Day Eleven: Reviewing for a Test, Part One

When I was a student, I never liked it when we took a test literally the day after the last lesson of the unit. Well, I guess I never liked it when we took a test. They almost always seemed to be an arbitrary measurement of what I knew. (Check out my other blog on the Theology of Catholic Pedagogical Theory to learn more about what I really think!). I guess as a teacher I want everything we do in class to be useful. The test, itself, is a learning process. The educational term is: “Formative Assessment”. At the end of the semester, students can use the test to prepare for the final exam, assuming they don’t throw the test away immediately after it is returned. But before they take a test, I want to teach them some study skills.

“What is the most important thing we have studied so far this year?” I give them one minute to respond to this question. Automatic bonus points if anyone talks about image and likeness of God. Just kidding; I never give bonus points!

Holy Family Shrine in Gretna, Nebraska. (P. Smith)

We say a prayer with intentions, and then I ask students to share their Bellwork on the whiteboard. I challenge every students to get up and move. If more than one person writes the same thing that is fine. As long as they are moving around, they are activating some kinesthetic learning motors. Plus, I can use it against them if they tell me they are bored in class; I just tell them they should have walked around more.

I go through what is written on the board and ask students to define terms or concepts if that is what they have written. Maybe some students can’t remember what something means or they have some more questions, so we take time to review. Some students take notes on what we are talking about. Some students say they are taking notes on their iPads, but they are really playing video games; I remind them how much their education costs per minute.

Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora, Colorado (P. Smith)

When I was in college I really started to learn how to study. I was lucky in high school; I could just read things and it would stick, at least that was my gift until I had my first seizure. Then I had to learn how to study in different ways. I have a lot of tricks that I can share with my students. Today in class, I want to show them some. It is all about organization. Already they have reviewed some of the terms, from memory, just by having a conversation. It is an easy skill. But my main objective comes in the next part of class where I tell them the objective:

“Students will be able to create a study guide for the test”. I will finish this in the next blog.