Parent tips: preparing students for standardized testing

Standardized testing is an unavoidable part of our academic lives. This part of the school year can weigh heavily on our children. Here are some steps to ensure they feel prepared to do their best while keeping a positive attitude.

1. Get a good night’s sleep. Establish a calming bedtime routine the week of the test. Our children need to be well-rested so they are not dozing off during this important time. Include encouraging bedtime stories, stress-free music, or calming scents. 
2. Have a healthy breakfast. Our kids need to fuel their brains with healthy foods. Avoid sugary juices or greasy fried foods that will give them stomach aches. Most standardized tests have to be finished the day they are begun, therefore having a sick child in the middle is not ideal. 
3. Practice breathing/calming techniques. Remind your child that it is okay to take their mind off the screen and test to regroup if they are feeling overwhelmed. Teach them breathing exercises they can do to refocus. Provide them with a stress ball or gum if needed or allowed. 
4. Offer words of encouragement. Your positive words can go a long way, especially on these days! Take the extra time to write an encouraging note or give a positive pep talk on the way to school. We must let our children know that as long as they are giving it their best, we are proud of what they can accomplish. 
5. Review yearlong concepts in a fun way. To help ease some of the anxiety, you can play Jeopardy or other fun games incorporating the big topics they learned that school year. This helps them review and also blow off some steam by having fun. 

Teachers: What are your go-to tips during this time of year?

About the author

Marissa Will is the mother of two toddlers, Olivia (4) and Logan (2). Writing was her first passion: she’s a freelance writer and a Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication alumna. Will is currently educating the future leaders of tomorrow: She has spent the past eight years teaching third grade with a master’s degree in elementary education from Northern Arizona University-Yuma.