Make Your Grades Tell The Right Story

As the study year comes to a close and the end-of-year examination approaches, the sense of urgency is certainly more palpable and we can confront it with either determination or dread. While the Year Ones get a glimpse of the stress of the year-end examination for the first time in our school, the Year Sixes are making the last push for the examination that twelve years of their education have prepared them for. Whether you are worried about your grades being not-so-stellar, or you just have no idea how to organise yourself for the upcoming examination at this trying period of stress, fret not! The last push is just round the corner and hopefully this article can help you prepare for it.

We interviewed Mr Shane Koh, a history teacher and teacher in-charge of the Humanities and Current Affairs Society (HACAS), as well as a Year 6 student who chose to remain anonymous (we’ll call him Frank), for them to offer their insights on how to study effectively and make sure that, at the end of the day, your grades tell the right story.

So, what insights do these people have to offer? While Frank is now one of Mr Koh’s better students, his grades in History were not always the greatest. When he was in Year Four, Frank realised that he did not understand how to write the way the subject required him to, and he never scored higher than a C6. He also noticed that there was a problem with his habits in school - he had been playing iPad games non-stop. From Year Five onwards, Frank stopped bringing his iPad to school, which allowed him to focus a lot more during lessons. If you’re one of those addicted to gaming in and out of class, perhaps it’s a good time to eradicate that bad habit. After all, in the long run, you’ll feel better about your grades than that sweet Tier 3 skin.

Frank’s main change, though, was dedication to paying attention during lessons. He stayed back in school to study from time to time, but mostly he was making use of the long breaks he got as a humanities student to study more. Such is the recommendation he gives to all of us - focusing in class is key, and immediately revise during break time or whenever you can. Frank’s strong performance in the subject is testimony to the effectiveness of this strategy.

The library - if you’re familiar with night study, you’re familiar with this place.

So, what words of wisdom can we glean from a teacher? We spoke to Mr Koh about what he felt were the things holding students back the most from achieving their full potential. In addition to an addiction to iPad games that Frank mentioned, Mr Koh found the main problems to be general lethargy, a lack of direction and clarity of how to move forward.

Mastering a subject is one thing, but how do we master the art of studying? Mr Koh proposes a systematic approach to studying effectively for examinations.

1. A studying regime is the first step towards getting your grades back on track. A plan or timetable of sorts, tailored to your needs, so it can be on a weekly, daily, or even an hourly basis. No two people are the same, so find what works for you! The slots within your timetable need not be so regimented, as long as you list things to do such as “by today, I have to finish Chapter 1 of…” or something similar. For those with exams approaching or need a little longer to get started, NOW might just be the time to get this regime going!

2. Discipline and commitment is also important once you have your timetable. While having a plan is great, it will do you no good if it ends up being unfollowed and forgotten! To make sure that you stick to your timetable, find out a few things - namely the place where you study best, be it in the library for night study or at home, and whether you prefer to study with friends or study alone. If you wish to study with friends, it’s important to get a consistent team going. Once you have that all figured out, the key is to stick to the plan, and anything you come up with should be manageable.

3. Consult your teachers. When you start going with your plan, challenges are bound to crop up along the way. Suppose there are certain concepts you do not understand or a method you can’t execute - then it’s time to approach a teacher for help. While you should not be afraid to seek your teachers for assistance, you should also go prepared. Instead of meeting your teacher without doing any prior work, do your studying beforehand, and use the consultation time to ask specific questions.

4. Practise consistently. Setting aside time to consistently practise is important. You can try redoing assignments or certain exercises you might have accidentally (or not) left blank. Turning to the ten-year series for practice might also be a good idea. In addition to trying questions and practising on a consistent basis, it is important not to give up one subject for another, but instead strike a balance. It is important not to focus on only your weakest or your strongest subjects, at the expense of the others.

If you’re lost on where to start, perhaps following these useful pointers by Mr Koh might be of help! With the advice he and Frank have proffered, it is up to us to learn and improve ourselves. Prepare yourselves well for the upcoming examinations, fellow students, and may your grades tell the right story!