It’s That Time of Year Again…Testing

Teachers and kids are starting to sharpen their #2 pencils in anticipation of standardized tests this month.  Your child’s teacher has already been teaching some test-taking strategies this year. Below are some tips for you to use at home that can help your child perform his/her best. Standardized tests will be starting the week of April 26^th and can continue until May 7^th.  Talk with your student’s teacher about the specific schedule for their class.

·        Help your child get to school on time since testing often starts right away.

·        Make sure that your child eats a good breakfast (not too heavy or it may cause sleepiness). Food is brainpower and it will keep your child’s tummy from rumbling during the test.

·        Help your child get to bed early and get a good night's sleep.

·        Have your child dress comfortably in layers so that he/she can take clothes off or put them on, depending on the temperature of the room.

·        Pack your student a light nutritious snack.

It's natural for kids to get nervous before a big test.  Try these tips if your child seems overly worried:

·         Explain that test scores are looked at along with many other pieces of information in determining his/her achievement level. This may be a big test, but it is still just one test!

·        If your child is a very nervous test-taker, have her do deep breathing exercises before the test. She can take a deep breath and count to ten. Have her take shorter breaths in between passages or sections of the test -- counting to three only.

·        Tell your child that the test will have some difficult questions on it. All of the questions are not supposed to be easy. Explain that he may not be able to answer all of the questions, and that's expected. All he can do is try her best, and that's okay!
 

(More Tips from the Mental Health Association)

It’s exam week and the end of the semester has arrived. Suddenly, it’s crunch time. Thinking about the papers you have to write and the studying you need to do before you take those finals can seriously stress you out. Having a game plan can help you avoid stress and substantially increase your chances of success.

Here are some tips to help you cope during exam week:

1. Get moving. A little bit of exercise will decrease your stress level and make your studying more productive.
2. Eat smart. Ordering pizza may seem like a good way to get dinner when you feel like you are too busy to leave your computer, but it’s not a great idea. Eating a well-balanced diet will give you the energy you need to get through the end of the term.
3. Establish your priorities. Three papers to write and four exams to study for, all in the next week? Decide what you have to finish today and what can wait for another day or two. You can’t do everything at once.
4. Create a study plan. Once you’ve decided what your priorities are, you can make a study plan. Make a schedule for what you are going to do each day. Don’t forget to leave the room for short, but frequent, breaks.
5. Set realistic goals and reward yourself when you reach them. Maybe you can’t write all your papers in one night, but you can get a rough draft of one done. Set a goal and work towards it. When you have gotten there, reward yourself with a dinner with friends or a walk outside.
6. Do what works for you. Some people need silence and others need quiet music. Some people study well with a partner while others work better on their own. Figure out what is best for you.
7. Listen to your body. Headaches, sore muscles, and nausea are all signs of stress. If you aren’t feeling well, you may need to change the way you’re studying.
8. Take time to relax. Getting away from the library for a yoga class or some other activity will help you focus when you go back to studying.
9. Recognize and accept your limits. You’re an English major taking physics this semester? Understand your strengths and weaknesses. Not many people get A’s in every class they take.
10. Celebrate the end of exams. You made it! Hang out with some friends and have a good time. You worked hard and should be proud of yourself.