Metacognitive awareness Preparedness/ Practice/ Knowledge Confidence/ Attitude/ Drive Easing Test Away Anxiety Rick A. Sheets, Ed.D. College Reading & Learning Association International Tutor Training Program Certification Coordinator © Rick A. Sheets, Ed.D. as a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available by contacting

Metacognitive awareness Preparedness/ Practice/ Knowledge Confidence/ Attitude/ Drive Outline Goals Goals Cycle of Anxiety Cycle of Anxiety Long term goals Real work for real changes Long term goals Real work for real changes Magic pill? No, short term strategies Magic pill? No, short term strategies Checkpoints & progress Checkpoints & progress Did I win? Did I win?

Long term goals Real work for real changes Get help & support to break the Cycle of Anxiety before it manifests itself physically: Identify negative thoughts, self-talks, images, events, and sensory related triggers. Identify negative thoughts, self-talks, images, events, and sensory related triggers. Use relaxation response, meditation, reframing, re- programming, or other techniques. Use relaxation response, meditation, reframing, re- programming, or other techniques. Realize the resources available to you through PVCC Counseling Services and Fitness Center. Realize the resources available to you through PVCC Counseling Services and Fitness Center.

Magic Pill No. Strategies to help when to better deal with the Physical Symptoms of anxiety…

Learning Preferences

Studying preferences

Strategies for Studying

Time Management 168 hours in a week 168 hours in a week Block out committed times Work/School/Other required commitments Block out committed times Work/School/Other required commitments Block out sleep, eating, and personal readiness Block out sleep, eating, and personal readiness Look at times left and other needs include homework/study times needed weekly Look at times left and other needs include homework/study times needed weekly When should the most difficult courses be studied When should the most difficult courses be studied

Strategies to beat test anxiety Be prepared Be prepared Spend your study time wisely – Practice anxiety reduction Spend your study time wisely – Practice anxiety reduction Taking Tests Taking Tests

Be Prepared Identify exam preparation needs. Identify exam preparation needs. What materials should I study? What materials should I study? Sequence what, how, and when to study. Sequence what, how, and when to study.

Spending Your Time Wisely… Lowering Anxiety Relax! Relax! Count/Visualize/Unplug the toe/Reprogram Self-Talks Count/Visualize/Unplug the toe/Reprogram Self-Talks Prepare/Maximize learning/When is your best time? Prepare/Maximize learning/When is your best time? Rituals - Preview/study/take breaks/review Rituals - Preview/study/take breaks/review Test yourself Test yourself Index Cards/Where to get the information? Index Cards/Where to get the information? Mnemonics (silent m, long e) Mnemonics (silent m, long e) Memory Dump Memory Dump

C. Strategize to overcome problems C. Strategize to overcome problems Ways to avoid procrastination C. Strategize to overcome problems Study with others Study with others Step back and check your progress from time to time Step back and check your progress from time to time Start/Use 5 minute plan Start/Use 5 minute plan Be specific Be specific Verbalize your excuses Verbalize your excuses Visualize success or completion Visualize success or completion Smart cramming Smart cramming Find a reward Find a reward

Test Prepping Strategies What is important to study? What is important to study? What materials should you use? What materials should you use? Type of questions: Essay, Multiple Choice, T/F, Fill-in, Matching Type of questions: Essay, Multiple Choice, T/F, Fill-in, Matching Learn from your mistakes Learn from your mistakes Time yourself Time yourself Practice reducing anxiety don’t wait until test day Practice reducing anxiety don’t wait until test day Should I cram? Should I cram?

Test-taking Strategies Mind Set Mind Set Preview Preview Plan your time/Points/Weighted Plan your time/Points/Weighted Memory Dump/Anxiety Reduction Memory Dump/Anxiety Reduction Read question carefully Read question carefully Strategies for essay, multiple choice, matching, T/F, fill-in Strategies for essay, multiple choice, matching, T/F, fill-in Skip or guess Skip or guess Be last to Finish Be last to Finish Review test, be sure it is complete Review test, be sure it is complete

Checkpoint & Progress

Strategies & Goals Balancing Metacognitive awareness Balancing goalsandstrategies! Did I win?!

Metacognitive awareness Preparedness/ Practice/ Knowledge Confidence/ Attitude/ Drive Easing Away Test Anxiety Paradise Valley Comm. College Learning Support Center Rick Sheets, Ed.D.