Raising the game before examinations
I was recently on a panel titled ‘Raise your Game’ that addressed the current batch of 12th Std students of PSBB KK Nagar and Nungambakkam schools on the importance, and the process, of preparing for the 12th Std board exams.
My co-panelists were Captain Raghavan, currently in charge of Business Development for Medall, Dr. LS Ganesh, Professor at IIT Madras, and Gautham Umashankar, a just passed out alumnus of PSBB KK Nagar, now a student at IIT Madras.
I covered the parents’ perspective – why parents fret so much about their progeny’s board exams and how they can help their wards achieve their goals. I am sharing the main points of that talk here as I was told it could help others who are in that situation, or are approaching it.
Board exams are often thought of as the back-up plan. This is particularly true of children who aspire for careers where specific entrance examinations are routinely appeared for – such as Engineering (JEE, BITSAT etc.), Medicine (NEET), Architecture (NATA) etc. However the fact is that the boards ARE the main plan – since a very small percentage of each batch actually cracks entrance examinations – the vast majority join college based on board marks. Therefore, as much as we might build castles in the air about success in entrance exams, it is most prudent to study and do well in board examinations. This is especially important since the quality of institutions at the various cut-off points of board marks can be discernibly and experientially different.
A big relief is that the 12th Std. boards are a new page, a clean slate, if you will. How the student has done so far does not matter at all. All that matters now is that final board exam. This is empowering – for once, your history does not come to bite you. Apply yourself now and you can make up for much of any previous lackadaisical attitude towards academics. Further, many parents often hear children say that it is a long period of time for preparation. Put in perspective though, six months in a life span of 75-100 years is hardly anything – especially when it can make a noteworthy difference to one’s trajectory.
Dreaming and wishing alone does not produce success. Excellence, persistence and drive are essential to succeed. Mediocrity will never get one to the upper echelons of achievement. So, regardless of now or later, one has to put the nose to the grindstone and put in focused hard work to succeed. Generally speaking, procrastination is very common amongst children. The kids should keep Dana Stewart Scott’s quote in mind: “Learn as much as you can while you are young, since life becomes too busy later”. This is very true. While in school, most children are taken care of by parents and guardians, and all they are responsible for is studying. In later years, life takes over – be it earning a living, health issues for self and/or family etc. The sooner one applies oneself, the sooner (and easier) the doors of life open.
Plan of action for studying: First calculate the time available. Deduct 25%. This leaves time for mock exams and contingencies such as ill health, family events and revision. Then take a thorough look at the portions to be studied for the examinations. Now, draw up a goal oriented time-table. Here, the student assesses how much time one requires for each chapter – this should not be calculated according to pages, but rather the difficulty of that material to that particular student. The time table should include times for meals and for breaks – appropriate breaks are critical to utilise one’s study time effectively. Once created, this timetable should be followed religiously. At least one day a week should be left for revision of all prior studied material to date. Make sure you write a lot – the process of putting pen to paper registers material better than reading alone.
As many mock examinations should be done as possible, and under examination conditions. This means closed book and gadget free, sitting for that duration, not taking any breaks and not allowing oneself to be interrupted. One should take the mock exam with the same level of seriousness as a real exam and should then get it corrected by the appropriate teachers. The feedback should be gone through with a fine tooth comb. Identify every point where you lost marks, and redo the problems to perfection. Register and assimilate the error so that it does not happen again. Then, repeat.
In the Q&A session, a child said that parents ‘get on her case’ the second she takes a break, but that they needed those breaks. She wanted to know how to deal with that issue. Here is where consultation and discussion with the parents come in. Children should share their study plan with their parents and get their feedback. If the parents know that the children are, in fact, following a plan, and are themselves aware of it and buy into it, they too become stakeholders and the parents will rest easier.
Parents can seem annoying, but they know their child very well. Gandhi said, “There is no school equal to a decent home and no teacher equal to a virtuous parent”. When parents make suggestions, it would be in the children’s interests to take it seriously.
Parents should keep in mind that no matter how important the exam, children NEED breaks. Just keeping a book in front of them does not mean they are studying. What is in the books has to register – and for it to do so, breaks are essential. Ideally, breaks should include physical activity in the open air. While tiring at that moment, such activity is invigorating and leads to overall improvement in stamina. Of course, contact sports are best avoided at such times.
Children should try to study for at least two hours at a time. If a particular subject appears onerous or is frustrating, the child can switch to another subject for a temporary change. But studying must happen for a concerted duration. Children should share periodic achievements of goals AND any difficulties with family – they are ready to listen to you and provide encouragement and further motivation.
Sleep is critical – both for overall health and for concentration. Obtain at least a minimum of 7 hours of uninterrupted shut eye. A power napping system of sleeping really does not work well. Where do I have 7 hours, you ask? If you utlilise the remaining 17 hours properly, every child will have more than enough time to prepare and prepare well.
Many panels can be dry and boring – not just to the audience, but to the panelists themselves. This was one occasion it wasn’t. Everyone spoke well, each feeding off the other and, at the end, the students were presented with a cohesive message they could actually utilise.
In a nutshell, the time is now. One should apply oneself, put in hard work, spend time productively and work towards the goal. If so done, the goal cannot but be achieved.
