Exams

The Last Stretch

By on May 12th, 2017

This is the eleventh post in a series by former FLVS student Makaila, a model, author, and student advocate.

Blog_Final_StretchHey FLVS! Summer is almost in your reach.

The unlimited time at the pool, lack of homework, and more importantly, sleep. Summer feels closer than you think, but don’t let it cloud your last grades of the year.

So, to save you in your last few weeks of school, I am going to give you some tips that will lock you in for success.

When I was in school, I was an avid procrastinator, waiting until the last possible minute to do something. Don’t do that to yourself.

I promise the extra time you think you’re giving yourself isn’t worth it. No amount of television or even just hanging out with friends is worth it when it comes to exams. The moments where you will end up cramming could be spent sleeping. And sleeping is a necessity when it comes to not bombing your last exam! Continue reading


Ready…Set…Test!

By on April 24th, 2017

Testing TipsWe all deal with the grueling task of being tested, whether we are in grade school, in college, on the job site – or dealing with everyday situations (parenting, teaching, etc.).

It seems we face some sort of test in our life every day, whether a paper/pencil exam or making the right moral choices. As a school counselor, I am tasked with assisting students and parents with making the right choices to successfully work their way through school – academically, socially, and emotionally.

Today I want to focus on the academic realm and the tests and exams that all students must go through. I’ll share tools to help them be successful when faced with these assessments.

Some of the points I will share can cross into other facets of tests that we all go through in our personal and professional lives as well.

Be sure to save this handy acrostic blog post full of tips for your next big exam!

R.E.A.D.Y. … S.E.T. … T.E.S.T. Continue reading


Would You Rather…the Dentist or a DBA?

By on March 24th, 2017

Blog_Public_SpeakingChances are that if you ask someone if they’d rather have dental work done or speak in front of an audience, that person will probably have to take a moment to think about it.

According to many studies, the idea of speaking in public or making a presentation ranks extremely high on the anxiety scale.

Along those lines, we’ve heard from many of our students that they are apprehensive when it comes to their discussion-based assessment, commonly known as a DBA. For those not familiar with the DBA, it is a verbal conversation between a student and teacher to discuss what he/she has learned in the modules.

If this is you, you can take some comfort in the simple fact you are not alone.

Have you ever watched someone talk in public and think, “Man, they are great—so relaxed and natural. I wish I could speak like that.” While it’s true that some have a natural gift for gab and their conversations seem effortless, it is quite possible that they had to learn to overcome their nervousness. Speaking professionally in a public setting, is a skill that must be developed and fine-tuned. And this takes time.

Here’s a secret… Continue reading


Getting Past the Fear of DBAs

By on March 19th, 2015

This article is based on student work published in the FLVS student newspaper, News in a Click.

DBAIf discussion-based assessments make you nervous, these tips from FLVS students may help!

DBAs are verbal assessments and are often the most dreaded assignments for FLVS students. Instead of comfortably typing essays and worksheets on their laptops, students communicate with an instructor one-on-one over the phone.

But why is this so terrifying? Surely the verbal component of the DBA is not intimidating, especially when the assignments are approached by the instructor as a conversation instead of an oral exam.

TIP: Did you know that DBAs can be completed in a live lesson setting or over a video call? Ask your teacher about this option! Learn more in this post about mastering the DBA.

However, if you compare talking on the phone for twenty minutes to being the only student called on to answer random questions for 20 minutes in a classroom, you can see why students are reluctant to dial their instructors’ numbers. Continue reading