Exams are a terrifying experience for everybody so you cannot blame children for being scared of it. However, times are changing and the way we examine student abilities has changed considerably. For that reason, we need to change the way we perceive examinations and have conversations about them that dispel the fear surrounding them. Here are some ways you can make examinations look like activities instead of a doomsday spell.

1. Teach them skills that will help them ace their exams -

Examples are a reflection of a disciplined process. If you teach your students or children essential skills like time management and priority-based learning, you are giving them a golden lesson in making the best use of time and resources.

Most often it is how you prepare more than what you prepare that gets students acing exams. If you focus on skill development such as this, it lifts the focus from having to score more to a more balanced teaching experience where they learn essential skills that will help them long term.

2. Be careful with your words -

Students in the world today know the pressure and challenges like nobody else. The competition is higher these days and school curriculums have changed to test for multiple dimensions of learning.

All this can really stress a student out and prevent them from learning to the best of their needs. Be careful not to use words like “pass” or “fail” around them. Replace that with “growth” and “support”.

3. Lead by example -

It helps if your child knows your process and it is also a bonding experience in itself. When adults help students gather skills and teach them their ways, they are passing down a moment instead of a lesson! Look at it that way and help them strategize learning based on tips that worked for you!

4. Post examination feedback/communication -

Understand how your child has performed in their examination by asking them questions about their feelings instead of asking them how much they will score. For instance, ask if your child felt confident after writing the paper. If they say no, ask them why and help them figure out a strategy to address the same!

5. Stop worrying for them -

No amount of you worrying as an adult will benefit your child/student. Children are like sponges and they absorb the energy they receive or see. If you radiate a world of worry, they will embody it and treat exams with a detrimental amount of fear!

There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to helping children learn but examinations are tricky and if done incorrectly, it can scar children and affect their motivation to learn. What we need to do is make examinations a diagnostic tool for them to reflect on instead of seeing it as an encapsulation of their abilities.

Let us know what tips you have discovered that work magically for your child or students. Write to us in the comments below or you can write in at [email protected].