How schools push Form Four champions to score more

Indeed, there are Form Four candidates endowed with admirable brilliance who can score straight A’s in KCSE, hence entice bountiful benefits that follow valedictorians. Such as ability to pursue highly-coveted courses. Or merit-based scholarships based in Kenya and beyond. For John Fitzgerald Kennedy sagely said, “Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan.”

Ostensibly, every school, be it a decimal day school, top-tier national school or high-end private school; has top achievers who have the wherewithal to show their shine and sheen. As a penman, I am writing about veritable academic giants who can garner best grades in KCSE. Thereafter, make their schools the talk of the town. Teachers should identify such students who are sharp as shining shafts of sunlight: Inspire and empower them to go for the big prize. How?

Push them to work for straight A’s

Foremost, some top achievers in Form Four miss to manifest at their best because they score straight A’s in some subjects, but fail to evince excellence elsewhere. Yet, in case a candidate can score an A (plain) in a science such as Biology, the same effort can work in a language such as English, which is my forte as a scribe. The challenge in this case may not be related to academic ability. In lieu, I attribute it to an attitude of finitude, lassitude and hebetude, which Form Four candidates depict towards some subjects.

Constitute the academic villages

Secondly, there is a stupendous academic strategy called ability grouping, which has five facets. Schools focus on general ability grouping, subject-based grouping, family units or parenting grouping, pairing of students, and academic villages. In academic villages, students with admirable academic abilities. More so, top achievers that neatly knit together. They push the envelope by stretching and sacrificing. Meaning, the school should identify top achievers, and push them to stretch beyond elastic limits. Going the extra mile, should be the name of the game. For no price; no prize. Once the school identifies top achievers; advisedly, it is important to motivate them to score more. This can be occasional convention of tea meetings with the Principal. Or organisation of academic trips where they meet to eat meat. As well as being talked to by a peripatetic speaker like the weaver of these words.

Encourage them to engage in peer teaching

Thirdly, top achievers gain a lot from peer teaching. Knowledge is the only resource that multiplies when shared. Ideally, there is nothing top achievers lose when they teach struggling students. In fact, when a candle lights another candle, more light comes into the room. Then, sharing is caring. Peer Teaching is in line with The Feynman Technique, which is a method used to understand concepts deeply by explaining them in simple words. It is named after Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize–winning physicist. It is an effective study method that focuses on learning by teaching others, and simplifying concepts; leading to strong understanding in the academic agora.

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Expose them to individual exams

Additionally, top achievers should go through at least a full paper on daily basis. For instance, Chemistry Paper 1 on Monday, English Paper 2 on Tuesday, Geography Paper 1 on Wednesday, and so on, and so forth. That implies, at the tail-end of the week, they will go through 7 papers in total. This individual evaluation and self-testing approach can wipe out reproach. It can contribute to the making of KCSE national champions.

Encourage them to have one-on-one conferencing with teachers

Consequently, consultation is one of the top content mastery and memory strategies. It can take the dimension of peer consultation, class consultation, group consultation and one-on-one consultation, which in this case I am christening as one-on-one conferencing with teachers. Top achievers need the help of teachers in subjects they are likely to miss straight A’s.

Warn them against dangers of stupid pride

Actually, in James 4:6 the best book says that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Likewise, in James 4:10, we are also reminded to humble ourselves before the Lord, and He shall lift us. Those who do not humble, stumble. Haughty human beings that do not practise humility are humiliated. Humility is a spirit of meekness, which is not weakness. When bright students divorce discretion, they slip, fall and fail due to stupid pride. This is when they think they can strive to arrive on their own. Delusion of grandeur makes them think that they can do it without robust support of teachers. Yet, nothing can replace the place of teachers. Pride comes before a fall. Form Four candidates ought to know the bad side of hubris and chutzpah — excessive pride and self-confidence. History hums, it made the Titanic ship to sink in the years of yore – in 1912.

Remind them that sometimes success breeds complacency

Moreover, when people access success, they are tempted to rest and bask in the past glory. Too true: this punctures academic tyres of some Form Four candidates. Someone should whisper to those who celebrate a lot after small victories, that yesterday’s fire is today’s ashes. Fire begets ashes. Therefore, peerless performance in the previous exams should not lie to them. They should see sense in these wise words: Nothing succeeds like success. Meaning, success should entice more success.

Compel them to focus on the principle of continuous improvement

Ideally, after getting a B (plain), a Form Four candidate can strive to score a B+ (plus), an A- (minus), and then eventually an A (plain). It happens when a candidate can stand to understand that there is always a big room for great improvement. The performance should not plummet. In lieu, the graph of performance should take an exponential trend at all times.

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Guide them on how to fill learning gaps

Penultimately, the Form Four candidate who scores a B+ (plus) of 10 points, is not far from scoring an A plain of 12 points. For this to happen, it behooves the Form Four candidate to fill or seal learning gaps. It is wise to identify various academic cracks and crevices. Then, seal them before things get out of hand. Or rather go south. There are yawning gaps in relation to content and concept mastery, correct interpretation of exam questions, writing of exams, emerging trends in setting and marking of KCSE. Withal, gaps in motivation, morale, dedication, diligence and discipline.

Train them on the art of examination

Finally, schools that register peak performance in KCSE focus on correct content mastery, content retention and the art of exams. Content mastery and retention strategies are not the be-all and end-all. Ostensibly, schools we lionise as the veritable academic giants run an examination system. By the same token, they train Form Four candidates on the art of exams, which revolve around emerging trends in setting and marking of KCSE, the format of exams, proper interpretation of exam questions, paying meticulous attention to marks allotted to questions and how to answer questions in the required depth and breadth. It is important to train Form Four candidates on the Table of Specification (ToS) or the Exam Blueprint used by the putative test developers to arrive on the appropriate assessment areas. Then, Form Four candidates should know some mistakes made while writing exams, and possible penalties. In their nous, they should know how to plot work on paper and how to score both free marks and full marks.

By Victor Ochieng’

Victor Ochieng’ speaks to Form 4 candidates on Starting Strong Strategies and Target-Setting. He trains teachers in staff seminars on Great Management of the Candidate Class. He speaks in Principals’ conferences on Best Academic Practices and Programmes. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232