It's almost Finals time! Annually, I require a Finals binder for my students. I ask them to include previous tests, quizzes, worksheets, handouts, and any material that will help them recollect what they've learned along the way. We complete the immense stack of flash cards that finalize the year...with sighs of accomplishment. "That binder took a lot of time, but it made me feel so good about finals, knowing that I have prepared and organized to my highest ability," they tell me.
It reminds me of college. It's my way of expressing to them the importance of being ready for a huge test. It's a great exercise that places chronologically, everything in one place, and allows them to gain a perspective on what they've learned and what they have to review. It's an exercise in time management and organization, an exercise at assertiveness, taking the responsibility to begin...
