January 5th, 2010
In a most interesting article in yesterday’s Washington Post, reporter Nelson Hernandez covered a story at a local middle school. He wrote, “Schools these days focus mostly on preparing students for tests of reading and math, but during lunchtime at Kenmoor Middle School in Landover, the youngsters sitting in a small circle were tackling the really deep questions: Ethics. Fairness. How to split dessert.”
November 23rd, 2009
Charles make the model his own
Want the best way to reduce your test anxiety? Personalize the training model I present in the book.
I gave a talk at Oregon Health Sciences University, School of Dentistry, last week and one of the 3rd year students, Charles Nguyen, took the 3 legged stool and ran with it.
November 12th, 2009
I came across an article about a successful program designed for at-risk students and dropouts working toward their GED. It’s an 18 month program in which students learn academic, personal, leadership and vocational skills through hands-on-activities.
Karen Bryant, who mentors students even after graduation, said she credits the success of the program to a relationship built on trust and respect with her students. Many of the students have remained friends of Bryant over the years.
In the ‘confidence’ leg of my 3-legged stool performance model I explore into the relationship between ‘trust’ and ‘confidence.’
November 11th, 2009
Talking about his family, President Obama said, “And part of our job as parents — Michelle and my job — is not just to tell our kids what to do, but to start instilling in them a sense that they want to do it for themselves.”
I remember a high school student brought in by her parents. I asked her, “Do you know why you are here?” She immediately replied, “Yes. My parents want me to get higher SAT score. And I don’t want to work for it.”
Then the three of them leaned in. All eyes were on me…
November 6th, 2009
A student, I’ll call her Sophie, came to me for coaching recently. She’s been having terrible problems with tests, saying she “freaks out” every time she takes an important exam.
I asked Sophie to explain what she meant by “freak out,” she described the intense static going on in her mind while she attempts to answer the questions. “I keep thinking, I don’t understand the question … I didn’t study the right things … I don’t remember anything … I’m not going to get this answer right … My scholarship won’t be renewed.” Her voice trailed off. She looked discouraged and dejected as she whispered, “It’s a mess.”
Rings a bell?
November 5th, 2009
A typical GED test taker faces challenges. They have hectic lives. They go through a lot. Just committing to a test prep class is very difficult. Many have jobs that require shift work, while others need to find child care.
Nieves Stiker, an educator involved in GED test prep classes in Pennsylvania said. “Some people come to us and feel very adequate within a couple of weeks while others, no matter how hard they study, it’s harder. Sometimes, it takes more than one try.”
In my performance model – the three-legged stool — focus is a critical leg. Without it you cannot achieve any measure of success. In other words, you will not get anywhere in life.
In regard to testing, focus is a noun and a verb. There is a goal of scoring well on the test, and there is work toward that goal.
Being focused is, ultimately and intimately, linked to a powerful source in you-your spirit. Think of your spirit as your power generator. It produces the energy that sparks every one of your achievements.
I hope GED test takers read Chapter Six: How to Stay Focused.
Here’s a pointer. While the goal of doing well in GED seems large and overwhelming to many, remember this: any goal can be broken down into small, manageable chunks. These are action steps. Action steps break up the process of achieving a goal into do-able increments. I use the simple SMART formula to make action steps work.
Specific. Your goal is precise and well defined.
Measurable. You can gauge whether you’ve reached it or not.
Adjustable. You can adapt or modify it if you need to.
Realistic. Your goals are attainable given your available time, energy and resources.
Time-based. Whatever goal you set is linked to the clock or calendar.
Whether you are a GED test-taker or teacher, I’d like to hear from you.
You might be interested in the article about the GED test-takers.
I’m on my way to New Orleans to speak at a conference for the Coalition for Essential Schools Conference, a group of progressive educators across the country. My talk is MAKING TESTING EMPOWERING. I speak on Friday. Keep you posted. In the meanwhile, GED’ers– keep empowering yourselves!
November 4th, 2009
All you GMAT test takers, listen to this. Here is a list of horrors awaiting you on test day. You need to be prepared for all of the following:
* Sitting for a “mug shot” digital photograph which goes in to your GMAT file
* Providing a fingerprint before beginning of the exam, and at any point at which you leave and return to your seat (sound like prison yet?)
