How To Help Students Prepare For Finals

By Ella Holton-McCoy and Sean McCormick M.Ed, ET

Before the holiday season hits, another season hits a bit harder: Midterm/Finals season. Students (and parents) are preparing to prove to their teachers that they were paying attention all term and that all the information they supposedly absorbed actually stuck in their brains. This can be a stressful time for everyone in the family but luckily there are a few things that you can do as a parent to support your child’s success.

1. Include your child in the discussion: Ask your student what they need to be successful this term. If they say something along the lines of “I don’t know” suggest something like “how about you get to choose dinner the night before your Math final.” Another suggestion you could make might be “how about I make quiet hours in the house from 5-8pm a few days this week, would that be helpful?”

2. Post the midterm/final schedule on the fridge: By placing the schedule on the fridge (or somewhere else with high visibility), your student will constantly be reminded to study. This can also help everyone in the house remember that your student has a busy and important week ahead of them.

3. Offer to help them study: Help your student make their studying fun, active, and memorable. You can get involved with the studying by asking your student if they want you to quiz them, help them with flashcards, or pretend to be a student while they teach you the material.

4. Create a calm environment: As much as you can, create a calm study environment. If possible, don’t schedule your friend’s rock band to come practice in your backyard while your student tries to study at the kitchen table. Encourage your student to find a quiet place in the house or use noise canceling headphones. When picking a productive study environment, we think about the five senses. How does it sound, feel, look like, smell? Taste is not as applicable, unless your student prefers to study with snacks. In that case, taste really matters.

5. Sleep schedule: Talk to your student about the importance of sleep during big tests. Here are some resources to help:

   1. Sleep for Teens

   2. Sleep Before Tests!

   3. Put the Phone Away!

6. Help students remember their WHY: It can be easy to lose sight of the WHY when tests feel high stakes and high pressure. Remind students that although these tests feel overwhelming, in the long run they are just a stepping stone to achieving their more important goals.

If you’d like to learn more about how our coaches can help your child with ADHD strengthen their study skills, schedule a free 15-minute inquiry meeting atefspecialists.com or send us an email at info@efspecialists.com. We would love to help your student develop the skills to accomplish their goals.