College News

A MESSAGE FROM THE RECTOR’S DESK

It has been a remarkably busy school term for many, and fortunately the half-term provided some respite and allowed the necessary time for examination preparation. Our Matrics are enjoying the new hall as an examination venue, as it easily accommodates the larger number of students. The temperature control and flooring are ideal for the examination setting. They will go down in our history as the first Matric group to write in the Memorial Hall, something a number of students have shown enthusiasm for. What is relevant is that it is a milestone for our school – a multipurpose hall worthy of our vision and aspirations.

Examinations can bring significant anxiety and stress for some. I ask parents to help their children set realistic goals to avoid unnecessary stress. Exercise, eating well and avoiding social media will all go a long way towards reducing stress. I have noticed a number of students studying from their notes right up until they walk into an examination. The question is: should students stop reading their notes outside the examination room?

The answer is, “It depends.” It depends on the student and on what they are revising just before the examination. Reading a one-page summary immediately beforehand probably refreshes cues, reminds students of formulas or definitions and
could even build confidence. This would therefore be helpful. A one-page summary or flow chart of the work would indicate prior preparation and completion of the full scope of the work.

Trying to revise new content immediately prior to an examination is not advisable, especially if the new work is similar to other work already learnt. This is said to create retrieval competition or retroactive interference with existing knowledge. In such cases, a student should stop reading outside the examination entrance.

Research also shows that last-minute review consisting solely of passively rereading pages of notes is almost certainly less effective than spending the same amount of time trying to recall the material without looking.

Finally, my personal experience is that reading notes outside the examination entrance increases anxiety immediately before the examination, especially when other students are asking questions or suggesting what will be in the paper. This must be avoided at all costs.

I wish all of our students and parents everything of the best during the examination period.

Mr Warwick Taylor

“Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.”
— Charles Spurgeon