(Picture:BBC News 24)Its exam time again for many students across the country. (Many of our US readers will already have done them and are now skating down easy street for a nice long summer break). For super cool dudes like my Big Byte exam time is usually as stress free as any other time of the year; but for the majority of us mere mortals ( if my memory serves me correctly) it is a time of high anxiety, sleepless nights, last minute cramming and 'Dear God Let it be over!' moments. So what can be done to alleviate some of this unpleasantness?
An invaluable resource for quick tips and bullet points of note is the BBC Bitesize website. I cannot recommend this site enough for kids of all ages; it makes learning fun and completely comprehensive. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/
It can actually be positive for students to feel anxious or nervous about exams. These feelings should be relatively short-lived and are an indication that they are taking the exams seriously. Experts suggest that tension can also serve to channel energy into the short-term task of exam preparation.
In the run-up to exams help your child by:
Attempting to demystify the exams as much as possible. Make sure they know where they will be taking the exams and what they can take in with them.
Talk about fears as they arise and offer them the chance to express their concerns. Offer reassurance when appropriate.
Encourage your child to pair up with others in his or her group. A system of 'revision buddies' can help students to talk about how their studies are going. They will be less likely to bottle-up fears.
Good quality sleep will serve your child well in the run-up to exams: the more hours they get before midnight the better.
Carefully monitor what they eat before and during the exams. High fat, high sugar and high caffeine foods will not optimise brain-function. Neither will going for long periods without eating a balanced meal.
Revision Tips:
Help you child to get organized. Valuable time can be lost through lack of organization
Help them to plan the weeks leading up to the exams, allowing time to cover the necessary topics without limiting relaxation time.
Avoid last-minute cramming.
Encourage them to talk to teachers and fellow students about difficulties as soon as they arise.
Remind them to take breaks often through any revision period: at least ten minutes every hour, if not more. Some form of physical movement helps to kick-start the brain. Stretching, walking and getting some fresh air will all help the learning process. Never let exercise become a luxury, it is a necessity for active brains.
Plan treats and activities. Intensive work and no play leads to despondency. Small tasks, followed by big rewards, help to pace them through anxious times.
You may not have been successful in education yourself, or you may indeed have been a high achiever; either way, you can be a tremendous support to your child. Knowing that they have you in their corner spurning them on is often enough to get them through.