* Leaving your belongings other than your clothes (jacket, phone, watch, hat, etc.) in a locker for the duration of the test
* Using a sprial-bound noteboard and a marker instead of the tried-and-true scratch paper for your notes and calculations
For many of my clients, these measures add stress to their experience and lead to decreased test scores.
Many students think if they study hard enough they will do well on the day of test. But what I have learned is that becoming and staying calm is a skill that can be taught and is applicable not just while taking the test but in the time leading up to it (and after it is over) . Staying calm is as important as knowing the content.
You before the test?
Why is this significant? Because holding your breath immediately causes stress. Without breath your brain is deprived of oxygen. It starts sounding an alarm: YOU ARE DYING! This is a fact: if your brain really were cut off from oxygen permanently, it would die. The automatic reaction to a loss of oxygen broadcasts an emergency signal. This isn’t conscious. It’s instinctive. Your anxiety level is directly affected by how you breathe. Stop breathing, and your anxiety level immediately shoots up.
But there is another connection between your breath and your ability to think clearly and logically when you are taking a test. Breath is intimately connected to your thinking. A shortage of breath causes a fear reaction, which disturbs orderly thought process.
I invite you to check out the chapter 4, How To Calm Down, in my book.
The single most important tool for staying calm is breathing.
If you have a question, email me, I’d love to hear from you.
Here’s the link to the related article on GMAT.
http://blog.veritasprep.com/2009/10/gmat-tip-of-week_30.html
November 3rd, 2009
Something about this story catches my attention. here’s the link.
http://www.wboc.com/Global/story.asp?S=11415560
Despite low test scores, some schools in Maryland have taken a different approach to making sure students learn. The teacher are making the difference. Through their tireless hard work they try a range of approaches, including games, and– noteworthy to me, “When students make a mistake their teaches tell them not to be embarrassed and work it through with either a partner or teacher.
I’ve written chapter in my book specifically for teachers. They need support for their great service. Teaching is arguably one of the most challenging professions in the world. It demands on-going attention to an ever-changing flux of variables – from an individual student’s cognitive and emotional growth to dynamic group factors, from highly charged cultural and political issues to rapid advances in technology and information processing. Keeping a finger on the pulse of all this is a full-time, virtually non-stop, excruciatingly difficult job, and yet that’s what teachers are expected to do. The dedicated teacher has to be wide-awake and ready to meet the challenges of an ever-evolving system.
I started writing this book for students. It is meant to equip students – high school, college, graduate – with the nine tools for being calm, confident and focused on any test – the qualities necessary for success in performance situations. Teachers started using the model too and reporting excellent results. Teachers who are calm, confident and focused are less stressed and more successful in their role in the classroom. They are also more exemplary as role models for their students.
By the way, I am giving a workshop 4-5 pm today at UCSF Mission Bay Campus. Free. Open to public. Both students and teachers are welcome. Come say hello and bring your questions. See post directly below (Nov 2) for details.
November 2nd, 2009
Speaking tomorrow on test taking and presentation skills. UCSF Mission Bay campus. Here's the description and the link. Please attend! PERFORMANCE: PUMP UP SUCCESS SKILLS II Tuesday, November 3, 4-5pm, N114 Genentech Hall MB First you prepare. Then you perform. Learning invaluable tools to access, process, and retrieve the right information in the right situation is key to success. You can perform according to your potential: capable, in charge, and successful. Dr. Bernstein's techniques add the final touch to intense preparation. "I am confident I will continue to use these techniques throughout my career," 3rd yr. grad student UCLA. Genentech Hall is on the map http://www.ucsf.edu/maps/ I'll have to check with Pam about parking and what is best that time of day. I think the BART and T line would be way too cumbersome.
September 3rd, 2009
A blogger in the south wrote about having terrible test anxiety the night before her first exam of the semester. One thing that’s important to remember is that a certain amount of anxiety or nerves before a test is actually a good thing– it gets you ready, “primes the pump”, and gives you the energy to do your best. What happens, however, is that for most people this gets out of hand, and, because it goes unchecked, the anxiety grows and becomes unmanageable (hence, it’s hard to sleep, or think properly). This was shown in a now-famous graph called The Yerkes-Dodson Curve. (As soon as I can figure out how to insert the graph into the post I will– bear with me!). The point is: keep your stress at the right level. Use the tools in the book– particularly breathing, grounding and sensing.
I’ve trained students to raise SAT and GRE scores 100-300 points just by regularizing their breath through the course of the test.
