Exam 1

I found that exam 1 was way different than my tests in high school. I was expecting the exam to be different with more of the vocabulary words together in the front and not really be short answer questions. The tests that I have always done were mostly multiple choice or matching and a hand full of short answers questions. When I saw the test today I was kind of shocked at first because there were only short answer questions, but after I read them they were not that hard to answer. I prepared myself for this exam by reading over the information in my notes over and over and also rewriting the information I thought was going to be on the test. I also studied with my sister and she would quiz me on the information that was on the study guide. When I got to class today I helped a classmate/friend study and that also helped me remember the vocabulary right before the test. While taking my exam I skipped around because I would not remember the answer to that question but as I made my way back to it I would remember the answer to it. If I don’t know the answer to the question it is better for me just to skip it then just stress over that one question and miss all the other questions. I feel like the hardest part of the exam for me is having to write in complete sentences I never was told only complete sentences or no credit in high school. In high school they would not look at your work that hard to make sure they were complete sentences. Overall I feel good about my exam but I will really know how I did when I get it back and can see how to study better for my next exam.

Relationship with Words

When I was a kid I struggled really bad with words, reading, and spelling. Words have failed me since I was little. I was diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) when I was in elementary school. They put me on a medication that helped me focus and to keep the words from moving around on the page. It is a lot more difficult to concentrate with some of the numbers and words moving around on the page as I read, but it is something I have got to overcome every day. Reading a book takes me longer because I constantly have to reread sections, but I eventually get it done and understand the book. It helps me a lot if I have the book or paper read to me. I can understand it a lot easier that way. I would prefer my teacher stand in front of the room and talk about the words rather than me trying to look them up myself because I can understand it better through another person explaining it. In class I would get distracted if someone moved in their chair or if someone simply walked past the classroom door. Because of these distractions, I would lose what word I was on. My teachers in the past have helped me with this issue by letting me take tests and quizzes in small groups or in a room by myself. I feel like I misuse words sometimes in sentences because I don’t know what it means. Although I am getting better at spelling words and using them in the right way and not having to rely on spell check all the time.

While reading and words are a struggle to me, my listening skills are a strength of mine. I have learned that I do much better on assignments and tests when they are read out loud to me by my teacher. This is one of the reasons I enjoy Country music so much. I am able to connect with words much easier this way. Hearing the words with the rhythm of the song makes them easier to remember. I have listened to George Strait all my life his words have a great impact on my life.  I find music a lot more enjoyable than having to read a book by my self. I find when I read the words in the book I don’t understand them as much as if I have an audiobook or if I listen to someone else read them to me.