Spring has just arrived, but that means test time in our schools. Whether we agree that tests are important or not, we need to prepare our kids to take them. Here are a few tips to help the family as well as the student taking the tests. (Actually they are important concepts all the time.)
1. Reduce stress. As much as possible, keep stressful conversations and actions under control. Kids feel our tension and often hang onto it long after we've moved on.
2. Nutritious meals. When we feed the body we feed the brain. Limit sugary, unhealthy foods in favor of protein-rich foods the closer the kids get to test days. Consider sending a nutritious snack to school the day of the tests to provide an energy and brain boost. (Be certain you follow the school's regulations about the snacks you send.)
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3. Adequate sleep. Being well-rested helps kids sustain themselves through the added pressure of test taking. Think back to your days of being tested. Do you remember how tired you were after the test? Adequate sleep the night before will lessen that tiredness after.
4. Encouragement. From the first day of every school year it is important to provide encouragement for our kids. Part of that support comes from looking over their papers and projects. When we know their strengths and the areas they still need to improve, we can discuss their learning style and help them develop additional skills. More and more, testing requires students 'show their thinking'. If we have talked with them, allowing them to share their work and thinking we're giving them more chances to understand how they learn. And, if we help them work to strengthen their weaker strategies, we'll have done our part in making the testing less stressful and their results potentially more positive.