Year 12 Learn to Laugh in the Face of Exams

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“Year 12 Learn to Laugh in the Face of Exams”

On Monday 3rd and Wednesday 5th October, Year 12 students at Wallace participated in the Tree of Knowledge study skills event. The course, entitled ‘Laugh in the Face of Exams’ was delivered by experienced speaker and company director Ben Best.

Year 12 appeared to greatly enjoy a fun, motivational two-hour experience packed full of inspirational tips to help them cope with the pressures of Controlled Assessment and the imminent GCSE examinations. Students were taken on a highly entertaining journey of exploration into the workings of the human mind, through stories of Ben’s own life experience, whilst being encouraged to reflect upon their own life changing capabilities.

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Unusually for a motivational speaker, Ben was able to make some members (and teachers) of the Year group fall fast asleep. This was completely intentional, and part of the relaxation technique that he passed on to students, as a tool for relaxing and re-energising the mind in preparation for and in response to stressful situations.

This study skills course has been carefully designed to inspire self-belief, to evoke positive and productive attitudes, increase aspirations and encourage huge goals in life. In another very popular activity, students were asked to make models, using plasticine, to represent their life goals and dreams.

Across the two days students appeared to engage with Ben’s entertaining manner and enjoyed the course. The feedback from students was very positive, with many asked to provide a written statement on what they felt they had learned during the course:

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Tree of knowledge has helped me to…

“Understand my choices in life. I can work hard and achieve my dreams. Or I can make excuses and let my dreams pass by…”

“Learn how to relax and how important it is to set yourself goals.”

“Understand how to tell myself how to do things when I think I can’t…”

The sessions encompassed a range of thinking and relaxation skills that students can use in the run up to, and as preparation for their exams. Ben’s entertaining and informative manner covered a wide range of learning styles, and by the end of the course students were left with new, fun skills and increased motivation to help them during the exam period.

Last modified: March 14, 2017