Schools across the United States are preparing for standardized testing this month. It’s a high-stress time for everyone – students of all ages, as well as parents, teachers, counselors, nurses, and other support staff.

Minimize Test Season Anxiety

Here are some ideas for supporting student wellness and success, as well as minimizing anxiety for all, during testing season:

Encourage Self-Care

In the days leading up to testing, emphasize to students, parents, and staff the importance of self-care, including:
• Getting enough sleep, especially on nights right before tests.
• Eating well, with a focus on nutritious meals and snacks.
• Incorporating physical activity and exercise into daily routines.
• Making time for social activities and hobbies to maintain normalcy and well-being.

Also:
• Emphasize positive thinking. Encourage students to remember their strengths and abilities as they approach testing time.
• Collaborate with parents to ensure a positive home environment.

Provide Helpful Resources

Make sure students have access to the resources they need to help minimize test-related anxiety.
• Mindfulness helps bring both students and educators back to the present moment, where they can better connect with themselves, their thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, and one another. In addition to reducing stress, mindfulness can help improve focus, control emotional reactivity, improve physical well-being, and even boost test scores.
• Additional helpful resources include promoting effective study habits, providing quiet study spaces, and offering study technique tips and practice tests.

Foster a Positive School Culture

Build a supportive classroom and school environment where every student feels comfortable studying, learning, and expressing their feelings and concerns.
• The important influencers in students’ lives – parents, teachers, counselors, and others – should check in with them regularly to provide support and see how they are doing.
• Always consider the student experience. In addition to study spaces, create intentional spaces where students can rest and recharge during down times. Whenever possible, schedule testing in the morning to take advantage of early-in-the-day energy and focus.

Be Prepared

Help ensure that students are well-prepared for testing by providing ample opportunities for review and practice. Using your safe space, encourage them to address their fears and reframe their perspective. Reinforce that effort is more important than scores – and that it’s okay not to know all the answers.
• Communicate clearly with students – both individually and in groups – about testing expectations. Provide ample opportunities for questions and clarification.

Model Healthy Habits

Student supporters should model healthy habits, as well as positive attitudes and the importance of effort and learning, before and during testing.
• Talk about healthy habits like eating well, regular exercise, and getting enough sleep. Emphasize that these practices are always important, but especially when feeling stressed or anxious. Help students make a plan for how to build these habits into their daily routines.
• Share your own feelings with students. Be a supportive, calming presence through your own words and actions. Remember: students pick up on even the most subtle clues from those around them.

Build Your Career

For additional resources as you build your school-based healthcare career – including open positions within our vast network in Southern California and beyond – contact Covelo Group today.