Who are you?

🤔 What defines who you are?

Across the UK right now there are thousands of teenagers taking school exams:

😬 For them it probably feels like these exams are the most important thing in their lives.

😰 Parents, teachers, family & friends can put enormous pressure on them to perform well.

Whilst exams are important it’s even more important to remind young talent that:

💯 “Exam Results do not define who you are and what you can do”

💯 “There are always options and pathways to achieve your goals”

💯 “Your determination & effort is much more likely to impact who you become”

It’s also important to support them during their exams so they can be at their best. I have two children, both of whom, are currently taking different school exams.

Here are 6 tips I’ve used to support them:

🎯1️⃣ Stress Recognition – help them to recognise when they get stressed or struggle. You can then identify ways to support them and highlight that this is perfectly normal.

🎯2️⃣ Daily Timetable – help them to create a realistic revision plan, where they know what to study and achieve each day. This helps them to avoid becoming overwhelmed and build their confidence.

🎯3️⃣ Learning Strengths – everyone learns in different ways. Help them to use techniques that play to their strengths and work best for them, whether that is reading, drawing diagrams, watching videos or writing notes. 

🎯4️⃣ Coping Strategies – revision and exams will not always go to plan. Help them find ways to relax their body and re-focus so they can bounce back quickly. Breathing, reframing, centering, visualisation & muscle relaxation can all help them re-focus on the present.

🎯5️⃣ Regular Breaks – my son has been using the Pomodoro technique where he revises for c. 25 minutes then takes a 5 minute break. During the break he goes outside, stretches or talks to us. Remember their brains need a break and this makes them more productive.

🎯6️⃣ Perspective – keep things in perspective and remind them that there’s more to life than exams. Their results do not define who they are – exams are only a small part of the picture.

Sending positive energy to all those young leaders of the future who are currently in exam season.

#leadership #learning #beyourself #mindset #determination #resilience #exams #performance #outcomes #youngtalent #secondaryeducation #examresults