To PKwwww Main Page


Stress Management

The winter is passing and, with the coming of spring, our thoughts turn to lighter matters. Lighter, that is, until we realize that EXAMS!!! are near.

I am not sure who experiences the greater stress: teachers, worrying whether their dear charges really are able to read the questions, parents who want to  know where the money went, or students, oblivious to the other worries, who panic as they enter the silence of the holy of holiest that trebles as a dining room and gymnasium.

Whichever category is yours, the stress is a reality. It comes under the heading of life stresses, those that are common to most people and cannot be avoided. The stress can also be positive, making us sharper and more focused on the task in hand. The real issue with stress is how it is managed. If we look closely at the kinds of stress around exams, it is clear that it would be healthier to eliminate the factors that cause the stress as early as possible, but it does mean owning up to them. Parents sometimes have unrealistic expectations of their children and this pressure is worsened by the child’s wish to please parents when they might prefer to be doing something else. Students too, put themselves under tremendous pressure, without realizing that the stress then inhibits them from performing at their best.

Things to avoid when you really are in a stress mess go against what most people seem to want to do.  Avoid coffee.  It is probably the most potent drug of choice and acts very quickly, but it is a stimulant, just what you do not need.  Likewise alcohol, pops or otherwise, do not help to calm you.  At the other end of the drug chain, tobacco and related “substances” dull the brain and, before an exam, are academic suicide.

When we come to the point where the big hand reaches the hour and Mr. B calls for silence like a Mullah in a Mosque, when the hands shake and the eyes mist over, hen the brain starts to freefall and you wonder what your breakfast will look like spread over your Edexcel paper, don’t worry – help is at hand.

Get a grip.  I mean it.  A very simple technique for shaking hands, in the stress sense, is to clench the fist tightly and slowly relax it.  Repeat this a
number of times whilst breathing in a very controlled way.  Take long deep breaths, letting the air out slowly.  Maybe something lighter for breakfast would be a good idea anyway…

These simple techniques are part of a range of methods that are available to all students in the run up to the exams.

Business Gurus Wanted

The school is currently on the lookout for the assistance of any businessmen and women to assist in the Year 10 Business Enterprise Comptetion.

During the summer, pupils will be called upon to come up with an innovative and practical Business Studies idea.  They will be expected to research their idea and produce a business plan before presenting their offering to a board of judges in September 2005 for the chance to win a prize.

The question is, could you be part of our judging panel? Taking part in this event would help the children further their skills in both Business Studies and IT as well as enouraging their creative sides. 

If you feel that you could help us  next September, please contact Mrs Barbara Friush at school.