ASTI: avoid the big cram

THE key to success in the Junior and Leaving Certificate exams, beginning on Wednesday, is to avoid long cramming sessions before every paper, teachers have advised.

The first papers in English will be the focus of attention for more than 52,000 Leaving Certificate and almost 58,000 Junior Certificate candidates on Wednesday morning.

The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) said that, while it is normal to experience some anxiety during the exam period, it is important that students keep things in perspective.

“Instead of worrying, try to remain calm and focused and keep telling yourself ‘I will try to do the best that I can’,” said ASTI president Michael Freeley.

He said that preparations the evening before an exam should include mental planning of the time available for answering each question, and setting aside all the items you need such as pens and other stationery.

“Avoid a marathon cramming session before any exam and, instead, break study time into short revision sessions with some breaks,” he said.

Mr Freeley said that a routine should be set during the exams, to include the following:

End each evening by doing something which relaxes you.

Get a good night’s sleep.

Eat a healthy breakfast.

Leave plenty of time to get to the exam centre so you’re not rushing at the last minute.

The ASTI president also advised students to avoid detailed analysis of papers afterwards and not to let media reports worry them about how well they have done in a particular paper.

“However you feel you may have performed, move your focus to the next exam and think as positively as you can,” Mr Freeley said.

Meanwhile, ASTI general secretary John White has said that any new programme for Government must set out steps to address funding and class sizes in second-level schools.

Mr White reminded the various parties of their commitments in their pre-election manifestos.

“We now expect the programme for Government to include a clear plan setting out what will be done to address the issue of large classes in our second-level schools,” Mr White said.

The Green Party’s education policy commits to appointing more than 1,000 extra teachers at second level, as recommended in a 2001 report for the Department of Education.

An ASTI survey published in April showed that around one-in-six Junior Certificate students experience classes of 30 children or more on a regular basis.

“Large class size is the single biggest problem facing second-level teachers,” Mr White said. “Given that Ireland comes 29th out of 30 OECD countries in terms of investment in each second-level student’s education, relative to the county’s wealth, the negotiation of a new programme for Government provides the incoming government with a chance to show its commitment to our young people and their futures.”