How you can support teens through the upcoming HSC
By Georgia Weir|
On Wednesday, the HSC exams will begin with the VCE and QCE exams to follow soon after. Almost 70,000 high schoolers completed their HSC in 2021 and a similar-sized cohort is expected again this year.
As the parent of a teen whose autonomy is consistently growing, there are not a whole lot of hard and fast ways to support them through this stressful time. In fact, a survey of HSC students said that parents' over-involvement in their work hindered their studies.
9Honey Parenting spoke to teachers, parents and students about the best ways to support teens in the lead-up to and during the all-important final exam period.
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Ensure their mental well-being is sound
One teacher recommended that parents make sure their teen's mental well-being is sound.?
"Mental well-being is paramount, the kids that are about to sit the HSC have endured half of it in lockdown and during the brunt of the pandemic. These factors add additional pressures to what is already a stressful time."
"Oftentimes, kids are told this is the end all be all which can be quite overwhelming. Giving your teen something else to look forward to beyond exams is a good way to relieve the pressure they're feeling heading into the HSC ."
Niki, who will be sitting her HSC next week, concurred with this statement.
"I'm extremely nervous for the HSC because basically all my life, I've been told that the HSC is everything but I've realised leading up to these final exam that's not necessarily true."
I have never seen a cohort of year 12 students less prepared for the HSC and I really feel for these kids.
Niki also agreed that parents checking on their child's well-being leading up to the exams is paramount.
"But I think parents also need to realise the pressure and thoughts going on in their child's mind and show empathy without turning it into a lecture," Niki added.
Be their support network
Perhaps one of the most difficult things for a parent with a child sitting their end of high school exams is the realisation that there is not much you yourself can do at this point besides being supportive and understanding through the next couple of weeks.?
Josie is another year 12 student who will be sitting the HSC next week. Josie, who is deaf, has also spent this year as a prefect at her school and is a featured artist at Schools Spectacular 2022. She has also been busy making speeches on inclusion at the Deputy Principals conference and horse riding in her free time.?
In amongst all this, she has been dutifully preparing for her final exams. Josie says that more parents should focus on support in the lead-up to the impending HSC.
"Be supportive. Reassure them. The main thing my mum keeps reminding me is that life doesn't just stop here, it's just part of the journey."
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Niki also said to her, support from her family is all she can ask for.
"Daily checks like 'how is it going?', 'is everything alright?' are important."
COVID-19 woes
Adding a degree of complexity to this already stressful period is the COVID-19 pandemic. The cohort that is about to sit their final exams began year 11 in 2021, arguably the most intense period of the pandemic.?
Josie says that remote learning was difficult and isolating at times.
"It was a huge relief to get back to schoolกญI've had to undertake tutoring to catch up on topics I missed due to remote learning and technology issues."
Niki felt that although the lockdowns forced her to learn new habits, the return to school upheaved these habits all over again.
"Year 11 forms a foundation for year 12 in terms of what to expect. The sudden changes in daily routines from lockdowns, restrictions and the return to school were a challenge."
A teacher agreed with these sentiments.
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"I have never seen a cohort of year 12 students less prepared for the HSC and I really feel for these kids. They have completed the most challenging years of their studies amongst what is arguably the biggest disruption to schooling in a long time," one teacher said.
"Whatever the result is, these kids should be immensely proud of making it through their senior years through months of lockdowns, restrictions and remote learning."
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