouble is that there’s some hidden curriculum here, there are lots of dot points in the syllabus and some will definitely help students study. However there is also a lot in the syllabus that needs to be deconstructed or explicitly identified for students to ignore. This information is also helpful for parents who are looking at the syllabus documents provided by school with senior workbooks wondering how to help their child.
As for studying it is such an incredibly loaded word. We don’t need to study things we already know, because we understand it and remember it and can use it when we get a question. In fact, it is really hard to dedicate time and energy and focus reviewing something I know so well. We need to do something about the things I don’t yet know. We do have to study these things because we don’t yet understand them or remember them and won’t be able to use them in a test. I describe studying to my students and parents as learning from home by yourself. Here are my top tips to get started with studying using the HSC syllabus.
Tip 1. Locate the topic from the syllabus you’re being tested on.
Tip 2. Look for the words “Students learn about”. Highlight, cut or paste these dot points onto something fresh – these are the things you need.
Tip 3. Answer the dot points you already know the answer to. Write a definition or note and move on.
Tip 4. Highlight the dot points you don’t know. These are the ones you need to learn before you can study – this is the first step to study. Use your class notes, Google for more information (remember videos first, see previous posts). When you can answer the dot point write it down and move onto the next one.
Tip 5. Review these notes before your test. Read then notes, have someone ask you questions, delay the time between reading and asking questions … the amount of time you have for this depends on how early you started to learn/study the information.
The first set of senior school exams are approaching – try these tips to get started.
