You are sitting there, in rows, on uncomfortable chairs, head down writing, thinking, confused, or enjoying the fact you read the right textbook that morning. The silence is only broken by the squeaking of desks that are not stable and industrious scribbling around the room. You look up at the clock as you try to work out how much time remaining to complete the millions of questions still left to answer. It is stifling, sweat is dripping from your brow, your hands are clammy, and aching from writing.
But you cannot stop, there are only five minutes left so you get back to it.
You feel your heart pounding in your chest, as your writing gets messier in the panic of getting everything down on the paper. Time is up - pens down, exam finished. You hope you’ve done enough knowing that you cannot change it now. You wait in silence to be dismissed. On the way home you feel sick as your friend smugly tells you how easy it was, and you realise what you may have missed.
Bringing back memories?!
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The weeks leading up to exams or tests can be nerve-wracking for both parents and teenagers alike. As a parent, it can be challenging to figure out how best to help your teen stay calm before exams so I thought I would share some tips on how you can help them through the process.
Throughout my teaching career the key piece of advice I gave to my students each year was to start revising and preparing early. Learning is the process of accumulating information and repetition can make the process of retrieving information more efficient. Therefore the earlier they start, the more they can repeat the information and the easier it will be to retrieve the vital information in the exam. So, the first step is for you as a parent to try and get ahead of the game by talking about the importance of studying early on with your teen, which will teach them good study habits to equip them for the years ahead.
Throughout my teaching career the key piece of advice I gave to my students each year was to start revising and preparing early. Learning is the process of accumulating information and repetition can make the process of retrieving information more efficient. Therefore the earlier they start, the more they can repeat the information and the easier it will be to retrieve the vital information in the exam. So, the first step is for you as a parent to try and get ahead of the game by talking about the importance of studying early on with your teen, which will teach them good study habits to equip them for the years ahead.
Secondly, it is really important to make sure they stay well-rested. If their body is tired, then their mind will be too and it'll make it harder to concentrate - so balance and a healthy routine that is not all revision revision revision is key.
Thirdly, keeping the atmosphere at home positive and calm is important as they may be feeling lots of pressure from school and the expectations of teachers. Therefore they need a safe space to be able to share their feelings of stress and feel understood when they feel like the weight of the world is on their shoulders.
There is often so much pressure to do well, and for teens today it can sometimes feel like their entire future hangs on these one or two exams so they heap more pressure on themselves and the cycle of stress and anxiety can occur.
Thirdly, keeping the atmosphere at home positive and calm is important as they may be feeling lots of pressure from school and the expectations of teachers. Therefore they need a safe space to be able to share their feelings of stress and feel understood when they feel like the weight of the world is on their shoulders.
There is often so much pressure to do well, and for teens today it can sometimes feel like their entire future hangs on these one or two exams so they heap more pressure on themselves and the cycle of stress and anxiety can occur.
Therefore the best way to support your teen in the lead up to exams/mocks is to make sure they have plenty of space and time to prepare and ensuring that their routine has enough relaxation built into it so that when exam stress does hit, they are well prepared with a calm headspace to tackle it.
If you would like further support then I have a 6 week programme for teens who don't feel 'good enough', have anxiety due to the pressure of expectations and are unable to study effectively to help them become more resilient, confident and calm in the face of exams. Click here to enter your details and I will be in touch so we can work together to provide the best support for your child in this challenging time. As a coach specialising in helping students develop resilience skills, I can show you how your child can achieve what they are capable of by working in partnership with you.
If you would like further support then I have a 6 week programme for teens who don't feel 'good enough', have anxiety due to the pressure of expectations and are unable to study effectively to help them become more resilient, confident and calm in the face of exams. Click here to enter your details and I will be in touch so we can work together to provide the best support for your child in this challenging time. As a coach specialising in helping students develop resilience skills, I can show you how your child can achieve what they are capable of by working in partnership with you.
