Wednesday 19 February 2014

Some effective tips to support a person writing an exam

Let this blog find your enjoying the weather!!

In India, these are ‘testing’ times! I mean exam times for many kids, hence also for some of their parents. Many of my friends’ kids are writing secondary school exams. I have recently spoken to some of them. They gave me a range of responses. Some are under tight parental restrictions & unsolicited study guidance, some have received full freedom having demonstrated accountability! Parents are under strong pressure on how to help the kid do his/her best and also choose an appropriate career.

 



Some interesting comments:

  • My mobile has been taken away till the end of exams.
  • My TV watching has been stopped or regulated to max 30-60 minutes/day. The TV is password protected and remote is locked away.
  • Though my parents do not pressurize me for good marks, I can sense their expectations. They have done well in life, how can I let them down? That is what is making me tense!!

Also some kind of bargaining is still present: If you study for x hours, then you can get to see TV for 30 minutes etc.



Here are some tips that I found very useful. I came to know of them many years after my exam times got over L



How can you support the person writing the exams: (especially for parents / elders)

  • Support them to find a balance between intense study & outdoor activities. 
  • Regularly (at least once a week) give a hug to the kid and find ways to boost his/her self-worth. e.g.: Think of 3 events where you saw the kid at his/her best and you learnt something or got inspired. Tell him/her those specific events and thank him/her (other than scoring good marks in the past: that would put more pressure!!) 
  •  Very important: Reassure him/her: “Whatever marks you get in these exams, whether you are selected in the entrance test you are appearing for, whatever you do in life, I will always love you,  I have loved you all your life.” Remember, your inner vibes will let them know that you mean it.


For the person writing the exams, the following affirmations are very useful:

While studying:

  • Let <my name> be put inside a protection bubble for next <x> hours. All distracting thoughts inside the bubble are terminated. Only progressive thoughts are allowed in this bubble.
  • Let the essence of <state the subject / topic being studied>, be downloaded to me.
  • I choose to prepare this subject with my full attention & focus.
  • Let me be guided to focus on the chapters and examples that are more important for the exam.
SO IT IS NOW


While writing the exam:

  • I choose to give my best in this paper.
  • I am in trust and surrender to the creation’s flow.
  • Let the best answers to this question paper be downloaded to my mind.
  • I request creation to write through me appropriately.
SO IT IS NOW


We have had interesting results reported by students who followed these suggestions. One student accidently dropped her book while studying; on picking it up a new unimportant chapter was open, it was read just because it showed up and it showed up in the exam too! Another student reported facing a very tough exam paper which was beyond the prescribed syllabus. She let herself be guided and wrote answers she had never read before and scored the highest marks in that subject.



May these affirmations reveal to you the power that words spoken from our hearts have!!




Warm regards,


Rohan