Tag Archive for: Exam Papers

Joe’s Jotter: Six ACE Pointers to Settle you Back into Revision

Here are six useful habits for all students to Improve the quality of your study as we move past the settling back period and try to settle back into revision:

  1. Take regular breaks:

Yes, really! Taking short five-minute breaks every thirty minutes should keep you fresh and focused. However, make sure that five minutes doesn’t turn into an hour! Go for a short walk, call up a friend or have a snack and then come back to your work on time. Some studies have found that having a natter with friends can have a positive effect on memory and laughing increases serotonin (the body’s chemical that makes you happy). It is important to leave your study area during your breaks to get a change of perspective and return with renewed energy for the next session. Enjoyable breaks will allow you to become more efficient with your study blocks. Setting mini targets like completing a long exam question followed by a prolonged break is a smart way to operate.

  1. Stay alert and interested:

When reading, it is a good idea to make notes or highlight key terms. I believe you should always revise with a pen at hand. I feel that just by reading a piece of text, you are not actively engaging with it. In my experience, you will remember more by summarising it or even just by making markings with a red or green pen on the page. This method keeps the brain tuned in to the task at hand. Other learning methods you might consider for variety include YouTube videos, online quizzes, or creating mind maps. If you find yourself struggling to stay alert, you are probably tired, and it may be time for a break or retirement for the evening.

  1. Be ruthless with your notes:

Many students go to educational institutions after Christmas to boost their store of materials and, of course, their confidence. However, I have seen many students over the years become overwhelmed with too much material and they just end up getting swamped not knowing where to start. In subject areas you find difficult, reduce your material into manageable, thought provoking snippets. If you take notes in class, make sure to date and keep them for revision later. Dig out last year’s material requiring revision at this point. It is important to keep a record of what topics you have done in class and how long your teacher has spent on them. This will ensure you are clear on what has been covered and what still needs to be investigated. Being persistently consistent in relation to your notes is a big factor in doing well in exams.

  1. Set goals and keep records:

Setting goals will help you monitor your study and will give you something to work towards. If you under perform in a class test, set a mini goal for your next test to improve by a certain percentage. In your school journal, write down all your goals and check them off as you complete them – name it a ‘Junior Cycle or Leaving Cert bucket list’. Ultimately, use long-term goals to motivate you to ACE the short-term ones. Long-term goals might include a points target in your Leaving Certificate, a possible trip to third level or scoring that rewarding job later. A short-term goal will help you get where you want to be long term. Reviewing the success of your short-term goals every two weeks will give you a sense of achievement. An example of a short-term goal could involve summarising and understanding a chapter from your book and completing a past exam question relating to it. All successful students do a small plan and set goals for themselves.

  1. Earn your rewards:

Don’t forget to ‘have a life’ as you develop a routine that works for you. Reward yourself after a long study session with a trip to the cinema or visit to your friends. Ultimately, reward yourself with breaks, taking a reasonable one after every good hour’s work. There is nothing wrong with the odd bar of chocolate, ice-cream or packet of gummy bears; everyone who has done something constructive deserves a little thank you. Earn rewards with each thorough revision session you complete. This will improve your overall revision output.

  1. Start thinking about Exam papers:

Those of you in Exam years: Are you familiar with the layout of each exam paper and its marking scheme? If not, you need to get checking. You can source all the past exam papers in the ‘Examinations Material Archive’ section of the examinations.ie website. If you are doing exams in 2021 and haven’t a set of exam papers for each subject, don’t delay, get them today. A large part of your revision should be to assess and practice answering questions from past exam papers (under time pressure) on the topics you have covered in class. Remember also that each subject’s exam paper is different, so you need to get familiar with each one. You need to find out the exact layout and style of each individual paper. Is there a choice in sections? How many questions do you need to attempt in each section? Are there short/long questions or both? And, most importantly, how long can you plan to spend on each individual question? Being super familiar with paper layout is key.

To read about how Junior Cycle students can make more out of their evenings, click here.

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More details about Joe’s ACE Tuition (Maths and English), ACE Career Coaching, and his ever popular ACE Maths Solution Books for the Junior and Leaving Certificate can be found via the links below. Be sure to pick up your copy today!

W: acesolutionbooks.com
FB:
facebook.com/JoeMcCormackEducationalExpert/
#:   #JoesJotter

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© Joe McCormack 2020

Joe’s Jotter: Six ACE Pointers to Settle you Back into Revision

Joe’s Jotter: Six ACE Pointers to Settle you Back into Revision
Joe’s Jotter: Six ACE Pointers to Settle you Back into Revision

Exam Papers Support From Ace Solution Books Ireland

Exam Papers Support From Ace Solution Books Ireland

Exam Papers expert, Joe McCormack, an Irish eduational expert, has taught Mathematics, Geography, ICT, Technical Graphics, C.S.P.E, Woodwork, and Science in various Secondary schools in Ireland for the last fifteen years.

Joe offers expert Exam Papers support. To find out more about this Exam Papers support, click here.

Joe corrects exam papers for the Department of Education and Skills as well as the Dublin Examining Board. In addition to this, he has worked in Ireland’s top school for tuition, the Dublin School of Grinds.

Exam Papers Support From Ace Solution Books Ireland

Through his experience and research, Joe has gained a unique understanding of the struggles and obstacles students’ face when it comes to the Leaving Certificate. With more than five thousand followers on Facebook, Joe answers queries and posts informative material to provide ongoing support to Leaving Certificate students and their parents.

Joe also offers a range of other support combined with support for Exam Papers.

ACE Solution Books are an unrivalled suite of books that will ensure Secondary school students achieve their maximum potential in their final exams.

Exam Papers Support From Ace Solution Books Ireland

Exam Papers, Support From Ace Solution Books Ireland

From Project Maths Guru to Informative Educational Expert….

Over the last number of years, Joe has enhanced his popular Junior and Leaving Certificate Maths exam paper solution books and distributed them through bookshops and his former website http://www.projectmathsbooks.com

He has now widened scope to produce a suite of guidance books including a comprehensive two hundred page text book for all subjects on ‘How to ACE the Leaving Cert’.

This book, unique in the educational market, encompasses advice, information and tips across all subjects for students who wish to excel in their exams. Its content includes expert guidance on study skills, mock preparation, leaving cert hacks, exam day advice, advice from current and former students as well as exam nutrition and parenting an exam student.

Combined with a Maths solution book, an ‘ACE’ package is a must for all sixth year students to achieve excellent Leaving Cert results.

Exam Papers Support From Ace Solution Books Ireland

Exam Papers Support From Ace Solution Books Ireland
Exam Papers Support From Ace Solution Books Ireland
More details about Joe as a Maths Tutor for Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate (2022), ACE Maths Assessments and Solution Books via the links below.