The days are getting warmer, flowers and trees beginning to blossom, and we’re starting to dream about the end of the school year and the joy of a long summer break. Along with those dreams though is the reality of end-of-grade/end-of-school-year testing and with that, the anxiety that may rear it’s unwanted presence too. It used to be that just our college-bound students were affected, but now it’s students as young as elementary ages who may be feeling these unwanted emotions.
And it's not just the students who are feeling this pressure. These benchmark measurements are used to gauge student achievement, determine school funding, and evaluate teachers, so it’s no wonder that there is concern about trickle down anxiety. Some students won’t think twice about test days, but others can get seriously worked up.
Parents may see disturbed sleep patterns, extra tiredness, increased worry, strange eating habits, an inability to concentrate, and more. These reactions – is it all in their heads? No. Aside from the emotional responses to stress, there are very real physical responses as well that affect both the autonomic and endocrine systems in our bodies when faced with stressful situations. Specifically, there are three areas of the brain that can cause havoc. The prefrontal cortex, which specializes in the cognitive processes and emotions, can kick into high gear, sensing potential danger. The amygdala is a more primitive area where anxiety screams its call-to-action. And the hypothalamus, which, upon picking up signals from the other two areas, releases hormones, which ignite the pituitary gland to throw off more hormones, which causes the adrenal gland to release cortisol, and all of these physical reactions prepare the body to defend itself from the perceived danger/stress. So no, it's not all in their heads.
That said though, there are strategies parents can utilize to help calm the jitters and help their child to do their best on test day. Here is some step-by-step advice.
One month before:
Take a good look at your own anxiety. It’s natural to want your child to do his best, but it’s very possible that if you are feeling pressure regarding the upcoming test, your child is picking up some of that anxiety from you.
Talk to your child to see how he’s feeling about the test. If he’s fine, great. If you sense there is some apprehension though, try to take some of that pressure off by telling him that the test score is just a way for the school to make sure that the students are learning what they need to know and is just one small piece of who he is, and then point out his other achievements, talents, and positive attributes, putting the perceived seriousness of the test result into perspective.
Make sure your child is getting a full night’s sleep and that there’s a good after-school and nighttime routine.
The week before:
Rev up the family’s physical activities and make sure your child is included. It will produce those feel-good endorphins that we all need, as well as lead to a better sleep at night.
The night before:
No more studying, no more cramming. Have some family fun, eat well, snack well, and have him enjoy a soothing bath just before bed.
Test-day:
Plan a delicious breakfast full of healthy complex carbs, protein, and fruit.
Give a few (and only a gentle few) words of advice such as: if your child begins to feel the discomfort of test distress, he can close his eyes, take a few deep breaths, and tackle the test again. That break and those cleansing breaths will help him to be calmer.
Leave the house with enough leeway to get to school on time. No rushing out the door this morning.
And after test-day – let’s start making those summer vacation plans!
