Test Prep to Reduce Test Anxiety

We are coming up to the time of year that most students dread.... final exam time!  I currently teach secondary students and I see their anxiety and hear their fear.  The more they talk about their test anxiety the worse it gets... it's a vicious cycle!  I taught a student last year who spent more time fussing about a test than ever doing anything productive.  Over the last 20 years of teaching, I've come up with a few ways to reduce their anxiety.

1.  Talk about it!  Address student fears and concerns by asking them what aspect of the test they're most worried about.  Ask them to share their concerns with each other... sometimes just knowing that others feel the same way is enough to make my students feel better.

2.  Create a plan!  Students at my school write a series of final exams over a week in June and my students can find that very overwhelming.  I give them a blank calendar and they write in the exams they have and then I ask them to schedule their study time.  Just seeing it all laid out on paper and creating a study plan can be helpful to reduce anxiety.

3.  Make sure there are no surprises.  I give students clear lists of what they are expected to know for their test/exam.  I provide a checklist of topics and skills they will be assessed on.  Rather than saying "You have an astronomy test next Wednesday." I give them a specific list of vocabulary and concepts they will be tested on.

4.  Review, review and review some more!  Practice makes perfect!  We play review games (see this blog post for a fun review game!), we do crossword puzzles (my kids LOVE these as a take-home study guide - I make mine using www.eclipsecrossword.com and I give them practice test questions.

Here's a fun and easy review activity for you and your students - FREE in my TpT Store!

5. Test Day Fun!  On the day of a test I always give my students a candy to suck on... a lollipop/sucker or a hard candy.  They love the candy of course... but there is something soothing and relaxing about having a sucker in their mouth.  Perhaps it's a throwback to being a baby?!?  But it's a very calming technique for my students... and it's an inexpensive, fun and tasty treat for them.

6. Teach Test Taking Skills.  I teach my students throughout the year little tricks to help them write a test.  I tell them to skip questions they're not sure about... and to go back to them later.  I tell them to never leave anything blank... there are a ton of tips and tricks we pass on as teachers.  Vocabulary associated with tests can also be taught.  I have a set of Exam Key Word posters that I use to teach keyword vocabulary to guide students in test writing.  You can purchase a set in my TpT store HERE.

Would love to hear of any other test-taking tips below to help reduce student anxiety!

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End of Year - Calming the Chaos Blog Hop

The end is near... well.. it might be for some of you... but it isn't for me.  I work right up until the end of June, but we don't start back up until the first week of September so it all works out in the end!

I've teamed up with some other TpT sellers to offers tips on how to survive those last few weeks of school. I know how hard it can be to keep our students focused on learning when the sun is shining and the lure of summer freedom is just around the corner.  Thanks to Kristy at 2 Peas and a Dog for hosting again!

Here are some ways I "Calm the Chaos" and the "End of Year Wiggles" that seem to infect my students every year.

1.  Mixing it Up
I like to mix it up a lot more than I do at the start of the year.  By now my students and I know each other, they've hopefully mastered my class routines and we're into a groove.  Although it may seem counterintuitive, I actually like to give them a little more freedom at the end of the year.  It's their reward for all their hard work. I play a few more "games" (my fancy word for review activities - it's all in how you sell it!) and I play a bit more music and I give them more choices.

2.  Grooving to the Tunes
As I mentioned above, I play more music in class towards the end of the year... and if I can theme it around something we're studying or reviewing that's an extra bonus!  For example, I'm teaching a poetry unit right now and it's easy to use music to teach figurative language.  I also teach science and we're studying weather and climate - it's amazing how many songs have lyrics about clouds, the sun, the rain and thunder... it's a fun activity to brainstorm titles as a class.

3. Review Extravaganza!
Like many of your students, my kids are required to write final exams so I spend significant time at the end of the year helping them get organized and prepared.  Here's a FREE review activity that works for ANY subject!! Click the image below to grab a copy!

Be sure to check out the other awesome tips and tricks to "Calm the Chaos" on the linky below!

Happy Countdown to Summer!!

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Test Prep Ideas With Sticky Notes

Ugh... I know as a study I dreaded hearing the word "test"... especially if it was a math test!  I don't know how many nights I sat up with my dear old dad going over math equations... he was so patient with me (unfortunately I was never as patient with him!)  I know that many of my students face the same anxiety and stress that I did when it comes to testing.  Sooo... I'm so excited that Adrienne from The Tutor House blog has come up with a linky for Test Prep Tips! I think it's a topic that deserves so much more discussion and sharing among teachers... so be sure to check out the other bloggers who have linked up.

I think that much of my students' anxiety stems from poor test prep skills - they skim their notes or their textbook while watching tv, texting their friends or scanning facebook... and they don't focus entirely at the task at hand.   

I think today's kids are the ultimate multi-taskers - however, I don't think they're doing any of their tasks very well!

Here are a few ways that I use sticky notes during test prep with my students.

1.  I ask students to put a sticky note on the board with two questions they think I should include on the test. I always include several of the suggestions.

2.  Put a sticky note on the board with 1-2 topics you're still confused about.  I do this a few days before the test so that I have time to go over each question with the class.  I love the anonymity that this technique provides - I get a board full of questions but nobody had to put their hand up and admit what they are struggling with!

3.  I'll write a question or topic on the board and ask students to do a practice run with their answer on a sticky note.  I get to see how many students are on track or way off and I can focus my review work where I need to.  It's amazing how much information students can fit on a sticky note - so I can sometimes do 2-3 questions per sticky!

4.  I ask students to share a study strategy with a friend and post their technique on the board - I then discuss and share the ideas with the class.

I always get my sticky notes from the dollar store and try to have different colors and sizes on hand... the kids can pick and choose from a bucket of sticky notes at the front of the class.  Students respond well to these techniques and I love that nobody has to be embarrassed to admit that they are struggling or doesn't know an answer to a question.  Students also appreciate the opportunity to get some help several days before the test.

Here's a link to a test prep technique I use with sticky notes - you can download it FREE in my TpT Store.

Here's another TEST PREP idea I have for sale in my TpT shop - it's a poster set of Key Words used on tests.  

 

 I hope these ideas are helpful!

Addie

 

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