6 minute read
TAKING CONTROL OF
EXAM SEASON Taking control of
As a teacher, exam season is one that will always rear its head, and being prepared is crucial. However, alongside pressure on your students, there’s additional strain on you, too – but there are ways you can stay in control to ensure you don’t hold onto additional stress
Exam season is one of the most stressful times of the year for pupils, but for teachers, your own mental health can be forgotten about as you prepare your students for assessment time.
As we approach the exam season, you may be feeling the pressure from learners, parents and management to ensure your classes achieve the highest results they possibly can.
Students may be experiencing a higher level of stress or anxiety in the classroom, which can rub off on you, too, whilst preparing students for their final exam. But, there’s support available to help you manage your own mental health at this time.
about exams: feeling nervous for your pupils highlights that you hope the process is as simple as possible for them – after all, you want them to succeed. But, if the pressures of the exam period are starting to build up, it’s important to seek help.
“Learners can be anxious about their exams and teachers can find themselves supporting the different needs of young people, and sometimes their families, too,” explains Pauline Stephen, director of education, registration and professional learning at the General Teaching Council Scotland (GTCS).
“Holding onto other people’s worries can be quite demanding, especially if you have anxieties about a young person’s ability to demonstrate their best self in their exams. It comes from a place of teachers caring deeply about their learners and wanting them to do well.”
STRESS “Everyone experiences stress in some way, shape or form. We know that a degree of stress can support problem solving and creativity,” Pauline continues. “Teachers need to develop personal understandings of the signs that for you, the stress you’re experiencing is becoming too much.” If you find that feelings of stress or anxiety linger before and during the exam season, there are plenty of places you can turn to for guidance. Education Support (www. educationsupport.org.uk) is a charity that helps teachers with their mental health and wellbeing. They run a
helpline (0800 0562 561) which you can contact for emotional support when you’re experiencing stress related to work, or outside of the classroom. The 24-hour helpline is run by trained professionals who can offer counselling over the phone.
If you’re a member of a union, such as the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) (www.eis.org.uk), or NASUWT, the Teachers’ Union (www.nasuwt. org.uk), you can also approach your representative for advice and support to manage any exam-related stress. “It’s important that [you, as a teacher] don’t keep your feelings and worries to yourself,” Pauline urges. “Talking to friends, colleagues or someone you can trust can help enormously. Teachers play a critical role in supporting the wellbeing of each other and very often can find a way forward simply by getting the issue out there.”
Most teachers feel the pressure at exam time, and you’re certainly not in it alone. Colleagues, faculty heads and management are available to air your concerns to, and provide you with advice or support from their own experience.
CONTROL One of the most effective ways of managing any stress or anxiety in the
lead up to exams is thinking about the aspects that you can control, and the areas of exam season that you have no power over.
You can prepare your pupils, and can do so actively outside of class time. Holding revision sessions after school or during lunch breaks a few times a week will give you a sense that you’re going the extra mile for your pupils.
It’s also vital to take control of your own wellbeing at this time: the best way you can assist your students, giving them additional guidance, is by being at the top of your game. Make sure you’re eating healthily, drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep and taking the time to relax and do things you enjoy outside of the classroom, to ensure you’re able to perform at your best within it.
No matter how many times you go over various topics or explain things to your pupils, you should periodically remind yourself that you can’t sit the
exam for them. Remembering what you can and can’t control can go a long way to keep any stress or anxiety at bay, out of the classroom.
BREAK If you feel the pressures of the exam period are beginning to build up, it’s important to stop, take a break and think about how you can improve the situation. This may be reminding yourself about what’s in your control, stepping away from your desk to distance yourself, making the most of your work breaks, or something as simple as taking part in an enjoyable activity, such as planning your next holiday.
Pauline concludes: “Teachers are reflective practitioners. [You’re] always thinking, learning and developing. It’s important to remember that any concerns you might have come from an ongoing passion to improve your practice and the outcomes of your learners.”
Though it may feel like it, the exam season doesn’t last forever. Being prepared, planning ahead and seeking support when you need it are surefire ways to ensure a successful exam period, for teachers and learners alike.
Get further exam season information by visiting, www.gtcs.org.uk
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