As midterms rapidly approach (click here for schedule), students often cram in study sessions and stay up late attempting to relearn a semester’s worth of material as fast as possible. Although some students procrastinate, other students simply want to know the best study strategy in order to succeed in their classes. Hamilton-Wenham teachers had several suggestions.

Ms. Maji Scarpaci suggests that Spanish students start now. She says to break study sessions into chunks and to write out flashcards by hand. Writing out information independently is very helpful in storing crucial information. Finally, she says to get tons of rest and eat right before the exam.

6-12 History Curriculum Coordinator, Ms. Kristin Borges emphasizes the importance of a study environment.  She believes that studying alone can be helpful, but only if it is without distractions like cell phones, which can deter a student’s growth and learning. She encourages students to review unit organizers thoroughly and to reference his or her notes often. She also suggests that YouTube videos from historians could also be useful. Finally, she agrees with Scarpaci, saying that it is critical for students to create their own study guide and not take notes from others.

Mrs. Deborah Clapp, one of the science teachers, suggests students reach out to teachers, utilize resources, focus on material, weed out distractions, and take practice tests.  She also believes that having a little bit of stress is okay because it encourages motivation.

Math teacher Mr. Joe Maher said it’s not enough to look at math concepts, the key is to practice, complete problems, and apply what you know.

English teacher Mrs. Nora Burnett suggests students start by reviewing in-class activities. Often these activities were used to help students pull out the main points/ideas of a text.  Students may want to review figurative language/key terms; however, it is not enough to define it, be able to identify examples and even better, create their own original examples. Finally, pick some key passages discussed in class and practice close reading.

Mr. William Melville of the Art department has only one word of advice: Practice.

As a whole, all the teachers emphasize starting as soon as possible. Furthermore, study guides and notes should be done alone and students shouldn’t rely on their peer’s work. Some people may find study groups help students learn information faster and it might make learning more enjoyable, but for others, study groups are a distraction. Either way, students should be prepared for their exams as it is a significant part of their semester grade.