Monday, August 26, 2013
Blog Post #2 Diagnosis/Exam Reflection
Stressful. That's how I would describe today's testing experience. With any given test, it's important to stay calm, think the questions through, and of course, choose the right answers. Something I do really well in when it comes to test taking is staying calm, time management, and annotating each passage. You don't want to spend too much time on a difficult question, you could end up hurting yourself in the end by not answering the easier questions and earning those extra points. If I don't know the answer right away, I skip it and come back. Staying calm is important. When anxiety and nerves flourish, it shows in the grade. Today, I was calm during the test. I took my time, thought out the questions to the best of my abilities, and finished the test with a few moments to spare, which was used to check answers. Working with the text is important, delving into the passage is key to fully understand what the piece is about. When I start to read a passage I automatically highlight, underline, circle, all of the important details that could help me to answer the multiple choice questions. This helps me find things easier, therefore cutting down on time so that I can use that extra time to focus on the more difficult questions.
Although my final test score was not exactly the most superb, there is always room for improvement. The first problem I ran into was vocabulary. Not knowing the difference between an ode, lyric, or sonnet would definitely become a problem when looking at each passage, something I learned very quickly. Just like in the book Literature and Composition, stamina and attentiveness are important to be an effective reader. This is something I tend to struggle with when it comes to a passage that fails to interest me, or I fail to quickly understand the underlying meaning. I found myself rereading the same passage multiple times after I had just read it. I should be able to read the passage once or twice without zoning out or trailing off in my own thoughts. That time wasted could've helped me focus on more important questions.
Like I said before, there is always room for improvement. When test scores are low the way to improve is to take more tests, practice, and try try try again. I could look for more practice tests in the 5 steps book we received from class, or invest in other books such as ACT books that contain various passages with more multiple choice questions. Asking for help is never a bad thing. Asking a teacher for tips or searching the internet for tips and tricks could help me find new strategies that help me get the better grade. Putting work and effort into something will eventually pay-off and the scores will improve.
Some realistic goals I can set for myself is to try and read a passage each night before I go to bed. By doing this I read more literature, find new strategies, and find new vocabulary words that I never knew before. I plan to search for tips and tricks that can help me in the long run when faced with a passage or piece of literature that I have not read before. Sometimes it's the little things we didn't know that help us out the most. Some student could've posted on the web an amazing tip that I never even thought about applying to these kinds of tests. Finally, I could ultimately go back to those ACT books hiding in the corner of my room collecting dust. Practicing helps us to improve and I plan to take one new test once every two weeks. This can help me stay on point with time management, understanding new vocabulary and ultimately improving my grade.
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Reading a passage a night is a good idea for improvment but also if it comes with questions look at the answers and explanations. After yesterday I felt that was what helped me most because it gave me a feel for how the AP graders think. Some of the explanations gave tips, for example the first poem's explanation for the answer noted that nouns capitalized mean that there is personification. Probably a lot of other explanations include tips or advice to be succesful with the question. The explanations also helped link questions with others, which made me want to analyze the questions better. Sometimes the answer to one question includes clues for the next question's answer. It is a little like a mind game so I like how you mentioned that staying calm is a big key to suceeding in these types of tests.
ReplyDeleteMegan, I first would like to admire your resolve to change your abilities. In reality, this is how we become better learners and students—by having a drive to change ourselves rather than our environment. I myself have difficulty with time management as well. However, unlike you, my challenge lies more in the fact that I can’t stop rereading texts to make sure I didn’t miss something that can give me an answer. What I do to keep my interest in these texts is to approach and read every single one as if it’s my favorite novel. In this way, my attention is kept to the text, even if it isn’t the most glamorous thing in the world. By changing your mindset, perhaps you can achieve this goal easier. On the topic of these tips and tricks you spoke of, I would recommend revising that goal a little. Although they may be helpful in the short run, to understand the material entirely and make that knowledge universally applicable, a more specific goal may be in order. Specifically to an area where you know you have trouble. For example, I need a better grasp of literary devices and their usage. By doing this, you create a specific area in which you can better yourself, rather than a vague idea of how you will apply your knowledge. Lastly, I think that your plan to take practice ACT/SAT reading sections is a very good one. I agree with it and plan to do the same. I think all plans can be even more improved by setting measurable goals. For example, perhaps it is your wish to get above a 90 percent grade on these tests. By tracking your progress, you can see your improvement and know that you’re getting better. Directed practice will go a long way. Overall, I have full confidence in your abilities to improve. Best of luck.
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