Wondering how you can support your students during exam season? Here a 10 small things you could do that can make a big difference.
Exam season is often a time for rising anxiety amongst your students. Everyone gets exam nerves – they’re a big thing that they spend most of their time in school working towards.
Sometimes the stress can be overwhelming rather than motivating, and this is when it can have an impact on exam performance as well as a students’ wellbeing. Here are 10 things you can do as a teacher to support your students during the exam season.
1. Remove the fear
Remove the fear that many students have about exams by changing perceptions. Explain why exams are important, but make sure they know that exams also aren’t everything. Exams can of course be helpful in the future for university and work, but we learn in different ways and our skills and passions are also important.
Try to get students to move away from the idea that exams ‘define them’. You can put more emphasis on the course content and what they know instead of what grade their knowledge will get them. This will keep them focused on their studies and help with motivation as it presents a goal with clear steps to achieving it, rather than a number.
Let them know you’re there to help too – as a teacher you’ll most likely review the course content and provide past exam paper activities in lessons, so they don’t have to do it all alone.
2. Introduce revision early
If your students make the most of the time they have before exams earlier rather than waiting until the last minute, it won’t be as daunting and they’ll have plenty of time to cover the content they need to. Introduce the topic of exams and preparing for revision into lessons as early as possible.
This could include something as simple as making a note of topics they need to work on more in their workbooks that they can review, or writing their lessons into revision notes now so that they don’t spend their revision time doing it.
3. Talk about Results Day
When students think about what grades they’ll get on Results Day and worry about what will happen next (especially for those who want to go to college or university), this can add extra stress during the exam period. You can talk through what happens on Results Day, with a focus on how revision will help, and make sure students know about their options. Perhaps you could help your students understand that there are other options such as apprenticeships, further training and employment. When they realise they can go through clearing for university, it can take a lot of weight off their shoulders.
4. Provide opportunities for questions
Provide plenty of opportunities to ask questions about schoolwork, revision, exams, results day, and deadlines. Some students may feel uncomfortable asking questions in class for fear of it being a ‘stupid question’. Explaining that there are no stupid questions can create a more comfortable atmosphere. Providing the opportunity to pop in over lunch or after school for those who are still unsure will make sure everyone has a chance to get what they need to know.
5. Explore ways to revise
Help students find a revision style that suits their learning style. We all learn better in different ways and in different environments and finding a way that works best will make it much easier to revise and remember course content.
Explore ways you can revise with your students and encourage them to experiment with different styles, perhaps according to the VAK learning system. This could include using sticky notes, flashcards, written notes, diagrams, making up songs or acronyms, or using a colour coding system. It could also take surroundings into account. Students may wish to discover which type of environment helps them concentrate better e.g. silence, quiet chatter, listening to music etc.
If it is possible, allow students to use their preferred methods. Many schools don’t allow the use of mobile phones as they can be a distraction during lessons but many people find that music allows them to block out their surroundings and focus on their work. If phones can be an exception for revision periods, allowing students to listen to their own music as long as they have headphones and are quiet can help.
Introducing a revision planning session early into revision where students can create their own plan or timetable can also help them to get started earlier and make the best use of their time.
Students can explore our exam and revision advice from common mistakes to avoid, different revision techniques, and apps that can help.
6. Encourage breaks from studying
Encourage students to take short and regular breaks when studying so they don’t lose motivation or lose the ability to concentrate. It’s good to encourage this for whenever they study, but if students have revision periods in school, taking the class out for a quick 5-10 minute walk on the school grounds to get fresh air half way through the session can help everyone step away.
You could also try bringing some activities to break times to make sure students step away from their work. This could include led meditation, a fun quiz or some music videos.
7. Encourage a healthy lifestyle
A balanced diet, plenty of water, staying active and getting enough sleep (this is an important one) will help keep body and mind healthy during exams. It can be tempting to stay up late at night to cram before an exam, but not getting enough sleep won’t help on the big day. Stress the importance of sleep to your students and make sure they know that they have done all they can for the exam – getting enough sleep is the best thing they can do for themselves.
Our downloadable ‘Stress Management Guide’ booklet outlines tips and techniques for young people to use, including:
- How to revise (with a revision timetable template)
- How to manage emotions and stay calm
- Practising self care and asking for help
- What to expect in results day
This can be used as an introduction to managing pre-exam stress and looking after yourself during exams.
8. Be there to listen
Make sure students know they can ask for help whenever they need to, and that there is support in place for when this happens. You don’t have to have all the answers. Directing students to trusted sources for advice can be a big help. Young Minds, Mind and the NHS website have good resources about exams, stress and general mental wellbeing. There are also many student helplines and support resources available.
9. Reach out and notice the signs
Check in with all students and ask if they are okay! Not everyone shows their feelings on the outside, and some need someone to simply reach out so that they can say what is on their mind.
Make sure they know they aren’t alone (they are all in the same boat – in the classroom and across the UK) and know the signs that someone is struggling. Some people suffer in silence even if you do reach out, so being able to notice the signs of someone who is struggling will ensure they get the help they need.
10. Look after yourself
It’s a stressful time for students, but it might be a stressful time for you too. There’s a lot on your plate when you’re teaching and planning normal lessons, marking homework, and also delivering revision sessions and marking extra exam preparation activities too. Make sure you look after yourself so that you can cope with any exam season stress, and so that you can best support your students too.
