Preparing Your Students for the ACT (2022-2023 Edition)
Summer is coming to an end and you're beginning to think of your plans for the next school year. It’s inevitable for you to think about your students...
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3 min read
Victoria Van Horsen
:
Apr 20, 2017 5:58:16 PM
As a teacher, you know that end of year tests are responsible for some of the greatest stress for both students and yourself. No matter how much you’ve prepared students with new material and practice reviews, the testing itself can be the cause of tremendous anxiety.
In fact, according to a study by HeartMath (2007), 61% of high school students report feeling test anxiety. This anxiety is accompanied by real consequences as higher levels of test anxiety are correlated with poorer performance on the test. The good news is that you can help your students test better through the following stress reduction techniques that can be integrated into your normal classroom practice.
1. Find Opportunities for Physical Activity
Studies have shown that physical activity provides a wealth of health benefits, including reducing stress. While you may not be able to get your class out for a game of soccer or a nature hike, you can implement physical activities into your daily routines. This is especially beneficial the day of the test, when students may be at their peak stress levels. Try the following activities for fun and relaxation!
2. Build Positive Thinking Habits
Most students are pretty familiar with standardized tests by the time they get into high school, after having taken an average of 8 standardized tests per year according to a study by The Council of Great City Schools. This means many of them already associate tests with negative feelings, or think of themselves as “bad at tests”.
Building positive thinking habits can help everyone, from these stressed students to your star studiers. Incorporating positive thinking into your classroom helps students anticipate success instead of failure, and reduces the anxiety of not being “good enough”.
3. Goal Setting
Whether it’s in school or out, goal setting is a powerful way to help people see themselves as successful, and helps align expectations with day-to-day activities. Students who set goals for themselves, while understanding the challenges they may face, can reduce their test taking stress. How should you do this in the classroom?
We hope you and your students enjoy these activities! Stay tuned for more test stress-busting tips and strategies (including some for you adults!)
Have an idea that’s worked well for your class? Share it in the comments!
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