YOUR MINUTES | 4 WAYS TO CURB TESTING ANXIETY FOR YOUR STUDENTS
Welcome to another Your Minutes post that features YOU! Here you will see teachers and administrators sharing how they spend their minutes doing what they do best.
Please welcome my friend and counselor extraordinaire, Marjorie Edge, sharing her wisdom on the timely topic of testing anxiety.
In public schools at this time of the year, we are all too familiar with the pressures and demands of state standardized testing. As an elementary school counselor and a building testing coordinator, I see and experience the delicate balance between preparing our students for testing while at the same time keeping them calm and confident about their performance. Teachers often ask what we can do to address test anxiety.
Keep things in perspective.
In the grand scheme of things, a single test is not going to define the academic career of a student. As their trusted adults, we need to make sure that the way we communicate about testing is encouraging rather than threatening. No amount of fear will make children perform better. Share your confidence in them often, and remind them that you have spent the entire year getting ready. Tell your students that this test is just one piece of a puzzle that defines who they are. Children follow the tone and emotions that their trusted adults set for them. If you approach testing in a calm and confident manner, chances are they will also.
Teach effective test-taking strategies.
This seems obvious and teachers are real pros at this. One type of testing strategy that is often overlooked is the actual mechanics of the documents. Children should be taught and practice how to bubble in answers completely, erase stray marks, and what information goes on each part of the answer document. If it is at all possible, students are always more relaxed when they see an example of the answer document. Sometimes teachers can obtain released versions. This is a great way to help calm anxious nerves.
Prepare them for what the day will look like.
You can say things like, “When you come in tomorrow, your desks will be in rows and not our usual groups.” If your students are going to be taking the test with another administrator or in a different room, they need to be very familiar with both before that day. It is becoming much more common for tests to be computerized. If tests will be taken online, make sure your students are familiar with the kind of devices they’ll use and any technology-enhanced items they’ll encounter.
Empower students with simple mindfulness strategies.
For many students with test anxiety, the truly difficult moments don’t hit until they’ve sat down to take their test. Basic anxiety-reducing techniques can be a big help for these students. One way to start is with seated stretching exercises. These can also be done during testing break times. Write out very simple but positive self-talk sentences and practice them before testing day (I can do this. I am intelligent. I am ready.) You can say them with the entire class each day leading up to testing day. Finally teach your students controlled breathing techniques. Breathe in through the nose for 4 counts, hold for 4, breathe out for 4 and rest for 4.
Lastly, monitor your own anxiety as your students will pick up on your feelings. Let you words, actions and tone show them that you have complete confidence in their success, and that you care deeply for them test or no test.
Here's some children’s literature to help combat test anxiety:
-The Anti-Test Anxiety Society by Julia Cook
-The Biggest Test in the Universe by Nancy Poydar
-Testing Miss Malarkey by Judy Finchler
-What to Do When You Worry Too Much by Dawn Huebner
MEET MARJORIE
I am proud to be in my 20th year as a Texas elementary school counselor, and can say that I truly love my job. Helping children, teachers and our community is an honor. My husband and I are the proud parents of two beautiful girls: Hope and Faith.