Helping Your Child Relax for Test Taking
Test taking is a stressful and unpleasant activity for most anyone. For a child who may not have experienced test taking before, what are some practical ways to help them relax?
Tips for Preparation
- Practice a growth mindset with your children. Help them realize that test
taking is a measurement of growth from one academic year to the next. For more details about growth mindset, check out the work by Carol Dweck. - Get a good night’s rest. There’s lots of brain research which shows that the mind gets rejuvenated with rest. Make sure your kids get plenty of REM sleep leading up to the test. They’ll wake up well rested and in a good mood. Starting with a positive attitude is half the battle!
- Eat a healthy breakfast. The brain is a well-oiled thinking machine and needs nutrients to help it run efficiently. Have your kids eat a hearty breakfast that will help sustain energy and brain power throughout the morning.
Reducing Stress
- Practice techniques that will give your kids mental clarity. Meditation, prayer, yoga, calm breathing techniques…all these methods give your kids a way to calm down and center themselves on the task ahead.
- Prepare the day’s outfit the night before. Figuring out what to wear in the morning wastes a lot of time and adds unnecessary stress. Lay out the clothes at the end of the bed, fold clothes on their chair, or hang them up in the bathroom so your kids are ready to go in the morning. Choose clothes that are comfy so they don’t get fixated on a tag or something itchy during the test.
- Set the mood with music. When driving to school, play music that is happy and upbeat. It’s difficult for anyone to be upset or anxious when they have happy thoughts in their head. You’ll be surprised by this simple yet effective tip!
Wishing you all the best,
Jaime
Copyright © 2018 by GenParenting
Discovering the joy of teaching while in high school, Jaime pursued her B.A. in English at Santa Clara University. She also received a teaching credential and a M.A. in Education Administration from Santa Clara University. Jaime taught English Language Arts at Rancho Middle School, motivating and inspiring young people to become effective communicators and contributors in their community. From being a Middle School English Language Arts/English Language Development teacher to becoming a stay-at home mom, Jaime is an education consultant who presents literacy workshops. Her workshops focus on a combination of her ten years of teaching expertise with tried-and-true experiences that she uses with her own children. Jaime is also a Teacher Consultant with the San Jose Area Writing Project. Jaime’s mission is to share effective reading and writing strategies with families to encourage literacy.