Are you getting ready for midterms? Midterms are stressful for both students and teachers. Teachers and students have the same goal at midterms, which is that everyone wants the student to do well. During these high stress times, the student/teacher relationship can get a little strained. It doesn’t have to be. Teachers are not assigning midterms to punish, but assessment is just part of the job for both students and teachers. All of the teachers I know, went into teaching with a passion for knowledge and want to share it with their students. Students may need guidance on how to study and break apart the material to get ready for the exam. Using these midterm study tips and steps to handle stress will result in less stress and a more peaceful and successful midterm. For your convenience, I have provided affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure here.

Preparing and Dealing with Midterm Stress

Students

Study! Study! And Study!
Consider the study tips I have listed here.
Do you prefer to use notecards/flashcards? Try this method.
Create a no distraction zone while studying. The human brain CANNOT multi-task. You lose all momentum when you are trying to flip between music, snapchat, twitter, and notes. Set a timer and study for 15-20 minutes. Give yourself a 5 minute break (set the timer again) and go back for another 15-20 minutes. This break would mean stretching, getting a drink, going to the bathroom. Not getting sucked into YouTube.
During your large blocks of study time, it is more efficient to study one subject for at least an hour rather than jumping between subjects.
Prove to yourself that you can succeed. For example it doesn’t really matter if you never plan on being a doctor, biology is a class you have to take and pass to graduate from high school. Graduating from high school is a clear path to success and financial security.
If you find that you are having trouble concentrating or learning, talk to your parents, teachers, physician, and/or school counselors. You may need to be evaluated. If there is something going on, they may be able to create a better learning plan for you to follow and it can be a life changing solution.
Don’t procrastinate and make sure that you create a study plan. You can check out my free time management course for ideas on how to manage your time to include fun and studying.
Take time for self-care. Eat healthy, exercise, get rest, and factor in some down time. I have gotten very sick every final exam week of my life as a student, so taking care of yourself is crucial.

Teachers

Begin providing review materials early and often. It will help lower your students’ stress levels and help keep the class mood high.
Consider doing group reviews with white boards for a fun low stress review strategy.
Give students processing time to think about answers or the opportunity to ask a friend.
If you are teaching in middle or high school, don’t forget to send home a document to the parents about what the midterm will entail.
Consider providing a study guide. NOT a copy of the exam, but an actually study guide.
Spend time in course creating study materials. Don’t assume students know how to study
Consider bringing in bottles of water for big exams. Encouraging notes are a bonus.
Some students are not interested, but don’t take negative student behavior personally (which can be especially difficult when they are being disruptive).
- Have a conference with these students or ask about what they find motivating. Adolescent students have a strong sense of black and white, but not a lot of gray. On the flip side, they struggle with seeing the big picture.
  - Diffuse the situation by asking how you can help?
  - What motivates them?
    - Consider prizes that are raffled by earning tickets through class participation, doing homework, getting a passing grade on a quiz, not disrupting class.
    - Many times your most outrageous students are the ones that came to you feeling overwhelmed or questioning their abilities. Always try to play to a person’s strengths. Most of us are well aware of our weaknesses.
Make time for your own self-care. You can’t possibly pour into your students when you are feeling depleted.
- exercise
- eat healthy – green smoothies or a green juice are quick nutrition fixes when time is short.
- grab coffee with a friend
- watch an episode of a sitcom to relax and disengage.
- if everything feels urgent ask a friend for help in deciding what is…. helps prevent the overwhelm from happening.