Launching a " two-week campaign "
With two important goals – getting accepted into her first-choice school, Huynh Thuc Khang High School, and getting into the specialized class at Phan Boi Chau Specialized High School – Le Quynh Mai, a 9th-grade student from Ha Huy Tap Secondary School in Vinh Phu ward, said she is making the most of every hour during this crucial period to consolidate her knowledge, practice exam questions, and prepare mentally for the important exam.
Previously, Mai's scores in the first semester exams (Mathematics, Literature, and English) ranged from around 25-26 points. However, in recent mock exams, Mai achieved a total score of approximately 27.25 points for these three subjects, and her Math score remained stable at 8.5-9 points. This was also the subject she worried about the most because she often made avoidable mistakes such as confusing numbers or writing down incorrect information from the questions. During the review process, her teachers provided additional guidance on test-taking skills, tips for handling questions, and time management techniques to minimize errors.
This female student also said that the biggest change for her during the preparation for the 10th grade entrance exam was not only her knowledge but also her test-taking skills and her ability to avoid losing points due to small mistakes. Regularly practicing with sample tests helped her become more accustomed to the pressure of the exam room, less flustered, and more careful when answering questions.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Tam, the math teacher for class 9A at Ha Huy Tap Secondary School, said that because this is a selective class, most students have placed top-tier high schools in the province as their first choice. Therefore, the pressure to prepare for the exam and the target scores are quite high, with the class average around 8 points. In addition, many students aim for 9-10 points, and about 5 students in the class have the potential to achieve 9.5 points or higher.
From the middle of the second semester until now, teacher Nguyen Thi Tam has been implementing phased "campaigns" with her students, each lasting two weeks. In the final phase, she focuses on the "campaign to secure a score of 8," helping students thoroughly master basic and intermediate-level questions before moving on to more challenging ones. Besides knowledge acquisition, the continuous practice sessions also help students become accustomed to time pressure, reduce stress, and avoid regrettable mistakes during the exam.
Based on her teaching experience, teacher Nguyen Thi Tam shared that applying the teaching method of "watering the trees, not the forest," which involves not teaching broadly to the whole class but personalizing the review process for each student, has proven quite effective.
Many students complete the assignments but still lose points due to presentation errors, missing conditions, or very minor mistakes. Therefore, we have to review very carefully to correct each specific error for the students. In addition, if a student has gaps in their knowledge, I will ask them more questions about that area.
Teacher Nguyen Thi Tam - Ha Huy Tap Secondary School
Ms. Tran Hoa Binh, Principal of Ha Huy Tap Secondary School, said that this year the school has 611 ninth-grade students, of which more than 500 have registered to take the entrance exam for three public high schools in the former Vinh City area. This is a considerable pressure, as the competition rate for admission to top-tier schools is always high.
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To maintain the quality of the output, from the beginning of the school year, the school has developed a review plan in stages and categorized students according to their abilities to provide appropriate support methods. Especially in the final stages, the school implements a "2-Week Campaign" with the goal of comprehensively reviewing students' knowledge, skills, and psychological readiness before the exam.
We require teachers to develop specific study plans for each class and group of students. Students should not review in a scattered manner but must identify the areas where they have knowledge gaps so that they can fill them in promptly.
In addition, through mock exams, teachers will meticulously analyze each student's mistake to adjust their review methods. Some students lose points due to nervousness, some due to carelessness, and some have gaps in their knowledge of specific topics. Therefore, teachers must closely monitor each student.
Ms. Tran Hoa Binh, Principal of Ha Huy Tap Secondary School
Overcoming pressure
Despite winning second prize in the provincial-level English competition for gifted students and consistently scoring between 27 and 28 points on mock exams, Nguyen Ho Tra Giang, a 9th-grade student from Dang Chanh Ky Secondary School in Van An commune, admits that these are not "outstanding achievements" when compared to other candidates in the race to enter the province's specialized high school.
"Besides studying at school, I also go to Vinh to take extra classes with teachers specializing in English. Even so, I'm still quite worried because the competition for admission to the specialized English class is very high and there's fierce competition among candidates. I always compare myself to the general level of other candidates to try harder," said Nguyen Ho Tra Giang.
In the final days before the 10th grade entrance exam, Tra Giang shared that she no longer tries to do as many practice tests or learn too much new knowledge as before. Instead, she focuses on reviewing fundamental knowledge, vocabulary, and grammar to maintain stability and avoid confusion before the exam. She hopes the exam will be in the range of B2 to C1 and limit overly specialized vocabulary or knowledge-based "tricks." She also aims to maintain a score of around 13.5-14 points in the specialized class to increase her chances of being admitted to her desired specialized class.
"Writing an argumentative essay presenting solutions to help students overcome pressure and exam stress" was one of the final assignments given to 9A class students by teacher Le Minh Thien, a Literature teacher at Dang Chanh Ky Secondary School. Through directly asking questions, correcting assignments, and discussing with students, Mr. Thien concluded that, in the period leading up to exams, what students need most is not only knowledge but also psychological stability.
According to Mr. Thien, many students today face considerable pressure from high grade expectations and competition in specialized classes. Therefore, teachers not only need to review knowledge but also help students learn how to balance their emotions, maintain a positive attitude, and build confidence before exams.
Besides preparing students psychologically, Mr. Thien also accompanied them through dozens of volunteer exam preparation sessions with the ultimate goal of helping them achieve as many 8s and 9s as possible in Literature.
"Currently, preparing for the 9th grade Literature exam no longer focuses on rote memorization or memorizing specific works as before, but rather concentrates more on developing students' skills and ability to appreciate literature. Therefore, with the new exam structure, students are forced to have strong reading comprehension, critical thinking, and expressive skills to achieve high scores."
I don't teach students to memorize model essays; instead, I guide them towards understanding the issues, analyzing them, and presenting their own thoughts. Besides essay writing skills, I also pay attention to students' exam-taking psychology. Therefore, during the preparation process, students regularly practice with exam-sized questions to develop reflexes and maintain psychological stability."
Teacher Le Minh Thien, Literature teacher, Dang Chanh Ky Secondary School
Regarding English, Ms. Ly Hoang Yen, a teacher at Trung Do Secondary School in Truong Vinh Ward, also believes it is one of the most difficult subjects. Therefore, during the review process, she particularly focuses on guiding students in test-taking skills and allocating time effectively: "In the final months, I shift to practicing test-taking skills for each specific question type. Once students understand how to do and the methods for handling each type of question, they will move on to the stage of practicing comprehensive exam questions according to the structure of the Department of Education and Training's exam," Ms. Yen shared.
Having spent many years preparing 9th-grade students for exams, Ms. Yen has carefully analyzed each student's strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, she meticulously analyzes the exam questions and finds methods to help students easily grasp the material and maximize their scores. "With the current exam format, my students with above-average academic ability can achieve around 8 points. Those currently at 7 points, if they focus on studying well during the final preparation period, can still improve to 7.5 or higher," Ms. Yen expressed her confidence in her students and hoped to help them have a successful exam season.
Source: https://baonghean.vn/si-tu-lop-9-chay-dua-cung-thoi-gian-10337678.html
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