Ways to Reduce Stress and Anxiety in IB Students During Exams

During exams, educators notice an increase in students’ (and their own) stress levels. Educators want students to succeed, and the exam is a way to show that they have contributed to the students’ success. Students must pass the exams in order to receive the credit they need. They are focusing on their future, with many focusing on highly competitive universities. 

Chicago Public Schools International Baccalaureate^® (IB) Coordinator, Andrea Kulas, and math teacher, Rico Molato, share strategies and tools they use to help educators and students during exam time. Watch their short on-demand webinar for ideas you can start using today.

Watch Webinar 

There are small things that educators can do to help reduce the stress and anxiety students feel during exams. These strategies can also be applied to educators. 

1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Reach out to peers to help you understand a concept or to help you discover a new way to explain it.
2. Be realistic about what can be accomplished. Don’t try and cram everything in at once. Steadily build knowledge from the start of the school year and ask for help when it is needed.
3. Don‘t isolate yourself. Be sure to find time to stay active and be social. Studies support that going outside and being in nature lowers your stress-hormone and decreases your heart rate. Study or take classes outside to reduce anxiety. Having a good social support system can help relieve stress too. Lean in on your network to better yourself.
4. Manage your time. Time management is a crucial executive functioning skill that will enable you to maximize what is addressed in each class and how to move through the syllabus. Students can maximize their time by creating a list and prioritizing it. Checking items off the list can increase motivation and build confidence in one’s ability.

IB schools can help reduce the stress that happens during exams by maximizing products created by the IB. 

Questionbank is an online database of past exam questions that can continue to prepare students for exams all year long. Use Questionbank to create bell ringers or exit slips to check for understanding. Develop customized quizzes to check where students are or to ensure they have mastered the skill(s) addressed. Questionbank is a tool that staff can use to check that they have addressed topics and skills students should master before examinations.

Exam and Markscheme Packs allow students to practice a real exam using the latest exam questions. Exam Packs provide educators with exam questions and markschemes. Placing students in a simulated exam environment may help calm any nervousness they feel and build confidence when the real exam takes place.

Additionally, the IB has developed IB Inspired and IB Prepared to assist educators in ensuring students have the knowledge and confidence built throughout the school year to be successful during exams.

View all the exam resources on Titlewave®, including IB exclusives – Questionbank and Exams and Markscheme Packs – here. 
 

Want More Information About IB Exam Resources? 

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Jenny Meyer
Classroom Marketing Manager
Follett School Solutions

Jenny Meyer is a former middle school ELA and social studies teacher who has obtained a Master's Degree in Teaching from Dominican University. She stays fresh on what’s happening in education by serving on her local school board, attending conferences and webinars, and reading articles. Jenny reads to her two children nearly every day, and she prefers children’s literature herself over anything for adults!