We Are More Than Our Marks
As the Year 12 cohort nears the end of their VCE examination period, our younger students are beginning their final assessments, tests and exams. Studying, revising, cramming and worrying are all common activities at this time of year.
It is important to remind ourselves that, while tests, assessments and examinations are an important element of both school and life more broadly speaking, it is equally as important to carry with us a sense of perspective about these endeavours.
Renowned author and philosopher, Michael McGirr, writes eloquently about the pressures faced by students and staff in the era of modern schooling. He describes being ‘caught in a whirlwind of calibration, statistics, graphs, scores and results’. How, then, should our students approach these and any future assessments without becoming overwhelmingly stressed?
As noted above, students can take comfort that they have been taught well and have learned well. Therefore, they should use these assessments to show off their skills, knowledge, understandings and gifts. What a wonderful opportunity they have to demonstrate the results of their application throughout the year. They should aim to do their very best, and be satisfied that they gave each assessment all they could.
Remember to breathe; deep breathing calms the body and mind and helps us to feel more peaceful and in control. This is useful in a test or exam, to simply take a minute to rest the hand and breathe deeply to re-set the mind.
Drink water; apart from keeping us hydrated and physically well, water is known to have a calming effect on the mind and body. Students are allowed to take water into their assessments and are encouraged to do so, to assist with hydration and stress management.
Finally, and in the words of Michael McGirr, I ask all students to remember that there is ‘always a person under all these numbers’. We are not the sum of our examination or test results. Regardless of how students perform in these assessments, the numbers do not define the individual. They may reflect how a student performed in a particular subject on a particular day, but each of us is more than our marks. So, have fun, enjoy the process, do your best and good luck!