Preparing for Exams: A Strengths-based Approach

by David Hodgkinson, Academic Director of Kennedy College, Oxford

From preparation, to practise and revision, and application of knowledge, using key strengths of character is critical to students achieving success at exam time.

Using Strengths Can Help Students Prepare for Exams

Many schools are keen to understand how to better prepare their students for exams. Whilst there is an element of truth that we don’t want education to become entirely about exams, equally preparing students to perform well under pressure and respond to challenges, can be a great way to develop character. The quality of the person and the nature of that person when they sit down to do the exam, are key.

Understanding the basics to succeed at exam time:

• Knowledge of what is needed: Have students learned and do they understand the key ideas and concepts?
• Understanding of ideas: Can they talk about them and develop them to be meaningful and use them effectively?
• Ability to analyse questions: Can students look at the different factors in a question, i.e. the causes and how they affect things?
• Clear thinking: This is critical as many lose this ability under exam conditions. Students need to know if they can remain agile under exam conditions.
• Working effectively under time constraints: The ability to do this is critical and requires discipline and practise.
• Practise what needs to be done: Students need to practise so that they can’t get it wrong.

A Character Strength Framework Based on Role Models

When inspirational characters are brought into the classroom, they are often only noted for their achievements and not for the hard work which went into these achievements. Presenting examples of the hard work and obstacles that these role models faced, can help students to see that things don’t just occur in a flash.

This blog focuses on four areas of the Amazing Person Framework.

Strengths of Community 

We often think about exams and revision as solitary activities, however, bringing the community together supports everyone. There are three key ways this can happen:

• Work with others in a constructive way: Teachers can start revision in small groups by getting students to work on questions collaboratively. This helps them to support each other and explain things to each other, freeing up the staff member for support elsewhere.
• Share the burden, but in a focused way: Recognising that others may find certain topics hard can be helpful, but sharing the burden also helps students stay on track. Instead of just expressing how awful it is, students can work through it together.
• Be there to support and be supported: By students offering support to other students, they can also learn how to receive support as part of a community working together.

Strengths of Community are therefore a great starting place for exam preparation.

Strengths of the Head

• Understanding ideas: To really understand something, students need to be able to explain it to other people. Ideally, this would be to someone who isn’t studying that subject, so that the ideas can be looked at from different angles.
• Clear thinking: Students should know and understand things so well that their knowledge won’t be hugely affected by stress. What people can do in relaxed situations is very different to what can be achieved in exam conditions. By thinking clearly, students can develop ideas effectively despite the pressure. This clear thinking helps students to better interpret the questions in front of them so that they do not miss keywords.
• Analysis: Students need to practise reading questions precisely and understand what they are being asked to do. Misreading the questions can send students off on the wrong track costing them marks.

Therefore, by understanding the Strengths of the Head, students can begin to recognise the need to develop calmness, presence and a sense of clear thinking.

Strengths of Self-Regulation

• Organisation: Students need to create a reasonable plan for study and revision – this will involve breaking things down into chunks and planning when they are going to work on them. The plans that students devise need to be realistic, which means that they need to think about where they will revise, factor in rest time and so on.
• Determination: It is important for students to keep going, and to find ways which work so they can go on to celebrate success. Having made a plan, students then have to persevere and stick to it. Working through the challenges in ways that work for the individual and using the community support available is critical. It is also important to celebrate when a student has stuck to their plan as this leads to greater energy and engagement.
• Calmness under pressure: Students should practise performing under exam conditions and they need to be comfortable under these conditions. Practising answering questions in the precise time constraints that they will be tested on, means that calmness can be achieved during the actual exam. Students should be encouraged to set up their practise so it is as close to exam conditions as possible – using a desk, no phones nearby and so on.

Strengths of Self-regulation, how we manage ourselves, are crucial to good exam preparation.

Strengths of Action

A character strength is not a theoretical concept. Rather, strength of character is shown by action. There is no point in chatting about determination. You can’t just say you’re determined; you have to take action. Action feeds and embeds character. When students get stuck, using a strengths-based approach helps to prompt what action they are going to take to move forward.

What Action Do Students Need To Take?

Find out what is needed – create a list. Whilst teachers can and do create lists, engagement is higher if students themselves have created it. Students need to make their own list and then commit to it.

There are two areas that require thought:

• Knowledge: Do students know what they need to know? There are a lot of facts to be learned, but many students don’t move on to consider the next step of application.
• Applications in the examination: This is key because it involves using that knowledge and translating it into solutions. This relates back to the clear thinking mentioned earlier. Knowing the facts and then taking action by applying them is crucial.

Student Action Plan to Apply Knowledge

Students need to be determined, resourceful and flexible. And if they veer off the plan, they should reflect and use resilience to bounce back and begin again.

It is key that students practise EXACTLY what they will have to do in the exam, in a disciplined way. The thinking on knowledge and application can be used to determine what is needed.

The important thing is for students to keep going and to practise until they can’t get it wrong.

Of all the strengths needed for exam success, Strengths of Action are essential.

Students Using Key Character Strengths is Vital for Exam Success

Understanding how their strengths can support their learning can be a vital tool for students in exam preparation. Working with others, using their thinking skills and managing their time and efforts are critical approaches for students to adopt. Above all, young people need to take action. This is a useful reminder for all students to be determined, to keep going and ultimately, to stop the comparisons because that does not help.

More information about how Amazing People Schools can enhance your school’s personal development programme or supplement your school’s careers, behaviour and leadership offerings, can be explored by applying for a free trial here.

This blog was created following a live webinar run by Amazing People Schools. Sign up to receive a recording of the webinar here.