How Do I Support My Child During Exams?

Exams can cause stress for both children and their parents. As a parent, it’s natural to want to support your child during this challenging period, as you surely know what it was like when you were young.

However, with the school curriculum adding new changes and reformations now and then, along with new demands about grades and class rankings, it is hard for modern parents to keep track of their child’s examinations work.

We here at UNIS Hanoi can help you from dealing with this equation of “How do I support my child during exams?” yourself. Reading this guide allows you to become a supportive parent during your child’s exams.

Understanding the Exam Process

Understanding the exam process is the first step in assisting your child during exams, including the tests’ structures and grading system. This is more important than it sounds because the educational system changes constantly, and your children’s curriculum will not be the same as it was when you were in school.

You can search for sample exams online or talk to your child’s teachers or the school counsellor about the exams your child will be taking and how they can prepare for a better understanding.

Behind every brilliant performance there were countless hour of practice and preparation – Eric Butterworth

It is critical to learn about the different structures and formats of various exams from other subjects, such as key concepts and facts to memorise for a multiple-choice exam or answer writing and structuring for a written exam, to know the correct types of support that your child requires depending on the exam they are taking.

It is also necessary to understand how grades are calculated for the exams. Not only does this inform you about the most critical tasks in an exam, but it also assists you in setting realistic expectations for your child’s performance, which can help reduce their stress levels during the exam period.

This knowledge will assist you in developing a suitable study strategy and timetable for your children, boosting their confidence and motivation during the exam period.

How to Support Your Child During Exams

Many parenting-related news stories and articles in the 21st century have demonstrated that wanting your child to perform better on tests is one thing, but knowing how to do it well is quite another.

Our educational counsellors and teachers have approved the following tips for modern parents to use to best support their children with their exams:

Creating a Positive and Supportive Environment

Creating a positive and supportive environment is crucial for your child’s success during exams. Encourage your child to take breaks and relax, and help them create a study space that is comfortable and free from distractions.

It is also important to have a studying environment where a child would not feel less of themselves when their grade is not what they expected.

Helping Them with Their Study Plan

Another great way to support your child during examinations is to show them that they do not have to go through their study plan alone.

Sit down with your child and help them create a realistic schedule that includes time for studying, breaks, and relaxation—inviting them to learn in shorter, focused blocks and help them identify areas where they may need extra help or support.

Providing Emotional Support

Exams can be emotionally challenging for children, so providing emotional support during the exam preparation is crucial.

You can do that by listening to your child’s concerns, letting them know that feeling anxious or stressed is okay, and showing that you are there for them with assistance and support if they need someone to talk to.

Avoiding Excessive Pressure and Expectations

It is as important to encourage your child to do their best as to avoid placing excessive pressure or expectations on them.

Ensure to hearten your child to focus on learning and understanding the material instead of focusing solely on grades or test scores. No matter how small their efforts and growth are, give them credit.

Review Exam Results

After all the hard work of preparing and taking an exam, how you react to your child’s score is not one to be taken lightly, as it could also determine how your child should feel about results, in general.

Children may be scared and concerned about their results not being what they expected, especially when the demanding parental models are easily seen on TV or social media. It would be best to counteract this by offering support and encouragement and demonstrating that there is more to it than a score.

If your child already has a good score but feels terrible because they want a higher score, you can help them by giving them praise or rewards. Your child will remember that act fondly because it teaches them about self-love and the importance of not thinking less of themselves.

Overall, it is better to calm your child and help them identify areas for improvement and work with them to develop a plan for moving forward than to punish them and show frustration or disappointment toward them.

Final Thought

Supporting your child during their exam preparation seems challenging, but with the right approach, as shown in this blog post, it can also be a rewarding experience.

Remember to create a positive and supportive environment, help your child with their study plan, provide emotional support, avoid excessive pressure and expectations, and help them deal with exam results. Doing so can help your child feel confident and prepared, no matter what challenges lie ahead.

UNIS (United Nations International School) Hanoi is a global learning community offering exceptional education to students from diverse backgrounds. With a focus on our six values—curiosity, community, integrity, courage, diversity, and responsibility—UNIS Hanoi strives to create a learning environment that inspires each of our children to become lifelong learners.

As learning at home is also crucial, UNIS Hanoi’s IB education plan ensures that our commitment is to assist parents in providing a supportive learning environment at home.

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