VBS News Net: Head of Development Centre Ms. Mary Zheng gave a motivated speech for all junior secondary school students on 22nd May on dealing with exam stress and study tips. She destress students by mentioning the uses of exams to reflect their studies.

She recommended students to read Make it Stick by Peter C. Brown which has ranked top in cognitive psychology genre recommendations at Amazon. This book summarised human's general study patterns researched by all 11 cognitive psychologists for ten years. Cutting-edge research results could be used by students to manipulate the effective way to study. She listed a few quotes from the book to share some ideas on solving problems by oneself and demonstrate their content mastery.

Meaning of test

She pointed out that having exams would be the best way to promote studies in scientific speaking. Students could gain a better understanding and memory on content by testing. In order to do that, students had to make connections for all the knowledge learnt. The best testing would be exams. If self-testing was performed during study process, the content mastery would be enhanced. Exams could be the best way to improve study outcomes as means to assist students to master the content.

Study methods

What could be effective studying methods?  Numbering, reinforcement, checking, interval practice, cross-interval practice and overall practice. Ms. Zheng suggested reinforcing memory and . She also introduced brain science as IQ could be improved. With constant hardwork and growing mindset, study abilities would improve so students had to take actions. So the key elements here were growing mindset, execution and thinking like experts.

Study Strategy

Ms. Zheng asked students to take exams with optimism while forming good studying and thinking habits and put in effort in the exam of every unit, period and semester. She also encouraged students to consider exams as challenges with no fear or resent to remain robust to study. Exam was supposed to be another form of learning at a deeper level which has a better outcome. She emphasised that there would be no failure in exams, not scoring well once did not mean failure. The key was to reinforce their weakness and do better next time. 

Finally, Ms. Zheng recommended Mindset: The New Psychology of Success Book by Carol Dweck and Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise by K. Anders Ericsson. She hoped students could learn something from books at their spare time to become life-learners with effective thinking.

Ms. Zheng made use of the morning to guide students to get rid of anxiety whereas talking through the strategy, meaning and attitude of studies. She said, 'Students, you are still the VBS Youth of the Future with love, hopes and dreams. What the school is doing is to empower you to cope with the present and future.'