You too can conquer that examination if . . .

EDITOR;- As you approach your examinations, you may be on tension as this happens at all levels of education. You need to adopt strategies that can help you deal with the anxiety and be able to prepare adequately for the examinations.I believe the teachers have done a lot to prepare you for the forthcoming examinations and I know that they are still doing their best to help you succeed. The parents, guardians and other stakeholders have offered the necessary support to facilitate your studies. The ball is now in your court. Take up the challenge like you have always done in the other examinations that you have faced before.The examiner expects you to prove that you have been taught effectively and that you have mastered the concepts. The examinations that you are about to sit are related to the ones that your teachers have been setting. You should not get worried of them in any way.Seek continuous guidance from the teachers on aspects of question interpretation and answering techniques. You may identify past paper questions, attempt them and request the teachers to mark your work. They will guide you on how best you should handle the questions in order to excel. Teachers are always interested in assisting students who attempt certain questions and hand in their work for correcting.You should have a flexible revision timetable which creates room for making adjustments according to your progress. The time table should be drafted in such a way that you do not focus on a given topic or subject for a long time. Your brain may get worked up as a result of monotony and you may end up reading without mastering anything substantial. You should keep switching topics and subjects as you get along. The timetable should cater for all the topics and subjects in relatively equal proportions. This is because examinations focus on the entire curriculum.Try to recall notesAfter reading a given topic, you may put the book aside and try to outline the key points that are in line with what you have just read. You may lookout for some questions that may be based on the aspect you have read and find out whether you are in position to answer them. This helps you to deepen your understanding of the concepts.Group discussions are also crucial at this stage. There is a lot that you may achieve through sharing information with your colleagues. You may research on various aspects and give one another questions to discuss in the group. This method is so effective that it enables the participants to support and correct one another. The participants are able to determine how much they have achieved and their areas of difficulty. Thereafter, the group may approach the teacher and seek guidance in their weak areas.Last-minute lessonsYou should attend all the lessons because at this stage, teachers think a lot in terms of what they expect the examiners to set. They also carry out a mop up exercise to ensure that they do not leave any stones unturned. Therefore, you should be in class until when the teachers stop meeting you for lessons.Create time for refreshing your brain and the entire body. You should engage yourself in sporting activities like football, volleyball, basketball, tennis, baseball, rugby and swimming, among others. This helps the body to relax and refresh such that by the time you resume your revision, you are fresh and motivated. Remember that work without play makes Jack a dull boy.You should have enough sleep in order to give your mind and body adequate rest. It is not good to force yourself to read when you are supposed to be sleeping.Pray to God to bless you. He loves you and wants you to achieve your goals in life. Go for success!The writer is a teacher at Riviera High School