We have reached the end of the academic year, which means that students are writing their end of year exams. School exams are one of the most stressful times for teens and parents. With the countdown to the end of the exams upon us, many learners are likely to experience feelings of stress, and even panic – and worried parents want to be able to do more than lie awake at night, wondering how to help.
Below are 10 steps to help guide your child to exam success in what has been a very challenging year in education for learners, parents and teachers alike according to Bianca Gardella:
Eight hours of sleep
Getting enough sleep is crucial when teens are writing exams, with eight hours a night being the minimum.
According to reports, losing one hour of sleep every night could lower your IQ by one point.
Our brains process the information we receive during waking hours when we’re asleep.
Lack or loss of sleep hours can result in issues such as a decrease in reasoning skills and linguistic coherence.
Apps such as Headspace or Nosili are recommended to help learners sleep. These apps are soundtracks picked up to help learners who struggle to sleep.
Ensure good sleeping conditions
It is important to provide your children with a comfortable mattress that can make all the difference to the way your child feels when they wake up. A good mattress supports our bodies as we sleep, keeping our spines in a neutral position, says Teljoy CEO, Jonathan Hurwitz.
If your child suffers from back pain or allergies, for example, a foam or latex mattress might be your best bet.
Water, water, water!
Dehydration can lead to tiredness, headaches and poor concentration. With exams taking place in our summer heat, ensure your child is drinking lots of water.
According to the US researchers at Georgia Tech’s School of Biological Sciences, they have found that dehydration doesn’t just affect your physical ability, but can also lead to cognitive decline, with functions such as complex problem-solving and attention worse impacted.
It is essential to always keep a jug of water and a glass on your child’s desk, and flavour it up with slices of apple and mint, to ensure they stay hydrated.
Revision is crucial
Good revision techniques are crucial for exam success. If facts are learned quickly, they’re forgotten quickly, because they are in the short-term memory.
It is important to conduct a regular revision that allows you to remember facts for a long time, as they’ll be entrenched as part of your long-term memory. Using past examination papers is a useful tool, as they help your child become familiar with the ways in which questions have been asked, and alert them to what kinds of questions they may find tricky.
Give them time to study
Now isn’t the time to enforce house chores and tasks. Rather ensure your child’s energy is put into studying. And be mindful of noise.
With more family members at home during these lockdown times, make sure music and TV noise is turned down at study times.
Exam times may seem to drag on for other family members, so have a positive conversation with everyone present to discuss how important earning a matric, and good grades, are to your child’s future.
To take the pressure off the household, consider hiring a home-cleaning service like SweepSouth to help with general cleaning and tidying up. They also have gardeners who can come in to mow the lawn, clean the pool and do other outdoor gardening chores.
Exercise as a release
Exercise serves as a great stress outlet during exams – even if it’s just a half hour walk. It should be a moderate form of exercise, though, not an exhausting one. Exercise gives the brain an oxygen boost, and releases various brain-boosting hormones like dopamine, which positively influences learning and attention, and serotonin, which boosts mood and helps regulate sleep cycles.
Regular breaks
According to research, spending hours and hours studying without a break can result in a frustrated, exhausted child.
Our attention starts to flag after about 40 minutes, so regular breaks should be set within the study timetable.
While taking a break, encourage activities that allow the brain to take a break from thinking and remembering. A movement break – a short walk or stretching – refreshes the mind, and a quick meditation or breathing exercise in a quiet setting will help to improve your child’s productivity when they return to their books. After the break has ended, gently but firmly, encourage your child to go back into the next studying stretch. Once back at their desk, your child should take five minutes to sit down with their study material in front of them and do nothing, to help them calm their thoughts and focus their minds.
Healthy snacks and diet
The brain is the greediest organ in the body, so make sure their overall diet is based on starchy foods like bread, rice and pasta, with added dairy, meat and veg.
Food like chips, sugary snacks and soft drinks can result in concentration problems and restlessness. During study breaks, learners should have healthy snacks and drinks on hand. Your child’s favourite snack is a great reward for a successful study session.
On the day….
Keep the house calm and positive. Make sure your child eats a protein-rich breakfast soon after waking, such as scrambled eggs and toast.
Other protein-rich foods include cottage cheese, yoghurt, nuts and whole-grain cereal with milk. If your child is too nervous to stomach a breakfast, try a protein shake instead.
Helping your child feel adequate will go a long way in making them feel confident about tackling the stressful exam period.
