5 Ways to Reduce Test Stress

Article shared fro GreatSchools.org

Does your child get stressed about taking standardized tests? Follow this checklist to help ease their worries.

In many states children start taking standardized tests as early as first grade. And many kids get anxious about them. With the help of the following tips, you can ease your child’s anxieties about the testing process.

1. Get the facts

   Find out the exact dates your child will be tested and which tests he will take this year. Check to see if the tests will be different in any way from the ones he took the year before. Once you know some details, you can help your child feel ready for what’s ahead.

   • Visit the State Test Guide for Parents to see what’s on the PARCC and SBAC tests.

2. Talk to your child

   If your child is feeling nervous, ask why. Often children feel better when they voice their fears, so give your child a chance to talk about the process and what they are afraid of. If your child is worried about failing or doing poorly, your reassurances will help him feel less frightened. Learning expert Annie Murphy Paul recommends an exercise called expressive writing. The morning of a test, have your child spend 10 minutes jotting down the many things on her mind. It’s a proven way to relieve your child’s working memory. Watch Annie Murphy Paul explain expressive writing and why it helps.

3. Help your child practice

   If your child is familiar with the format of the test, he’ll feel more prepared. Ask his teacher or check your state’s Department of Education Web site for some sample questions or other materials that can help him get acquainted with the test.

   • See sample PARCC and SBAC tests online.

4. Take care of the basics

   See that your child gets a good night’s sleep the night before the test and eats breakfast that morning. Read more about how much sleep your child should be getting — and how much sleep helps.

5. Don’t let the test stress you!

   While tests have increasing importance, they are just one measure of student learning. If you remain calm, chances are your child will probably feel calmer, too. Also, try to keep the process in perspective. Annie Murphy Paul recommends having your child make a self-concept map. In the center of the paper, your child writes “me.” From that central spot, your child draws lines out to the many identities he has: son, artist, video gamer, brother, smart student, soccer player, and so on. The idea is to help your child see that how he performs on a test is not who he is.