No matter how good of a student a child is, testing can be stressful.
Some of them experience actual anxiety, especially when the stakes are high.
Sometimes, that stress is just about the test, but it can also be a symptom of other anxiety that needs to be scoped out, says Rebecca Carrier, intervention counselor at Cienega High School.
“Big picture-wise, it’s pretty important (for parents) to know what’s going on personally with their kids,” Carrier says. “See what else might be causing them stress...Just kind of scout out what other areas in life can go a little smoother, so naturally when they’re less stressed as an individual, they can be more focused on school and testing.”
Here are some things parents can do to help their children stress a little less:
Budget Time
Help kids budget their time so they can map out their week ahead, including sleep and social activities, Carrier suggests.
“We want to make sure the whole child is nurtured and also prioritize school work,” Carrier says. “Spacing out (time for) studying is really important so they’re not like ‘Oh, we have a test tomorrow. Gotta cram.’ That might stay in short-term memory, but it’s not something they’re gonna retain. If you’re cramming and not storing it in long-term memory, it’s gonna give you more text anxiety later.”
Stay positive
Having a positive attitude about your child’s schoolwork, even if you don’t understand the work, can rub off on your child.
“Make sure to be structured with time, getting a good night’s sleep and having a good breakfast,” Carrier says. “Anything you can do at home to get them pumped up and excited, not necessarily for the test itself, but for the learning and any other benefits that come along with test day like a special breakfast or a special note in their backpack
“Just anything that doesn’t necessarily have anything directly to do with the test, but something parents can do to help their child’s positive outlook.”
Self-affirmation
Encourage your children to create a self affirmation or positive mantra to say before the test.
“My mom had Montana say a little prayer before her test,” said Marla Gillolly, mother of one. “I’m not trying to push any sort of religion here, but the whole idea behind it seemed to give Montana confidence. Maybe some sort of self affirmation that he could create himself.”
Parents can also help their child come up with a code word for when their mind wanders, suggests Carrier.
“My older son has a word he says in his head when his mind wanders to bring him back to the test,” Carrier said. “I know it’s weird, but it’s something to focus on.”
TUSD Tips
Find more tips from TUSD at tusd1.org
Practice at home
Children taking the AzMERIT test can practice online at azmeritportal.org to help prepare. You don’t have to log in, just sign in as a guest.
Don’t stress
Parents’ stress levels can carry over to their children. By keeping your stress levels down, you can help your child succeed. Make sure and tell your child that he or she doesn’t have to be perfect and they will have your support, no matter what.
Safeguard sleep
Help your child get a good sleep on the nights leading up to tests. Establishing a curfew on gadgets like phones and tablets to 30 minutes before bedtime will help them wind down.
