Good Luck Year 12
Exam periods are stressful and this is even more true of 2021! Stressful for our HSC students but also for parents, family and friends of our HSC students.
The following article appeared in the Catholic Weekly and the points being made are so relevant that I thought I’d share excerpts of the article with parents of our HSC students:Tom Alegounarias, ex-president of the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW, nominated “patience and support” as the two key ingredients for surviving the coming weeks.
“We survive if they survive,” he said.
“Teenagers often put a lot of pressure on themselves and find it hard to maintain their momentum when things don’t go according to plan. As parents we have the advantage of perspective and can reassure them that you often learn more when things don’t go right than when they do.”
Going back to the basics of parenting to support your children is not a bad idea- “Make sure they are getting enough sleep and eating well, help them plan their journey to each exam so they get there well in time. Above all, reassure them. With the help of their teachers they have spent months preparing for these exams. Now is their chance to show the exam markers how much they have learnt.
“Remind them to stay calm and just do their best.”
Dr Michael Slattery, ex-principal at St Edward’s College on the Central Coast, said it’s also important to show a keen interest in the exams, discuss how your child found each paper and encourage preparedness for the next one.
“And remember to keep an eye on the HSC timetable to ensure your child knows when their examinations are on.”
So, we wish our HSC students ‘Good luck and God’s blessings’ as they commence their written exams and want to reassure parents, family and friends of our HSC students that the College is here to support our students and keep them safe through the exam period.
More advice on how to support your children is available at:
https://education.nsw.gov.au/student-wellbeing/stay-healthy-hsc/resources/tips-to-support-your-kids
Article adapted from: https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/hsc-survival-tips-for-parents/
