THERE are many students who have failed their final examinations in schools, not because they were not diligent or had neglected to study.
BETWEEN THE LINES BY PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI
Their failure could only be attributed to the fact that they were not skilled in the art of successfully handling an examination.
Life coach Arthur Marara last year published a book specifically designed to cure that handicap, which afflicts many a student.
In Keys to Academic Excellence — Practical Tools for Examination Preparations (ISBN 9-780797-454927), the author takes the student through various steps that would help him grasp this art.
In the book, Marara reveals interesting study techniques that many students are unlikely to be familiar with, but will make a huge difference between passing and failing examinations.
What I found most interesting is the concept that is addressed in the first chapter in the book titled Study Yourself.
This is a novel idea that people hardly consider as they do not understand the relationship between “studying” themselves and the subjects for which they will write examinations.
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I believe this is the most critical chapter in the book because once the student masters the concepts addressed here, the job is half done.
It looks at important areas including one’s need to understand the time that best suits their personality when it comes to studying for examinations, the surroundings in the study areas as well as the amount of time needed before one masters what they need to grasp.
Here, students are also challenged to exploit their strength for the best results, but this can only happens once one understands their strengths and weaknesses.
The book has 13 short chapters which takes the students through the whole process from preparing themselves for the examination and to understanding the examination room itself.
These are important matters that, unfortunately, are usually ignored to the disadvantage of the student.
Marara stresses that the first step towards passing an examination is conquering the battle within.
He highlights that “there is always a battle going on in the mind — whether you will pass or fail” (pp23).
He demonstrates how a person’s attitude can sometimes be the determinant in one’s success or failure because a negative attitude is a recipe for failure.
He encourages the student to take proactive steps and work on their attitude to ensure success: “Work on your attitude if you are to succeed in whatever you are doing. Do not have a defeatist attitude in which you always see yourself as a person who has been defeated.” (pp25).
The author draws precious moments from his own life experiences to reinforce his ideas.
He underscores how he failed to come up with very good grades at “O” Level simply because he had not grasped the importance of realising that he could achieve whatever he wanted in life.
He used the lessons as a springboard when he proceeded to “A” Level and fared better.
Marara’s style of writing is simple and conversational. This is important in a book of this natures as it enables students at whatever level to grasp the lessons and apply them.
He engages the students in a way that allows them to appreciate that success in examinations is not difficult if they apply the time-tested principles that he shares in the book.
There are many times when students have personal vendettas with teachers.
Marara, however, shows that this is unnecessary as it can spell the difference between one passing and failing an examination.
He describes nursing grudges against teachers as “a futile adventure” that may consequently see the student losing interest in the subjects taught by the teachers with whom they want to settle scores.
He shows that this principle has produced results in his own life: “When I was a student, I ensured that I was on good terms with all my teachers. This enabled me to learn more from them.
This is the principle I still use today. I am always learning from other people who have made it in life” (pp29).
Marara also stresses the importance of proper time management and the importance of prioritising one’s subjects when it comes to studying for the examinations.
He encourages students to create study groups and shows how these help students share information and benefit from each other’s knowledge.
He challenges students to go the extra mile in their work if they are passionate about acquiring unique results.
The author argues that while failure will always be a part of life, it must not be viewed as the end of the road by the student who has the determination to succeed.
He profiles key personalities who have made it in life after everybody had written them off, but their achievements are there for all to see.
These include Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Abraham Lincoln, Isaac Newton, Oprah Winfrey and Soichiro Honda.
This a book filled with nuggets that every serious student needs to lay their hands on to draw from its wisdom and ensure that they can achieve high grades in their examinations.
