Learning is a procedure that involves a series of steps. Spoken speech requires less effort than written speech and hence the convention,the world over, to send children to school where the teaching is done verbally by teachers, making it easier for the student to learn. A degree of proficiency in the language, in which the lessons are taught, is required by the student to fully understand what is taught. What is understood is generally stored in the mind but it will become hazy with time, unless it is revised. The number of times a lesson needs to be revised in order to train the mind to recall it at will, may differ from person to person. Each of us must make an effort to understand our own potential and limitations so that we can be realistic in setting our goals and time frame for preparation of our lessons.
Every person has different abilities and different degrees of the same abilities. What one person may learn in 45 minutes another may take one hour. Each of us must learn to assess our individual ability to learn lessons, do homework and prepare for written tests. The objective should be to improve one’s own performance and not to outdo another’s. If I need an hour to learn a lesson then I must set aside that one hour and get started with learning the lesson. This will ensure sufficient time for learning and decrease stress within. It is when we race against time and set unrealistic goals for ourselves that we are unable to cope and that is when we experience additional stress. While preparing lessons for tests, allow yourself points for accomplishing the targets you have set for yourself.. This gives a sense of achievement and acts as an incentive for reaching higher. Grades are a necessary evil in a system of assessment and merit ranking is only a case of relative performance. Do not worry unduly about your rank. Put your efforts into learning and preparing your lessons and be sure to revise. As long as you have studied and done your best, you need not have any apprehensions. After class tests and examinations discuss the subject of your papers with your parents. Take them into confidence and tell them your own assessment of your performance. This will prepare them for the results when they are finally declared. Parents want to be a part of their child’s life. Do not deprive them of this joy by being aloof or non-communicative. They will always be sympathetic to your needs. Even if something goes amiss, share your fears with them. Parents are your best friends and will be willing to do anything for your happiness….although at this stage in life you may not think so. If you have a problem in understanding the lessons tell your parents at the earliest so that they may be able to help out in some way. If anything else worries you, share your anxieties with themPeer rivalry also creates tensions. An excellent way to diminish this is by being appreciative of your rival’s talents. If someone scores better marks, compliment the person. It works in an amazing way to create good will and foster better relations. If a classmate has a better handwriting, compliment the person for it. Good will tends to be infectious and very soon, each person sees the positive in others rather than the negative and this causes interpersonal stresses to decline all around.
Being made fun of can undermine the sense of self-worth so never make fun of others. If you do not make fun of others, others will not make fun of you and you will not have to suffer the embarrassment of ridicule.
Tests and examinations are only one part of student life. Exercise, leisure and all other daily activities related to health and hygiene must go on so each student must ensure that their activities are optimally balanced, with adequate time for sleep.
Dr.ShakuntalaDawesar
14th September 2015
In the Press
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