Hello Families!
The end of March and beginning of April brings us into our spring testing season! At Four Heroes Elementary, we are gearing up for our district MAP testing in grades 2-5 and STAR testing in grades K-1. These assessments are important in giving students, teachers, and parents information and feedback on student success and where they are academically. They are also very important in giving teacher vital data and information on instructional next steps for each and every student!
During times of district and state testing, you can help at home as well to make sure your child is prepared and ready each and every day to show what they know and perform their very best! Below are 8 tips for parents to help your child with high-stakes testing from the education blog Edmentum.
1. Prioritize attendance and homework
Tests are ultimately intended to be a measure of how well students have learned the material being taught in class. With that in mind, what is the best (and most straightforward) piece of test-prep advice for parents is to do what you can to ensure that your child is fully engaged with his or her classwork throughout the year. Set aside dedicated homework time each night to make sure that your child is completing their assignments consistently throughout the year. If you’re responsible for transporting your child to school, make sure your own commitments aren’t making them late to class. Or, if it’s their responsibility to catch the bus or drive themselves, make sure they are sticking to a schedule that gets them to class on time every day. When students arrive late, they miss important announcements, information review, and new concept introduction. And of course, only allow your child to stay home from school when it’s truly necessary.
2. Communicate with your child’s teacher
Regular communication with your child’s instructor can help you gain insight into his or her progress. Make a point of meeting or talking with your child’s teacher on an ongoing basis to understand what your child is working on, what he or she will be tested on, and the areas that he or she is exceling and struggling in. Your child’s teacher is also a great resource for test-preparation activities or strategies you can use with your child at home. Plus, they can keep you up to date on group study sessions or other opportunities for additional review that your child may benefit from.
3. Talk to your child about test taking
Sometimes, the purpose and goals of testing are difficult for children to understand. Without that foundation, it’s easier for children to be intimidated by testing or simply not feel motivated to put forth their best effort. Have open, ongoing conversations with your child to explain the benefits of testing, focusing on how it helps them, their teacher, their school, and other educators understand their strengths and weaknesses and figure out the most effective ways to teach. Knowing the “why” behind testing can help instill a drive to succeed in your child.
4. Offer positive reinforcement
A little encouragement can go a long way in helping students walk into testing days feeling confident—which, in turn, can have a huge effect on their performance. Praise your child for the work that he or she does to prepare for testing, and share in his or her excitement when he or she has success with a new concept or skill. Similarly, when he or she is struggling with a topic, point out the progress that he or she has made and encourage him or her to continue working. Having already experienced success with the material that he or she will be tested on will help your child avoid test anxiety and perform to the best of his or her ability on testing day.
5. Support healthy habits
Sleep and nutrition can have a huge impact on your child’s ability to focus and retain information. One of the most helpful things that you can do as a parent is focus on supporting these basic needs. Well-rounded meals and a regular sleep schedule will help your child succeed in the classroom on a day-to-day basis. On testing days, it’s especially important to make sure that your child gets a good night’s sleep, starts the day with a filling breakfast, and goes to school with a water bottle to help stay hydrated.
6. Give your child a study space
A comfortable, dedicated space for homework and studying can work wonders for your child’s productivity. Make sure that your child’s space is quiet, well lit, and stocked with the right materials, like a writing surface, pens, pencils, highlighters, scratch paper, a calculator, and any other tools that he or she might need.
7. Keep testing in perspective
Avoid putting too much emphasis on your child’s test scores—doing so can make your child feel pressure that will ultimately only affect his or her performance negatively. It’s also important to not be upset by a single test score. Low test scores can occur for any number of reasons; it may have just been an off day for your child.
8. Debrief after the test
After testing day has come and gone, talk with your child about his or her results and how he or she felt about the test. By discussing his or her answers, thought processes, and feelings, you can gain further insight into what he or she is struggling with and excelling at and then help him or her better prepare next time. Talking about testing can also help your child process the experience and overcome any anxiety that he or she might have had.