Parents urged to keep students calm during exams
LAST minute advice to stressed-out exam students is being offered by the Psychological Society of Ireland who say a positive approach will deliver the best outcome. Junior and Leaving Certificate exams begin this morning for hundreds of students throughout the county and the PSI is suggesting that being organised will help students through the next few weeks. Parents are encouraged to support their children by remaining calm throughout the exam period. Professor Aidan Moran, PSI member, said there are three ways in which parents can offer the best support. â€Å“First, they should encourage students to regard exams as opportunities to gain marks rather than as tests designed to find out what they donâ€â„¢t know,â€Â he said. [private] â€Å“Second, avoid doing post-mortems after the exam â€â€ itâ€â„¢s neither helpful nor accurate, as students donâ€â„¢t always remember what they wrote. â€Å“Finally, parents should praise their children for doing their best and for staying in the exam until itâ€â„¢s over.â€Â The society also advises students to maximise their potential by ensuring they have everything ready the night before the exam. â€Å“Set your alarm early so that you will have plenty of time to get ready. â€Å“If you cannot fall sleep, or are tossing and turning all night, donâ€â„¢t despair. â€Å“This restlessness simply means that you are concerned about your performance and this is natural. Your body is a self-correcting system, which will restore your sleep balance over the next few nights â€Å“Pack all your essential equipment for the exam into your bag and make sure to have your exam number. Remember you will not be allowed to bring your phone in with you, so wear a watch. â€Å“Familiarise yourself with the number of questions you will have to answer, how long to allocate to each question and the length of time that is available for the entire exam. â€Å“Resist the temptation to study late into the night on the evening before an exam. â€Å“Last minute cramming is not only exhausting - it can also lead to confusion and possible â€Ëœexam blanksâ€â„¢ on the following day. Going for a relaxing walk is a useful thing to do on the night before an exam.[/private]