Tests Seem Scary But Don’t Panic

We’d like to see a world without tests. We think certificates of mastery for various skills would be better. But as long as the tests are part of schooling, tutors will need to help students deal with them. Tutors often encounter test anxiety in students. When panic sets in, the brain floods with cortisol, the stress hormone. This shuts down new learning and makes learned material “evaporate.” Survival mode militates against test success! Great tutors teach test-taking tools. We cover the most important test preparation tools in this post. Feel free to copy for your student.

Test Preparation Starts When You Know There’s a Test

No cramming! Seriously! Instead, study a little every day. This boosts retention dramatically.

Use smells to help you remember. While studying, apply a favorite hand lotion, or a dot of cinnamon oil or mint oil to your wrist.  Then, on the day of the test, use the same scent.  If you seem to be forgetting the things you studied, smell your wrist.  The scent will activate the part of your brain you need to remember the material.  It’s best NOT to use highly aromatic perfume or aftershave for this, as it may cause allergic reactions for others taking the test.

Medications need to be constant between study time and testing. Medication used for ADHD alters brain chemistry, so if you use it when studying, you’ll need to use it when testing.

If possible, study with the type of test in mind: essay, short answer, multiple-choice. In fact, a great way to study is to write a test over the material, pretending you are the teacher or test-writer. Students, you could give the test to your tutor or parent, and then “grade it” as a way to engage with the material in a fun way.

Memorizing answers always backfires. Rather, study to understand the material so well you could teach it yourself. Imagine how you would present the material to your class if you were the teacher. Practice explaining it to someone who doesn’t know much about the subject.  This forces you to figure out what you understand and what you need to study further.

Compare notes with a classmate and study together by asking each other questions. Research clearly shows that students who do test preparation in study groups tend to test higher than solitary students.

If you learn better by listening than reading, consider recording the class lectures or having someone read the text into a recording so you can listen to it several times while walking, driving, or resting. You can even read your notes or the text into a recorder yourself and then play it back.

If test anxiety is a problem (you forget what you know when you take the test) practice relaxation techniques such as guided imagery, yoga, or just walking.

Use memory aids such as the loci technique or mnemonics to remember complex lists or relationships. Use colored highlighters to color and frame words you need to know.

Some researchers estimate that over 80% of test-taking success is linked to knowing the vocabulary, so be sure you know the meaning of all the words in your text or notes.

Finally, the night before the big test, sleep nine hours if possible. The best test preparation scenario looks like this: lots of exercise followed by a great night’s sleep. Your studying is already done, so rest and take care of yourself.

What To Do on the Day of the Test

Food is part of test preparation. Eat protein for breakfast on test day. Choose something you like. Consider fish, meat, eggs, or beans and rice with cheese. Or all of that if you are a 15-year-old boy!

Arrive early and double-check that you have everything you need. Pencil? Calculator? Do the test at medium speed; no hurrying, no daydreaming.

As you move through the test, watch for clues within the test questions to confirm your answers.

What To Do After the Test

When the test is over, stretch your muscles and close your eyes. Tell yourself the test is over and you can think about other things now.

When the grade or score comes out, you will hopefully be grinning about it. But if not, do damage control as needed. This includes asking the teacher for a retake or asking to do extra credit. Let the teacher know this grade is important to you. If the test is a national standardized test such as the ACT or SAT you can schedule a time to retake the test.  Most college-bound students take the SAT more than once.

Test Scores are Just a Number

Test preparation feels overwhelming sometimes because it seems like so much hangs on one score. But in the end, a test score doesn’t define you. You remain the same person you were before the test whether you ace it or fail it. So, study, sleep, eat, do your best. But then let it go — your life is way bigger and better than any test!

by Yvonna Graham, M.Ed.

@GrahamYvonna

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