Geography
GTP Workshop:
Having
Fun in Review Sessions!!
Why
do we review?
To prepare students for exams.
Why
do we have exams?
So
students will review! When
you think about it, the reviewing, and the learning that occurs while students
review is the goal of the course.
So, review sessions matter.
How
NOT to have fun in review session?
- Expect the students to
come with their own questions and run the review session on their own.
- Come in with the
attitude that review is only for unappreciative students that haven’t done
the assignments.
- Become frustrated when
students ask that same question over and over.
Considering
YOUR pressures:
- Difficult time of the
semester for you – time crunch, agitation with students, class, professor
…
- You don’t need to spend
much time on thinking out a review session to have an excellent review and
a good time while doing it.
Suggestions
for an amiable review session:
- Have an outline for
your review
- Set the agenda for the
review session, rather than letting the students take over
- Review administrative
issues: when the test is, how long it is, what it will cover
- Review test taking
strategies: how to take multiple choice tests, suggestions for essay exams
or short answer questions, discuss what you are interested in as a grader
- Come with overheads,
maps, accessories that are helpful for review
- Be encouraging! (some repetition is okay, it’s about learning). Help relieve anxiety!
Types
of Review Sessions:
Lab
Situation:
- Going over old,
problematic homework questions
- Working out problems
that will be similar to those on the exam
- Reviewing important
equations, concepts from the class – point out what is most important
Human
Geography/MAPS:
- Have students work on
study guides prior to review session
- Provide sample exam
questions, or practice multiple choice questions
- Encourage student
groups
- Lecture on the class
material – can you synthesize that class in 45 minutes?
- Quiz them: ask
questions and have them come up with the answers
- Have them do problems
on the board
- Group activities or questionnaires
– may be competitive
- Ask them to come up
with trick for learning, examples, acronyms, illustrations, etc.
- Jeopardy! (Click here for online examples)
- Treats, Other
Examples??