Are we teaching our children to be afraid of exams?

With mid-year exams approaching this article from the ABC is quite timely. I have shared an extract from the article:

“Some Australian students are reportedly shunning Year 12 exams to seek less stressful pathways to finishing school. These reports come amid warnings of rising rates of anxiety and depression among young people, with psychologists calling for better mental health support services in schools. Experts say exam stress could be making depression and anxiety worse for vulnerable young people."

We need challenges

Challenges are an essential and normal part of our development.

Drawing a parallel with immunity, resistance to infections doesn't come from avoiding all contact with germs. On the contrary, avoidance is likely to increase vulnerability rather than promote resilience.

While we should protect young people from high-risk situations, such as abuse and trauma, low-level manageable challenges, such as exams, are known as "steeling events" — they help develop young people mentally and emotionally.

Allowing students to avoid exams so they avoid stress might be robbing children of the opportunity to deal with the emotions evoked by the challenge.

It also teaches them we don't think they are capable of meeting the challenge.

Young people need to understand study is something they do, not who they are, or they will be vulnerable in this area.

Young people with a diagnosis of anxiety need clinical support to help them succeed through exam periods. But young people experiencing "normal" exam stress should be provided with strategies to help manage stress.

These include self-soothing (such as breathing and listening to music) and acknowledging that negative feelings are a normal response to challenges.

Life can stressful, but it is how we see this stress that creates anxiety.

Adults could do well helping young people believe they are not passive recipients of stress, but can decide how they view challenges.

They also need to help young people believe they have inner resources to manage stressful situations, and that they are worth something, whatever number they get in exams”.

Mandie Shean is a lecturer in the School of Education at Edith Cowan University. This article originally appeared on The Conversation.

June Mid-Year Examinations and GAT

The 2019 Year 11 mid-year examinations will be held from Thursday 6 through to Friday 14 June. Final lessons for Semester 1 for Year 11 students will conclude on Wednesday 5 June.

The Year 11 examinations are important for students to gauge their level of performance in their individual subjects, and to experience the formality of VCE examinations. The College considers all examinations at Year 11 and 12 to be essential in preparing students for success in the VCE.

Year 12 VCE students will finish Semester 1 classes on Friday 7 June and will be sitting their English and/or English language trial exams as well at the GAT in the week of the Monday 10 through to Friday 14th June

All Year 11 and 12 students undertaking a VCE Unit 3 & 4 sequence in 2019 will be undertaking the General Achievement Test (GAT).

All students doing 3-4 ENGLISH, 3-4 EAL and 3-4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE will have a trial exam on Tuesday 11 June.

Study and preparation for the exams requires good time management:

Given that there are 168 hours in the week, students should consider:

1. What is your total commitment of time for the following?

Your Time/Week:	Recommendations:
School + Homework Study	40 Hours Minimum
Leisure/Sport	12 Hours Minimum
Part-time Work	9 Hours Minimum
Sleep	8-9 Hours/Day
Travel Times	?
Leisure/TV/Visiting/Relaxation	?
Other	?

2. Reflect on this: Are there time wasters here? Are there opportunities to balance some of your activities? Can more time be found to allocate to your study commitments? Are there some areas that could have a negative impact on your education/ life balance?

3. Use the Study Techniques and Approaches section of the Student Diary to complete a revised weekly plan that creates life balance, to put you in control of your education at CRC Sydenham

Students will receive a detailed timetable outlining events. We wish all of our students well, it is not a matter of luck but sound preparation that will generate results that reflect each students’ potential.

YEAR 11 – MID YEAR EXAMS - FURTHER INFORMATION

The 2019 Year 11 mid-year examinations will be held from Thursday 6 through to Friday 14 June. Final lessons for Semester 1 for Year 11 VCE students will conclude on Wednesday 5 June. VET and VCAL classes will continue through the week of Tuesday 11th June to Friday 14th June.

NOTE that the GAT examination is on Wednesday 12 June. All Year 11 students undertaking a Unit3/4 subject must do the GAT examination. Please observe the following expectations and set up for the exams:

Examination Venues: College Hall & Study Hall.
All Examinations are compulsory.
If you are sick on the day of an examination your Cluster Coordinator must be called. (Medical Certificate must be supplied). Examination will be rescheduled by College Organiser (Sabrina Giannetti). Please speak to someone. DO NOT LEAVE A MESSAGE.
Check windows of the College Hall or Study hall for class examination location and seat number for each examination.

This will be different for each examination. All students should know their examination location and seat number before they enter the examination room.

Full College Uniform must be worn.
Students must have their Student Identification card with them for entry to each examination. This is to be placed face up on the table.
Students should arrive at the College at least 20 minutes before the examination scheduled start time.
Students should be ready to enter the examination room at least 15 minutes before the examination start time.

Note that students undertaking ACU Health will have their exam on MONDAY 3rd June. All students doing 3-4 ENGLISH, 3-4 EAL and 3-4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE will have a trial exam on Tuesday 11 June.

What can parents do to support their child during examinations?

Ensure your child;

Has an exam timetable at home.
Arrives to school at least 20 mins before their exam.
Is in full school uniform.
Is rested and has eaten a healthy breakfast.
Has the correct equipment for each exam, calculator, pens etc

Compulsory Trial Examinations Thursday 26 September - Friday 4 October 2019

VCE Unit 3 and 4 Trial Examinations are a compulsory requirement for all students undertaking a scored VCE at Catholic Regional College Sydenham in preparation for the VCAA Examinations. The compulsory trial examinations provide students with timed practice in completing exams in the same environment as the final exams. The trial examinations also ensure students receive important feedback in relation to their examination preparation. Staff use these examination results to inform the structure of the revision program as well as providing information about student achievement which assists in finalising derived examination scores. The College provides scores of this nature to VCAA for this purpose. The compulsory trial examinations are an essential and required aspect of the scored VCE program.

The trial examinations will commence on Thursday 26 September (please note Friday 27 September is a Public Holiday and no examination will be scheduled) and conclude on Friday 5 October 2018 during the non tuition period.

Attendance at all scheduled practice examinations is compulsory for all students undertaking a scored Unit 3-4 subject. This includes any Year 11 student undertaking a Unit 3-4 subject.

Fr. Rob Galea Tour