1. The Power of Positive Thinking

How many times have people told us, or have we told others, “Think positively!”  Turns out, that simple piece of advice may be some of the best you’ll ever give or receive.

In fact, positive self-talk encourages the brain to release helpful chemicals, dopamine and adrenaline, in the right amounts to the frontal lobe, the part of the brain responsible for problem solving, judgment, and memory.

Teach your students to be ‘mind detectives’ and, when they experience test fright, to think about what messages they are sending to their brains. Teach them how to identify and use positive self-talk so their brains release the right chemicals for their working memory during times of stress.

2. Water Your Brain!

We are “electrical” beings and our brain’s neurons work by electrical connections. Water has been found to be the best thing we can use to facilitate the thinking process because of its capacity to conduct electricity and assist cell function.

Carla Hannaford, author of a best-selling book on brain exercises, says, “Water comprises more of the brain (with estimates of 90%) than of any other organ of the body.”

So, a simple drink of water before a test or before going to class can have a profound effect on a student’s brain’s readiness to work. On the other hand, coffee or soda will have the opposite effect since these will upset the electrolytes in the brain.

3. Simon Says, “Study!”

I was presenting a seminar a couple of years ago and we were talking about ways to help students improve their memory, especially for students with attention issues.

At one point a very seasoned teacher came up to me and said, “Do you know what I do? Every day I shut the door and I play Simon Says with my students.”

She said she taught middle school and that her eighth graders loved it. Then she said that she had noticed they paid attention better all the time. They listened better and they were ‘present’ when she was giving instructions. She said,“It’s the Simon Says.”

Sometimes these types of activities, like Simon Says or other games, may seem like something we shouldn’t be doing in the test-frenzied world we live in right now, but these activities make neurological connections in the brain that cross over disciplines. Simon Says may be a game in the moment, but the neural connections that are made will be used in other places in the classroom and help on tests too!

I recently presented a workshop in Schnecksville, PA. The participants’ challenge was to create a song to help students memorize test taking strategies. They all did such a wonderful job with their rhymes, songs and mnemonics that I wanted to share them with all of you. The memorization & test taking strategies they’ve included are from the book, Umm… Studying? What’s that? By Shivahn Fitzell

The following rhyme explains how to approach multiple choice questions on a standardized test:

First do the easy.

Then do the tough.

Quickly guess the difficult stuff.

Focus on multiple choice, they say later come back to do the essay.

Cross out answers that don’t make sense.

You’ll be done in no time, w/out being tense.

Watch your time and you’ll be fine.

Easy first, then the worst.

Guess the rest try your best.

Multi-choice then your voice.

Please don’t shirk, check you work.

Easy

Difficult

Guess

Multiple choice

Essay

Cross out wrong

Starring: Donna Barone, Tammy Weaver, Carissa Capwell, Kathleen Teay, Brent Herzog.

To the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star….

Calculate the time you need.

If you do you will succeed.

Easy questions first, they say

Difficult next is the best way

Multiple choice before essay

Guess the rest and end your day.

Time                               (draw a clock)

Easy                              EZ

Difficult                        E=Mc2

Guess                            ????

Multiple choice            ABCD

Cross out                       XXXX

To the tune of Frere Jacques….

Calculate time, calculate time

Easy first, easy first

Do the harder questions next

At the very end just guess

Then you’re done, have some fun!

Time for testing, time for testing

Easy first, easy first

Then we do the hard ones

Quickly guess the others

Then cross out, then cross out

How to manage time.  To the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat…

Try the easy questions first

Don’t waste too much time

Spend more time on harder ones

And you will do fine

Save the essay for the last

You can make it fun

List ideas before you start

Write a sentence for each one.