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Standardized tests are a fact of life for
America's school children. Here is some important information from The
National Association of Elementary School Principals that will help them and
you survive and succeed during testing time.
Get familiar. The teachers do give practice tests to their students
periodically. Knowing the format and seeing the types of questions that will
be asked could help build your child's confidence.
Encourage, don't pressure. Encourage your children to do their best,
but avoid putting on the pressure. Too much pressure can cause test anxiety
and lead to worse, not better, scores. Understand that standardized tests are
just one way schools measure a child's ability.
Give them "brain food." Give your children a healthy
breakfast the morning of a big test-and remember that good nutrition fuels
brains year-round. Food high in fat or sugar doesn't provide the nutrients
children need to do their best.
Put them to bed. Sleepy children have a tough time succeeding
academically. It is particularly important for your children to get a good
night's sleep the night before a big test. For most elementary school
children, 10 hours of sleep every night is best.
Help them prepare. Make sure your children have the supplies they need
for the test. The classroom teacher will send home information on any needed
supplies for testing.
Help your children understand these very important tips:
*Pay attention - Stress that they will need to listen to the testing
instructions very closely and follow the written directions exactly.
*Don't rush to finish - Make sure they use any extra time to check
their answers and complete any questions they left blank.
*Keep track of the "Bubbles" - Remind them that it's very
important to make sure they're at the right place on their answer sheet. It's
easy for children to lose track, especially if they've skipped a question.
Suggest that they double-check every five or 10 questions, making sure that
the bubble they're filling in matches the number of the question they're
answering.
*Skipping is OK - Remind them that they don't have to answer the
questions in order. If they're unsure about a question, tell them it's OK to
come back to it later.
*Find the best answer - It's tempting for children to choose the first
answer that looks right. Make sure they understand that several of the answers
may seem right, but that they need to choose the one best answer.
*Aim high - Encourage them to do their best and help them believe that
they will do well.
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