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Exams can be a nerve-wracking time for both parents and children. The pressure to perform well can sometimes lead to mind blanks, those frustrating moments when your child's mind seems to go blank, and all the knowledge they've worked so hard to acquire suddenly disappears.
Mind blanks, also known as mental blocks or memory lapses, can have a significant impact on children. These cognitive lapses often strike at the most inopportune moments, such as during exams, presentations, or while explaining a concept to a teacher or classmates. It is as if your brain hits a temporary roadblock, preventing you from accessing stored knowledge, causing difficulties in communication and to contribute meaningfully.
The impact of mind blanks on children goes beyond mere inconvenience. It can lead to decreased performance, lower grades, and a dent in self-esteem. The fear of experiencing a mind blank can also create a vicious cycle of anxiety, making it even more challenging to focus and recall information accurately.
Mind blanks during exams can be frustrating, but with the right techniques and support, your child can overcome this hurdle.
What causes mind blanks?
To support your child effectively, you must first understand the factors causing mind blanks during exams - stress, anxiety, fatigue or information overload.
Factor #1: Test anxiety
Test anxiety is common in Singapore, causing students to feel overwhelmed and worried about their academic performance. This anxiety can interfere with cognitive functions, making it difficult for students to think, concentrate, and recall information during exams. However, these mind blanks are usually temporary and resolve as students regain their mental composure.
Factor #2: Stress
Stress and exam anxiety affect cognitive processes, leading to mind blanks. However, stress is often the precursor to exam anxiety, as students under severe stress will start to exhibit paralysing anxiety, affecting their ability to perform during the exam.
Factor #3: Lack of sleep
Students frequently engage in late-night study sessions in a concerted endeavor to assimilate a considerable volume of information in preparation for the exams. However, this intensive study approach carries a consequence: sleep deprivation. Sleep insufficiency leads to memory deficits. Consequently, students encounter formidable impediments in their capacity to proficiently absorb, retain, and retrieve information, elevating susceptibility to episodes of mind blanks.
How to help your child avoid mind blanks?
Helping your child avoid mind blanks begins with addressing the above underlying causes. Here are 3 tips that you can implement to support your child.
Tip #1: Ensure your child gets sufficient rest
Encourage your child to establish a consistent sleep routine, aiming for seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night. A good night’s rest ensures optimal cognitive function, which is crucial during an exam. Ensure they avoid stimulating activities such as excessive screen time close to bedtime to promote better sleep.
Meanwhile, consider rescheduling your child’s tuition classes earlier in the day so that they do not end lessons too late. This gives them sufficient time to unwind and prepare for bed better.
Tip #2: Help your child build a better study schedule
As their exams approach, many students cram the night before to stuff as much information into their memory as possible. However, this approach can backfire. Rather than helping, this strategy often achieves the opposite intent, as students cannot concentrate due to sleep deprivation. Cramming has been proven to increase stress levels, contributing to further panic and anxiety.
A well-structured revision schedule can be instrumental in aiding a child’s ability to cope with exam stress. By incorporating a strategic study plan into their routine, students can enhance their preparedness while fostering a sense of control over the examination process. It is imperative to allocate specific time slots for different subjects or topics, allowing for balanced coverage and preventing last-minute cramming.
Additionally, interspersing short breaks between study sessions and tuition classes are essential to prevent burnout and mental fatigue. During these breaks, encourage your child to engage in relaxation techniques, physical activity, or hobbies they enjoy to rejuvenate their mind.
Tip #3: Ensure your child revises their learning materials regularly
Another way to avoid consistent late-night study sessions is to encourage your child to revise their learning materials regularly instead of relying on last-minute cramming. You can help your child break down their study materials into manageable subject topics and create a revision timetable that covers all subjects. That helps to enhance memory consolidation and strengthen your child’s understanding of the learning materials.
Enrolling your child in a reliable tuition centre can help them start their revisions early. An experienced tuition teacher plays a pivotal role in enhancing a child’s performance in exams. They keenly understand a student's weaknesses and tailor their teaching approach to address these areas effectively. Through personalised guidance, they can provide targeted assistance, enabling students to grasp challenging concepts and build confidence. Additionally, experienced tutors can design comprehensive revision plans, ensuring students systematically cover the necessary syllabus. They also introduce stretch activities beyond the standard curriculum, nurturing a deeper understanding of the subject matter and promoting critical thinking skills. Overall, an adept tuition teacher serves as a mentor, helping students excel in exams and develop a lifelong love for learning.
Mind blanks are understandably frustrating. Fortunately, they can be minimised with adequate support. With your help and understanding, as well as the guidance provided by a reliable tuition centre, your child can navigate exams with confidence and achieve their full potential.
Look no further than The Eton Academy by EtonHouse if you seek the ideal Tuition centre to help your child excel academically. We offer a broad range of tuition classes for primary students to complement and strengthen their learning in school. Contact us to sign up for our trial classes today!