It is at this time, when you are working through practice exams that you can get a little discouraged if your marks aren’t what you were hoping for.  Occasionally, my students experience these frustrations and wonder where they should go from there.  The following provides some suggestions that I might make to a student in this predicament. Remember, you are not alone! Over 8000 students are studying for this Chem exam and many are feeling the same as you might possibly be right now.

“I can understand and appreciate that this must be both frustrating and upsetting. Your knowledge of the course work is solid, as you have shown consistently this semester in your SAC results. So why are you achieving at a sub-optimal level on your exam preparations? Examinations require a level of precision in your responses; you need to know exactly what you are talking about to achieve full marks. Note that many of the practice exams are written by experienced teachers for that very purpose; to allow students to dissect their knowledge and apply a forensic examination to it. So this means that you do not know what you are doing? Not at all, it just means that you need to hone your knowledge and fill in any little gaps that still may be present in either understanding or technique.”

“And how, pray tell, am I to achieve that?!”, asks the student.

“You already know the answer, of course.  At this point, practice examinations are your greatest friend. Look carefully at the Examiner’s reports (from VCAA website at vcaa.vic.edu.au) and see where other students struggled with questions. Did they make the same mistakes as you? What kinds of things were they getting wrong? What does the Examiner suggest? Read over the solutions that I prepared for this year’s Neap exam. When you get something wrong, classify the error as (a) I had and still have no idea! {Okay, forget it or email/ask your teacher}. (b) I was on the right track but I chose the wrong option or made a few small errors. {You are human and are in the same situation as the majority. Practice makes perfect} (c) I disagree with the answer and I think I am right. {Possible, but unlikely. Email/ask your teacher so that they can have a look at it}.”

Best wishes for your upcoming exams,

Mr Ellett

Dear Kilbreda girls

I hope that you are all feeling okay with the June Examination not far away now.  In class on Friday I said that I would try to get the solutions to the exam for you.  Unfortunately I do not have the official solutions but you can access my draft copy at the link here.

Good to hear from Michelle earlier today. I will keep an eye on the email and website if you want to communicate with me over the long weekend, girls.

Best wishes, Mr Ellett