| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | you a brave, strong boy and you can DO |
| If you are a parent, you know how important a | | | | THIS!’ Then he and I will brainstorm the |
| good education is for your child. You likely also | | | | many times he has been confident before: trying |
| feel the pressure placed on your student to excel | | | | out for the football team, telling a friend that he |
| in the classroom and strive to be the | | | | hurt your feelings and you didn't like it, and reading |
| best.’ It seems that schools across the | | | | 25 books in class. Then he usually feels better |
| board are in competition to determine who can | | | | with some hugs and hand holding, explains |
| produce the greatest number of Einsteins each | | | | Scussel. Helping your child think positive and |
| year. It’s not enough to bring home a | | | | offering your encouragement can work wonders. |
| good report card any more. Students and | | | | According to Math & Reading Help for Kids ( it is |
| teachers alike are now under the gun to ace the | | | | extremely important to: |
| various state-mandated tests that could propel | | | | make time for homework (as we’ve |
| their school to the top. As the saying goes, | | | | already noted); |
| competition is fierce.’ | | | | improve teacher/student relationships; |
| All of this is enough to cause a nervous | | | | offer children other fun ways to improve |
| breakdown. Or at least produce a cold sweat! | | | | skills, supplementing homework efforts; Sudoku, a |
| There’s no doubt about it — kids | | | | logic-based educational puzzle, can help improve a |
| are under tremendous pressure to perform, and | | | | child’s critical thinking, math and logic skills. |
| it’s no surprise that with this pressure | | | | And it’s fun! |
| comes a good bit of anxiety and a whole lot of | | | | As a teacher, Scussel develops and nurtures |
| self-doubt. | | | | relationships with her students from the start, |
| So what can parents and teachers do to alleviate | | | | which helps to promote a relaxed classroom |
| test anxiety while boosting self-esteem in our | | | | environment, minimizing anxiety that some |
| students? According to the National Association of | | | | students feel. I think self-esteem in kids is |
| School Psychologists (NASP), teachers and | | | | extremely important. I set rules and expectations |
| parents must work together to help children learn | | | | on the first day of school, and have 36 classroom |
| good study skills, first and foremost, and parent | | | | rules that I have taken from Ron Clark's Essential |
| involvement is definitely key. Parents of | | | | 55 book. We read, discuss and role play each one |
| elementary students usually help their children | | | | of them on the first day. I have them posted in |
| more than parents of adolescents, but NASP says | | | | my room, and each child has a copy, says |
| that older students also need parental support | | | | Scussel. When you have a family-feel to your |
| through high school. Two-thirds (66 percent) of | | | | classroom and the atmosphere is one of safety, |
| parents polled by the National Education | | | | kindness and lots of fun, kids tend to forget their |
| Association (NEA) say that their middle school | | | | self-esteem issues. I also reward those reluctant |
| students seek their help with homework, so from | | | | children who take risks and try, and likewise I |
| your child’s point of view, you are an | | | | reward children who are supportive and |
| important part of his or her learning process. | | | | patient. |
| Reducing test anxiety and boosting self esteem | | | | Perhaps nothing helps squelch test anxiety better |
| actually go hand-in-hand if you think about it. The | | | | than simply being prepared. The Boy Scouts have |
| stronger a child feels about his or her capabilities, | | | | had it right all along! And remember when mom |
| the more confidently he or she will tackle a test | | | | used to say, Practice makes perfect? |
| or exam. Keeping up with homework throughout | | | | Indeed, repetition comes into play when a student |
| the week is an excellent way to keep your child | | | | is studying for a test. I was a fan of flash cards |
| on track and to be prepared when test day | | | | and used to cut and paste questions into Word |
| arrives. And according to the United States | | | | documents to help my kids study. I created |
| Department of Education (USDE), parents can | | | | quizzes with them and monitored as they took |
| help their children with homework in a variety of | | | | our homemade’ tests before going to |
| ways. Here are a couple of suggestions: | | | | school for the real thing. I ended up creating my |
| Set a regular homework time -- This | | | | own study site, Qwizzy’s World, when I |
| demonstrates to your children (especially middle | | | | couldn’t find an online resource that |
| and high schoolers) that even though they are | | | | worked for my purposes. What’s neat |
| growing in age and intelligence, they are still | | | | about it is that my kids learn their test material |
| expected to complete their homework | | | | before they even realize they are studying. They |
| assignments. By setting a time as a family, you | | | | input their own test questions, record answers, |
| will know when to be available to answer your | | | | and then actually take the test they’ve |
| children's homework questions and monitor their | | | | created. Then, they can take this test as many |
| progress. | | | | times as they’d like. And they are |
| Help your student by monitoring assignments | | | | prepared when they leave for school. |
| -- This does not necessarily mean correcting each | | | | My son’s teacher has become a fan. |
| homework problem. Just make sure you are | | | | "Qwizzy’s World is helpful for my students |
| available to answer questions during the allotted | | | | - I have seen an improvement in their test |
| homework time. Even if you are not able to | | | | grades. Students have told me that they can |
| answer all questions, or if your student has no | | | | remember and learn more from studying with |
| questions at all, your presence shows your child | | | | QW rather than traditional study methods, said |
| respect and support. | | | | middle school teacher Amy Ingram. I like using |
| It probably goes without saying that adequate | | | | QW in my classroom as a way to differentiate |
| sleep, a balanced diet and regular exercise can | | | | learning, and it's a great tool for preparing |
| enhance a child’s performance in school | | | | students for state mandated testing." |
| and should be the ground work’ for | | | | And speaking of state mandated tests, you can |
| ensuring a positive school experience. In fact, a | | | | purchase study guides that are full of sample |
| recent study found that high school students who | | | | tests that can ease anxiety by exposing students |
| got eight hours of sleep before taking a math | | | | to the kinds of questions they will be asked on |
| test were nearly three times more likely to figure | | | | these statewide tests. An Atlanta-based company |
| out the problem than those who stayed awake all | | | | called School Box ( is a fantastic resource for all |
| night (source: KidsHealth.org). | | | | kinds of study materials, and they have an |
| Georgia elementary school teacher and former | | | | extensive online store. |
| private school principal, Beth Scussel, offers | | | | One last trick I’d like to share that can |
| several suggestions for helping calm a | | | | ease your child’s nerves is some sage |
| child’s anxiety prior to a big test. Says | | | | advice from Kerstin Sjoquist, C.H.T. She |
| Scussel, Keep your regular home routines - go | | | | recommends telling your child to imagine their |
| to bed at what would be the regular time. Say | | | | favorite place if they get frazzled during a test. |
| assuring things like You are prepared for this | | | | Brain scans show simply visualizing something calm |
| test. You will do just fine. I am always proud of | | | | and happy triggers the brain to produce relaxing |
| you.’ | | | | alpha waves in less than 30 seconds, slowing |
| As a parent with a child who sometimes lacks | | | | heart rate and breathing. Within moments, |
| confidence, Scussel says she can almost feel his | | | | they’ll feel more calm and able to |
| pain when he worries about taking tests. My | | | | concentrate again! |
| son tells me about getting sweaty hands and | | | | While we can’t take away all of our |
| feeling his heart beat so loud that it rings in his | | | | children’s fears and anxieties about school |
| ears before a test. My mantra with him is always | | | | and test-taking, we can be their biggest |
| the same when he is nervous - God made | | | | advocates. |