Helping children cope with exam stress
Kip McGrath Westville Education Centre advised parents on how to help children beat exam stress, especially for learners who struggle with academics.
THE final exams are fast approaching, and this time can be a potentially stressful time for both children and their parents.
Last week, Hillcrest High School educators provided tips to help learners study for the year-end exams.
This week, Caxton Local Media Durban spoke to Devon Grant-Hayes, a centre manager and educator at Kip McGrath Westville Education Centre, about tips for parents whose children struggle with academics.
Also read: Educators share five tips to better exam results
For two years in a row, Kip McGrath Westville has won the Best Educational Service for the Best of Durban.
Grant-Hates said it is usually quite easy for parents to fall into the trap of doing homework or creating a study routine for their kids by following ‘old-school’ approaches.
“We always encourage our students to maintain a routine that suits their exact needs.”
He advised that parents should not apply a copy-and-paste approach to their children’s learning habits.
“This could force their child into a restrictive pattern that may not suit the child. Especially if neurotypical parents try to use neurotypical techniques on neurodivergent children.
He said that a parent should consider and prioritise:
– What type of learner is your child or what learning style do they have, whether auditory, visual or kinaesthetic, etc?
– Focus on creating an environment that takes into consideration the child’s stimulation needs. Are they easily over-stimulated or being under-stimulated?
– Time management: It is essential to be aware of your kid’s concentration span when planning this. An hour of swotting may be good for some learners, yet others can only handle 15–20 minutes.
– Kinaesthetic learners – usually your neurodivergent children – need tools such as fidget spinners to process. About sixty-seven percent of children are neurodivergent, and this must be a big consideration when creating support structures.
– Relaxation versus procrastination: Your child needs to be in a calm and receptive space for learning or retention to take place.
– Practising mindfulness, meditation or breathing exercises can create a calm and responsive child.
– Managing stress: With exams around the corner, the best approach for parents is to keep an eye on their child’s anxiety levels. The best tip for success is to keep a cool head.
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