What parents can do to prepare their child for testing

EEND679B - Assess & Imp Stud Ach w/Tech (Summer 2017) Blog Entry

What parents can do to prepare their child for testing

I think all of us have been there as teachers....getting our classes (or schools) ready to give standardized tests.  You have created the environment, What about if you are on the other end....as a parent with a kid who is getting ready to take a test and is worried sick?

What can you tell your little one when they are worried that if they don't do well, they will get left behind or put into "slower" classes or even worried they will let their teachers and parents down.  I know from my own experiences that kids can get very worked up about unrealistic expectations that they may have on themselves.  If you think about it, it can be extremely nerve racking to take a test and have many questions on material that you have never seen before. Even the most laid back personalities can get rattled in these situations.

Here are some tips on how to make these test run smooth for your kids:

Get a good night sleep the days leading up to the test

According to the sleep foundation school kids ages 6-13 need nine to eleven hours of sleep per night. Allowing kids to get a full night sleep can help with cognition, self esteem, and most importantly in my experience is mood ;)

Be sure to have them eat a healthy breakfast

A well balanced breakfast is important everyday, not just on test days

Having your child get to a relaxed state prior to the test.  This can include some visual exercises like imagining their favorite vacation place, activity they love, or doing something that normally calms them.  This can be done ahead of time and great for any stressful times in their lives.

I know that my kids would envision their favorite vacation place which is Disney World

Once they leave the house, they'll have to know these tips so be sure to cover them ahead of time:

• Taking a deep breathe before the test
• Read each section slowly and carefully
• Read each section slowly and carefully (I put it twice since it's that important)
• Go back and check your work
• If others finish before you do, it's OKAY. Seriously, there are no extra points for finishing first.

Be sure you know that testing is a part of life....we all have to do it in some form.  Getting used to it and embracing it will only make it easier on you!

Good luck!

References

Children and Sleep. (n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2017, from https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/children-and-sleep/page/0/2

Testing Allows Students to Showcase their Knowledge. (2014, April 18). Retrieved July 12, 2017, from http://www.excelined.org/2014/04/18/testing-allows-students-showcase-knowledge/