Parents’ vital role at exam time
As 113,000 people begin their exams tomorrow, Mr Mulvihill said that a quiet atmosphere in the home is crucial for students doing their intensive last-minute preparations.
The State exams begin tomorrow morning with English Paper I for Junior and Leaving Certificate students and English & Communication for 3,132 Leaving Certificate Applied candidates.
“Sometimes parents can get very worked up about the exams and it often transfers to the student themselves. The best idea is to play things down as much as possible and place as little pressure as possible on someone doing exams,” said Mr Mulvihill.
“At this stage, an atmosphere at home that is conducive to study is worth a fortune, which is important to keep in mind in homes where there are younger children,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of proper rest every night.
“Burning the midnight oil might serve a purpose once, but it catches up in the end and students are better off going into an exam relaxed than being tired,” said Mr Mulvihill.
“Students should keep to a routine, I would recommend half-hour sessions with short breaks in between, rather than going for three or four hours at a time,” he said.
When it comes to the exam itself, Mr Mulvihill said the importance of, firstly, reading the entire paper cannot be highlighted enough.
“Students should attempt the questions they think they can do well in, but they should be sure to write what is being asked and not just what they know about the topic,” he said.
His final piece of advice is to avoid analysing the papers afterwards and ensure students move on and think about the next exam.
“They should be conscious that they have probably given a good account of themselves, even when things haven’t gone 100% in their favour. Most students are unhappy with at least one or two of their exams every year,” he said.
