Testing is a huge part of the education system in Australia and around the world, but are we taking the wrong approach when it comes to examinations?
Schools and tests are a way of life that begins with reading tests in kindergarten and finishes at the Higher School Certificate at the conclusion of regular schooling.
In addition to school based tests there are NAPLAN tests in years 3, 5, 7, and 9; OC and Selective School Placement tests in primary school.
As you can see, testing is a big part of education.
The School Certificate has disappeared in NSW with mixed reactions from teachers, parents and students.
The question remains: Why test in the first place?
Essentially tests are used to measure performance to ensure that a body of study has been covered and a standard of learning has been reached.
Examinations (or tests) in any field of endeavour are a performance and you perform better if you practise the test.
Many students seem to forget this aspect of study, they study the topic but they neglect to practise answering questions under test or examination conditions.
Master Coaching has a structured testing and reporting system that helps students not only to prepare for examinations but allow them to score at their real ability level.
If you want to practise tests in your own home make sure that you imitate real test situations.
For example, select a paper or set of questions that you have not used before, time yourself and answer the paper under proper test conditions.
Examination practice gives you one other big advantage; if you have practised and perfected a skill then you have confidence in that skill when you have to perform.
There are two quotes that are very apt at this time of the year.
One was the motto of the Scottish immigrant who became America’s premier steel magnate, Andrew Carnegie.
“Anything in life worth having is worth working for”.
The other sums up the feeling of your tutors at Master Coaching.
“You can do it if you believe you can”.
