Helping children with exam stress

purplepurple

loopylass wrote: »

Hi
My son is going to be doing exams this year and he does 20 mins revision a night can you give me the website for past exam papers as i think this will help him as well
thankyou

Find out which exam boards your son is doing (should be on a certificate of entry that he should have been given by now) and then just go to that exam website. I know that for Edexcel you need the centre number to access the past papers / mark schemes and this should also be on the cerificate of entry

bestpud

Hmm, I was getting stressed because my laid back dd wasn't getting stressed about her GCSEs!

Now, on reading this, I'm thinking I should be grateful she is like that! She actually took a GCSE last year, without realising it was a GCSE!! :rotfl:

Anyway, lots of hugs and reassurance is what I'd prescribe.

And, as another poster has said, it is good to remember examiners are looking for what they know rather than trying to catch them out. Essentially, try and get them to think of the examiner as someone wanting to give them credit wherever possible. It always seems less daunting to look at it that way when I am doing exams.

sunnyflower

My daughters about to do them too; I'm more stressed than her atm! I think it's because I wasn't the least bit interested when I did them (managed 3 and husband didn't get any) and I obviously want her to achieve more than we have! And lets face it, the workplace is soooo much more competitive than when I left school 30 years ago.

She's very similar in attitude to how I was. But also very capable.

She is motivated in her fave subjects, I have to nag her about the others. I take an active role in her revision (testing, helping her plan revision etc).

The best incentive I've come up with is MONEY; £100 if she gets at least a C in them all :j
(Any below she has to resit :mad: )

aurora_borealis_2

I have DD1 doing nursing finals.

DD2 sitting 3rd year degree finals (and MUST get a 2.1 to take up her med school offer).

DD3 doing 13 GCSEs.

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

There are many panics and tears going on, and a lot of hard work!

I just make myself available as much as possible to pick up the pieces. I also read through essays and dissertations and give as much encouragement as I can.

They're doing great considering the stress that they're under, especially DD2 (sali_mali) who has only collapsed completely once so far

pandora205

There are some useful ideas and links on Channel 4 website:

http://www.channel4.com/health/microsites/0-9/4health/teenlife/has_exams.html

Another useful 'resource' is 'the Student Room' website (which has forums rather like this) where young people can message each other with problems and suggestions.

(Mind you my 16 year old is so laid back he is almost horizontal. He's still completing course work, so nowhere near revision yet!

misty

One of the things that stresses students out is not knowing how to revise - they're told to revise but just stare at their notes not quite sure what to do with them.

I have a handout - I've used with my students that gives revision tips - some are general and some are linked to their learning styles -pm me if you want a copy.

There are also some good relaxation techniques and ways of combatting exam stress here -
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/How+to/How+to+cope+with+exam+stress.htm

The tip with stress / relaxation techniques is using them regularly and finding what works for you.

Firehorse

Thank you to everybody for your responses, DD2 and I read through them together. She particularly liked the idea of pampering and financial reward of course!!!!

Being a second year degree student I've already mentioned some of things that you've recommended. Obviously, because it's now come from all of you she's taken it on board :T Why do kids do that?

We spent the afternoon deciphering a very complicated timetable sent out by the school. Each girl now has a personal timetable for the exam period. This includes exams, regular lessons, revision lessons, non-school attendance, fun etc. All highlighted in different colours to make it easy to read and hanging in their bedroom. We also discussed different revision strategies, ie straight from school when in the mind set, or after refuelling and chilling. The importance of having a structured plan, eating properly, getting regular sleep, including exercise and fun. She even went jogging yesterday. It was a lot in one go, but today she is smiling.

Thank you all again and I would love to hear of any more ideas.

Many thanks and all the best

Firehorse

debs66_2

Hi firehorse

glad she's smiling again.

don't forget the other more important message.... she has to do well in life because when you are older she will have to keep you in the manner to which you are accustomed!

haylibo

Firehorse, I would just second the poster who said it doesn't help to suggest they're not really that important. I started on that tack with my dd when she was stressed and she stopped talking to me about it. I realised that I'd been invalidating something that was very important to her and that being supportive meant more than just buying the revision guides. It was also to do with understanding where she was coming from. Sounds like you've done a great job with your daughter if she's smiling - I think my daughter lost the muscles to smile during her run up to GCSEs!!

RedBern

I have a handout - I've used with my students that gives revision tips - some are general and some are linked to their learning styles -pm me if you want a copy

Misty's revision tips will be useful as well - it took me until my 3rd year of OU degree to realise the best way for me to revise was to get a sheet of A4 (always turned sideways) with the topic written in capital letters in the middle - and then bubbles of writing coming out like a spider's web with important points. This can be narrowed down over time so that eventually you are left with a sheet of A4 with about 20 one or two word brainstorming points - go into the exam - up comes your topic (I still recall Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation from sociology) and you visualise 'top left of A4 sheet - important bit about.... xxx which leads on to ....which has an impact on...xxx.... .and there's a point I can't quite remember from the bottom of the page.....close your eyes and it's there!'

You can include pictures as prompts - I had a drawing of a duckling which reminded me about a vital point (ok the detail's hazy after 10 years ;)but if I read that sheet for 10 minutes I could still write an essay on it I'm sure!)

A friend used to read her notes onto a cassette records and listen to them constantly - that may work.... It's important to find what works for your learning style - give them all a go - and good luck to all the parents out there suffering at this stressful time!!