Dubai: During May and June hundreds of thousands of pupils take exams in the UAE. This period is stressful not only for the pupils but also for the teachers and parents.

Everybody agrees that the exam season is a very demanding time, and that pupils devote a large portion of their day to studies.

Parents and teachers have different methods to help children through this critical period. Some parents and teachers serve as a source of comfort to children while others may cause stress.

Stress is two sided: it can lead to anxiety and depression, but a certain amount of stress is necessary for good performance.

Schools, parents and pupils are divided over the causes of stress, what causes it and the best ways to overcome it.

Gulf News, in an attempt to investigate the levels of stress in educational establishments, spoke to parents students, teachers and experts in the field.

"Stress is a phenomenon that accompanies distinguished students. Distinguished students feel it more than the average students as they are very keen to do well," said Nabogh Nasr, Director of Al Mawa-keb School.

However, Gofran Za'abor, a psychiatrist at a private school in Dubai, believes that high expectations imposed on children by adults are the main source of not only positive stress, but more importantly, negative feelings. These negative feelings do develop in many cases into exam phobia.

Hurdles

"Many parents have high expectation of their children. These parents do not understand the capability and potential of their children, thus they demand more than the child is capable of achieving. These demands become a hurdle in the pupil's studies," she said.

The parents should have a supporting as well as regulating roles in the children's education, she added.

Khalid, a father of three, said that it was important to help children in their studies, especially when they are young and cannot themselves take the responsibility of the exam, and this puts a lot of stress on parents.

"The problem of exams is that the child's performance for the year is so dependent on their results and that puts a lot of stress on us as parents. For instance my wife, who is mainly responsible for the children's education, gets so stressed during this period that not only the children get stressed but also me."

""Exam period is stressful because we have a packed timetable and there is not enough time to prepare for each subject," said Samar, a 20-year-old university student in her final year of Information Technology.

AAlthough pupils admit that stress is a natural element of exams, they say that good preparation and time management help to eliminate it. Supportive parents and teachers also help.

The educational institutes are also as important as parents in helping the pupils overcome stress

"Today schools know that the pupils are more dependent on them for good results. Schools feel that they have 75 per cent of the responsibility, while the parents have 25 per cent," said Joseph Awan Co-Director of Al Mawakeb.

"Schools feel that they have 75 per cent of the responsibility, while the parents have 25 per cent."

Joseph Awan

Co-Director of Al Mawakeb School

Symptoms: Dealing with the silent killer

Common physical and psychological reactions

  • Insomnia, anxiety, muscle tension
  • Indigestion, frequent urge to pass urine
  • Fast, shallow breathing; change of appetite; backache/headache
  • Feeling tense and unable to relax; feeling mentally drained
  • Inability to concentrate or complete tasks; fainting spells; diarrhoea/gastric trouble; asthmatic attacks; vomiting; poor vision

Tips for students

  •  Make realistic study plans
  • Assess priorities, assets and difficulties
  • Follow a normal routine; take frequent breaks
  • Do not shun TV or entertainment and outings
  • Feel comfortable about oneself
  • It is helpful to make the student see what he can accomplish
  • Constant encouragement and reassurance is essential from all significant members in the school and family
  • Advise them to contact the teachers or counsellors if they feel low or anxious or disinterested in studies
  • For improved concentration and motivation, students should:
  • Know one's concentration span, study with breaks
  • Group study for difficult subjects
  • Do not let previous results discourage you - identify your weak areas from previous exams
  • Time management plan must be made for all subjects
  • Do not get anxious about the result cross that bridge when you come to it

For parents

  • Guide children in planning, organising and setting a timetable
  • Provide motivation and conducive environment
  • Help the child to develop self-discipline self-direction, self-confidence and a sense of achievement
  • Set realistic aims according the child's capability
  • Do not mix academic issues with family conflicts
  • Humour can help students relax
  • Try to gain your child's confidence and discuss his problems with him
  • Help him to find a solution
  • Accept that expectation for every one to do well is unrealistic

Source: School Tele-counsellors