As teachers, we often see the impact of exam stress on our students. It's important that we help parents understand this stress so they can effectively support their children at home. This guide offers insights and practical tips on how we can communicate with parents about exam stress and coping strategies, helping to create a supportive environment that benefits students during their assessments.
Explaining exam stress to parents
We can start by helping parents understand what exam stress is and why it’s significant. Explain that stress manifests in various ways, including emotional upset, physical symptoms like headaches and stomach pains, and behavioural changes such as irritability or withdrawal. It is important to highlight that while a certain amount of stress is normal, excessive stress can hinder performance and affect long-term mental health.
Effective communication strategies
- Parent meetings and workshops: Organise sessions specifically aimed at discussing exam stress. Use these meetings to share insights into how stress affects learning and performance and encourage an open dialogue where parents can share their observations and concerns.
- Regular updates: Send out newsletters or emails with tips on recognising and managing exam stress. Include signs to watch for and how they might differ from typical adolescent behaviour.
- Resource sharing: Provide parents with links to helpful resources, such as articles from Mentally Healthy Schools and advice from the NHS, so they can learn more at their own pace and have materials to refer back to.
Coping techniques for parents to implement at home
- Encouraging healthy habits: Stress the importance of a balanced diet, adequate sleep, and regular physical activity. Explain how these can significantly mitigate stress levels and enhance overall wellbeing.
- Creating a supportive study environment: Guide parents on setting up a quiet, comfortable study area, helping organise study schedules, and encouraging regular breaks, which are essential for long-term retention of information.
- Emotional support: Teach parents about providing emotional support. Listening to their children’s concerns without judgment and reassuring them that their worth is not tied solely to their exam performance can relieve a great deal of pressure.
Promoting positive study techniques
Share effective study methods that parents can encourage, like active learning through practice tests, summarising notes, and teaching the material to someone else. These techniques not only improve knowledge retention but also help students feel more in control, which can reduce stress.
Encouraging professional help when needed
Remind parents that it’s okay to seek help if their child’s anxiety becomes overwhelming. Suggest consulting with in-school support (Class teacher/Head of Year/Pastoral lead) or seeking external professional help if stress seems to be significantly impacting their child’s daily life.
In summary
By equipping parents with the understanding and tools they need to support their children, you can extend the supportive school environment into the home. This holistic approach not only alleviates exam stress for students but also fosters a collaborative relationship between school and home, ensuring that students have a strong support system in place during these challenging times.
You can find further support here:
https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/factors-that-impact-mental-health/school-based-risk-factors/academic-and-exam-stress/
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coping-with-exam-pressure-a-guide-for-students/coping-with-exam-pressure-a-guide-for-students
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/children-and-young-adults/advice-for-parents/help-your-child-beat-exam-stress/
https://www.studentminds.org.uk/examstress.html