Helping a child prepare for final exams

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DEAR DR. FOURNIER: My daughter is a good student, but struggles with finals every semester. Last year, several of her semester grades fell by a full letter because of poor exam performance. I recently read your column about the difference between learning and studying, and it really rang true for me. It seems as if our schools often focus on studying, instead of truly learning the material at hand. Unfortunately, I feel my daughter is probably merely studying for tests and not really learning the subject matter. There are only a few weeks left before final exams, but is there anything my daughter can do to make the best use of the remaining time?ASSESSMENT: The end of the year is a stressful time for most students. Final exams require students to recall information learned during the past three to four months and demonstrate in-depth, comprehensive understanding of the subject. Since many students have five or more exams, this can be a daunting time. To make matters worse, the last month of school is crammed with programs, field days, banquets and ceremonies. Add to that the worry over college admissions and scholarships, and many students find themselves overwhelmed.Concentration during this time is stymied at best -- for many students, it is near impossible. Students who were able to memorize information for chapter or section tests during the year are often swamped by the comprehensive nature of final exams. In this situation, the ability of students to organize -- both their time and the information they need to learn -- is critical for success.There are ways to help your daughter organize information for easier access during final exams. As for time management, a solid plan and review schedule can be of great help. Although exam time is quickly approaching, this should get your daughter on the right path for this semester and give her the tools she needs for future exams.WHAT TO DO: Every subject has a logical organization specific to the material covered during the semester. By following the logic of the subject, your daughter can organize and reconstruct the data into meaningful packets of information. By organizing the information in a way she understands, she takes "ownership" of the knowledge, instead of merely "leasing" the information from a teacher.By creating her own definitions, sequences and relationships, your daughter will not only remember the content for the test, she will truly understand the concepts and have no need to fear the questions.As she considers the best way to approach each subject, remind her to think about what makes each subject unique. Science courses are best viewed as processes by categories. Scientific processes are circular in nature; they begin, change, and then come full circle. On the other hand, history-related courses are not process-driven -- they are story-driven. History is a series of dates, names, places and specific events that are all characters in a larger story. Literature courses examine how words, characters, plots and thematic elements convey a larger idea in creative ways. Approaching each subject from this perspective brings new meaning to the big picture.Mathematics courses are usually the most difficult for students. To take ownership, students must be able to name the problem, know the mathematical processes that will result in a solution and assess the answer to judge its viability.As your daughter enters this busy time of the school year, I suggest that she step back, take a deep breath and arrive at the personal belief that she can finish the semester strong. With proper time-management and organizational skills, she can establish a content-ownership plan that will stay with her.(Write Dr. Yvonne Fournier, Fournier Learning Strategies Inc., 5900 Poplar, Memphis, Tenn. 38119. E-mail her at drfournier(at)hfhw.net)