Tips for Testing

Across the country, students are sharpening their number two pencils and heading to school to take high-stakes standardized tests.

As a parent, you may or may not agree with the current testing system in place in your state. But whatever your personal perspective, standardized testing is a reality for our kids.

So how can parents and grandparents support students as they prepare for another round of assessments?

Here are a few simple tips we think you will find helpful:

• Remind your children of all the work they have done in school and beyond to prepare for the tests.
• Do not overwhelm them by giving them large amounts of new material to cram the night before standardized testing begins. Preparation is a year-round process.
• The night before the test, make sure your children get plenty of rest and have some time to relax. Try to limit extracurricular activities. 
• Do all you can to have a calm morning the day of testing. Be sure your children get to school with time to spare so they are not rushed.
• Make sure your children eat a good breakfast. Hungry students are distracted and do not perform to their full potential!
• Encourage your children to do their best work. Remind them of how the tests are used and why they matter. This is an area where it is important to know your own child and what he or she needs to hear. Some students may need to be reminded to work hard and of the importance of testing, while others may need the importance downplayed in order to avoid testing anxiety. Go with your instincts and trust that you know what your child needs to hear to be empowered!
• Lower anxiety levels by reminding your children that they are more than a test score. Tests are important but they certainly do not determine a young person’s worth. Remind your children that they are loved and praise their strengths!
• Take a positive approach, above all. As I tell students in assemblies across the country and internationally – “You have two options. You're either going to pass the test, or you are going to pass the test.” Be positive!