Our Top Tips For Keeping Your Pupils Relaxed During The Exam Period

Anyone who supports England at football will be fully aware of the effects of stress and disappointment at the moment. Funnily enough, people who are relaxed tend to have better luck passing their driving test than those who feel like they’ve sat through England’s World Cup performances (pretty much most of us then?). As an instructor it’s important to know how to lower your pupils stress levels so they can focus on their driving.

All year round learner drivers tend to find the thought of their test stressful but during the early summer months, when many young people are taking academic exams, stress can become a real issue.

To help your pupils manage their anxieties about their driving test we’ve put together these top tips for controlling stress during the exam season:

• Be as flexible as possible with your lesson schedule during exam time. If your pupils are in the middle of exams their time will be in great demand. If you let them know it’s possible to move lessons to fit in with their studies they will feel a lot more relaxed if they need to rearrange a booking at short notice
• Set realistic targets during the exam time to take the pressure off your pupils• Make your lessons a stress recliner rather than a stress inducer. If you think the person your teaching is experiencing stress in other parts of their life; make their driving lessons something they can look forward to. Make the lessons enjoyable
• Offer more encouragement when your pupils are doing well. If they are feeling pressure from parents and teachers this will come as a welcome confidence boost. Encouragement will help your pupils relax; making them better drivers
• Keeping calm is a huge part of teaching people to drive, but it becomes even more important when the person you’re teaching is already stressed out. Set a good example by being calm and collected at all times
• If the person you’re teaching isn’t progressing as quickly as you’d both like, show them examples of how far they’ve come since they started to improve their self-esteem
• If you think your pupil is stressed from their studies try to avoid talking about their school work so they can take their mind off it. However if you’re both football fans discussing England’s World Cup performance may not improve their stress levels!
• Offer constructive criticism in response to any driving errors to inspire them; motivation like this will help them over come their fears and anxieties; ultimately making them a better driver
• Be aware of how your pupil is feeling. If they are having a bad day, suggest taking a five minute break so they can relax and stay composed for the remainder of the lesson. It’s not like there are any more England games to rush home for!

Teaching someone to drive gives you the opportunity to make a real impact on their lives. Helping pupils deal with exam stress will give them skills that will last a life time, as well as making them a better driver. So, read our tips and most importantly stay relaxed; at least now we don’t have to worry about who’s going to take the penalties!

By: Laura Harris

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