AD | During exams, teenagers can often feel overwhelmed and struggle to cope with the mounting pressure to perform well. This can be a hard time for teenagers, and as parents, we want to do all that we can to help alleviate this pressure. One of the best methods for relieving the stress of exams is to be well prepared.
To help your teen to prepare for their exams, here are some helpful tips from Brampton College, a leading independent sixth form college in London…
Plan ahead
Start helping your child to prepare for their exams as early as possible, by creating a revision schedule. You can create a basic, calendar style schedule, using your computer and printing it out, or by using a few coloured pens and a ruler. Try to make it really simple, so that it clearly displays the days and times your child needs to dedicate to revision, along with any spare time that they can use to reward themselves. It is important that there are regular ‘reward breaks’ to prevent your teen from feeling overwhelmed or unmotivated.
Motivate
It is important that you maintain a positive and optimistic attitude in the run up to your child’s exams. This will help your teen to stay focused, motivated and feel less anxious.
By helping your child to prepare for their exams, you will also help them to feel more confident. This will help them to perform at their best on the day of their exams.
Try to pay close attention to what your child is learning and show your interest. Ask them to explain their subject to you, as if they are the teacher and then test you, to see if you were paying attention!
Don’t forget to let your child know how proud you are of their learning efforts – This is the best kind of motivation.
Learning style
Did you know that we all use different learning styles? If you can identify which learning style works best for your child, then you are more likely to succeed in preparing them for their exams. Auditory learners, for example, prefer to talk things through or read aloud, whereas visual learners absorb information better when using pictures or diagrams. Once you have identified the learning style of your child, you will be able to use the right tools to help them revise more effectively.
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