PARENT TEST-SUPPORT STRATEGIES

Preparing for Testing

• Note test dates on your home calendar; schedule appointments on non-testing days.
• Encourage your child to take responsibility for homework and class study. • Help you child learn how to find information independently. 
• Praise your child for work done well. 
• Encourage your child to ask questions at home and in class. 
• Get to know your child's teachers.
• Attend parent-teacher conferences.
• Confer with teachers on a regular basis for progress reports.
• Gather available test preparation materials.
• Assure your child knows that you value a good education.

Testing Day

• See that your child is rested and eats breakfast.
• See that your child arrives at school on time and is relaxed.
• Encourage your child to do the best work possible.
• Do not send your child to school if illness is apparent.
• Do not remove your child from school on test days for appointments.

After Testing

• Examine all test reports sent home.
• Determine areas of strengths and weaknesses.
• Praise your child's testing strengths and make a plan to address identified weaknesses.
• See your child's principal, counselor or teacher if additional information is required.

TEST ANXIETY

Students may experience anxiety about tests and may experience heightened anxiety before a testing situation. A certain degree of test anxiety is normal and may help students prepare more effectively, work more efficiently, and remain focused during testing. Too much anxiety, however, can negatively affect performance. The following strategies may assist students, parents, and teachers in reducing test anxiety.

Parent Strategies for Reducing Test Anxiety 

• Discuss the test openly and in a positive way.
• Have realistic expectations of your child's performance while encouraging his/her best efforts.
• Emphasize that the test is only one measure of academic performance.
• Emphasize that test scores do not determine a person's worth.

Before Test Day

• Make sure you don't have any appointments on testing days!
• Get a good night's sleep.
• Eat a good breakfast.

During the Test

• Use your SMART Strategies
• START: make a prediction, whisper read the title and subtitles, and study charts and graphs
• MARK THE QUESTION: whisper read, highlight key words and questions, and make sure you understand what the question is asking
• ANALYZE: read the passage at least 2 times, make a mental picture, highlight important information
• REVIEW: reread the questions, elminate or get rid of wrong answers
• TAKE A LAST LOOK: repeat the review steps, and check EVERY answer!

After the Test

• Relax, and congratulate yourself on what you did well!