The 2O25 Form Four candidates have started running the last lap. It is homestretch – stretching towards home. As a peripatetic speaker who visits schools all over the country to share Best Academic Practices, I pen this piece to implore Form Four candidates to focus on Starting Strong Strategies. The start is important. No wonder, Robin Sharma writes in The 5 AM Club that the space shuttle uses more fuel in the first 60 seconds after lift-off than what it uses over the entire orbit around the earth. It expends more fuel at the start because it must strive to arrive by overcoming powerful forces of gravity. It requires many gallons of fuel in order to fight and defeat initial forces, reach and touch escape velocity.
Actually, Form Four candidates start strong when they coin class identities, set targets, study skillfully, manage time, master and memorise content and prepare for all exams that will be served.
Foremost, class identities include: name, slogan and scripture — to guide them in the course of the academic peregrination.
Secondly, Form Four candidates start strong by setting targets such as: one, school or class mean. Two, personal targets supported with scored cards. Three, subject means. Four, number of students to scoop straight As in KCSE. Five, number of students to feature in the giant list of the top 20 or 100 in the country. Six, number of students to matriculate directly into universities by scoring C+ (plus) and above. Seven, recognition target – where does the school want to feature nationally, regionally, county, or sub-county?
Skillful study strategies
Thirdly, Form Four candidates start strong by focusing on skillful study strategies such as: owning academic tools, attending lessons regularly, expanding learning time, building attention or concentration span, seeking to understand, responding to end-of-topic questions, setting personal questions, developing well-written notes, turning notes into questions, predicting topic-based exam questions, revising plenty of past papers. Then, skillful reading captures: repetition or re-reading, text-marking or highlighting, annotations, note-making and use of reference materials.
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Again, they start strong by managing time. How? Setting priorities right. They should develop personal academic action plans and consultation diaries. They should have all-inclusive timetables and task lists. They should schedule weekly activities and enter daily records of work done. They should make wise use of weekends and preps. Then, audit themselves periodically. They must arrest thieves of time like complacency, procrastination, laziness, lassitude and sleeping in class.
Moreover, passing exams with flying colours means that candidates focus on content mastery and memory enhancement strategies. Some of the practical content mastery strategies include: proper syllabus coverage, intensive content review, cyclic reading, productive group discussions, consistent consultations, embracing ability grouping, doing and revising several exams, research-based learning and extensive revision.
Exercises
Likewise, Form Four candidates need photographic and eidetic memories to pass exams. After acquisition of content, the critical focus should be on retention and presentation. They achieve it through tried-and-tested techniques such as repetition or re-reading, training of memory, use of mnemonic devices (songs, rhymes and acronyms), diagram or drawing technique, self-testing trick, involvement of multiple senses, visualisation, mind-mapping, association of knowledge, active study and frequent reviews. Exercises and quality sleep enhances massive powers of memory. Also, rituals such as solitude, silence, reflection, mindfulness and meditation.
Finally, Form Four candidates start strong by being prepared to do exams. Before KCSE, schools will serve shedloads of exams, which will be both internal and external. There will be RATs, CATs, joint exams, contests, symposiums, et cetera. Doing several exams is the best way to practice and prepare. KCSE requires ample preparation and plenty of practice. Just as elite athletes dedicate and devote 90 per cent to preparation and 10 per cent to winning big races.
By Victor Ochieng’
The writer rolls out academic talks in schools. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
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