How to prepare for testing…
It is elementary and middle school testing time! A long few weeks for many children and their families! Here are a few suggestions to help ease the anxiety in the home and to help your child go into testing as relaxed and confident as possible:
Standardized Testing Coping Strategies
Before the Test:
- Ensure you have a positive environment (lights are appropriate, organized, calm, no TV, computer or cell phone)
- Take a short study break to engage in a loved activity (ex: drawing, listening to music, dancing…)
- Create a calming mantra for yourself (ex: I can do this or I have this…)
- Believe in your ability to do well
- Generate after test celebration ideas with friends and family
- Get plenty of practice with test timing and pacing strategies
- Look critically at questions you have gotten wrong and understand why to not make the same mistake again
- Set a study schedule and routine (ex: Every day when I get home from school I will eat a snack and study 20 vocabulary words…)
- Parents: Understand your child’s anxiety around test taking and do not place great pressure on them for a specific score
- Parents: Select the test morning menu together and make a special “brain breakfast” (ex: omelette with fresh veggies, yogurt and granola…)
DAY OF THE TEST:
- Don’t forget to sleep
- Eat your brain breakfast before leaving for the test… you will need the energy!
- Lots of anxiety: do some jumping jacks, take a short walk, listen to calming music
During the test:
- Use new pencils that you selected yourself (something special)
- Take a deep breathe
- Recite calming mantra
- Continue to believe in your ability to do well
After the test:
- Celebrate!
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