Inside King's-Edgehill School
Dear KES Family:
The schedule of events for the rest of this term was sent to students this week. It happily includes traditional and “normal” events like the Headmaster’s Christmas dinner and the semi-formal dance, the Advent Christmas Services of Lessons and Carols, and…Christmas exams. Okay, so maybe exams are not considered happy occasions, but they are a sure sign of getting back to normal.
I have not researched the student body for exact figures, but at least half of the School has never experienced a proper examination period or written full length exams of any kind. For those who have written exams, these may have been two years ago. That is how long it has been since we had our last set of formal exams at KES. Needless to say, the mere mention of exams to some students raises their heart rate.
Performing under pressure is a life skill. It is as important in drama as it is in sport and in exams. In the workplace, being able to perform under pressure is a necessity. Preparation and practice are keys to success. Goodness knows, one wouldn’t want to take a penalty shot in soccer without ever practicing them in training. Similarly, the cast and crew of the School musical (Heathers) have a dress rehearsal today in preparation for Thursday’s opening night performance. Practice and rehearsal don’t eliminate stress, but by building confidence they make pressure and performance more comfortable and familiar companions.
My concern right now is that some students will be overwhelmed by the thought of exams, and not their reality. Basketball players may dream of sinking a clutch basket in the dying seconds of a game, but few students share that same excitement about exams. They may have written hundreds of tests in class, and thousands of assignments at home, but lack confidence when it comes to writing a big test.
Years ago, I had the good fortune to play golf with Hockey Hall of Famer Paul Henderson (remember his winning goal in game seven of the 1972 Canada Russian series?). A superb athlete, he was a master at positive self-talk. Before putting the golf ball, I could hear him talking to himself in a positive manner. Here was one of our nation’s most famous and popular athletes telling himself, “I got this.”
It is hard to believe that in a month’s time we will be three days into our Christmas holidays. Until then, I wish our students the very best in preparation and study. “You got this!”
Sincerely,
Joe Seagram