Many students experience anxiety as high-stakes testing season approaches. As educators, it is essential for us to foster an environment in which students can prepare, build confidence, and hone skills long before test day.
Effective preparation is far more effective—and certainly less stressful—than last-minute cramming. Educators should focus on building test-taking stamina, reinforcing critical skills, and developing each student’s positive mindset. Here are five tips to help your students feel ready for the challenges of standardized state testing.
Have you ever tried running a marathon without training first? No one would expect to run 26.2 miles without gradually building stamina. Similarly, test taking requires focus, endurance, and the ability to stay engaged for long periods. To ensure students are mentally prepared, build their test-taking stamina in the weeks leading up to the test.
How to Address It: Start small by implementing 20-minute, focused work sessions in class. Gradually increase the duration each week, allowing students to build their focus and attention spans incrementally. This approach helps students become more accustomed to the time standardized tests take while also teaching them how to manage their attention during long testing periods.
What if you were put into a game and did not know the rules? Students can feel overwhelmed and stressed by the unfamiliar format of high-stakes tests. The more they know about what to expect, the more confident they will feel when they begin their testing.
How to Address It: Incorporate test-style questions and item types into your daily lessons. For example, include multiple-choice questions or short-answer prompts that mirror what they will encounter on the test. You can also focus on pacing strategies, such as teaching students how to manage their time efficiently during the test and introducing key testing vocabulary they might encounter. By practicing these strategies regularly, students will become more comfortable and familiar with the testing format, reducing their anxiety and confusion on test day.
How would you feel if you had to perform under pressure without any tools to manage stress? Test anxiety can seriously impact students’ achievement, causing them to underperform despite their abilities. Building confidence and providing strategies for managing anxiety is essential for a positive testing experience.
How to Address It: Start by setting achievable, realistic goals for each student, allowing the student to experience a sense of accomplishment. Praise progress, not just scores, to build students’ confidence. Breathing exercises or mindfulness techniques can be useful in calming nerves. Encouraging students to stay relaxed and focused is just as important as academic preparation in reducing test anxiety. When students feel they have tools to cope with stress, they are more likely to perform to their potential.
What happens at home can impact student performance just as much as what happens in school. While much of the work happens in the classroom, parents also play a crucial role in preparing students for high-stakes tests. What happens outside of school—sleep habits, nutrition, and screen time—can significantly impact test performance.
How to Address It: Communicate with parents about the importance of following a healthy routine leading up to testing. Encourage practices such as having a nutritious breakfast on test days, limiting screen time before bed, and ensuring students get enough sleep. Even small adjustments, like reading before bed, can help students be more alert and focused on test day. Providing parents with tips on how to support students’ well-being can go a long way toward helping students perform their best.
How do you prepare for a final exam—by cramming the night before or by reviewing little by little throughout the semester? Reviewing key standards throughout the year is vital for ensuring that students are well prepared for test content. Last-minute review sessions can be helpful, but the continuous reinforcement and practice of key concepts is necessary for ensuring long-term retention.
How to Address It: Incorporate weekly review sessions into your classroom routine, covering the most critical standards that will be tested. Track individual student progress so you can identify areas where students may need more support. Use formative assessments to measure progress, which will allow you to adjust instruction as needed. Expand review strategies to include not just isolated test preparation but consistent daily practice to help reinforce students’ knowledge and confidence.
By starting test preparation early and implementing these strategies, you can help students approach high-stakes tests with confidence and resilience. Building stamina, familiarizing them with the test format, addressing anxiety, involving parents, and reinforcing key concepts throughout the year will ensure that students feel well prepared and capable of performing their best. Remember, effective test preparation is not just about what happens in the final weeks before the test; it requires that you foster an ongoing culture of learning and support. With thoughtful planning and proactive steps, you can empower students to face their tests not with fear but with the readiness and confidence to succeed.