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Related Reading
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 True
or False?: Tests Stink!
...Whether kids like it or not, tests are here to stay, and
TRUE OR FALSE? TESTS STINK! is here to help. This book uncovers
the truth about tests, and helps kids turn a pesky test into
a place to do their best (with minimum stress). From uncovering
Top-Secret Test Stuff to compiling a test-survival kit, TRUE
OR FALSE? TESTS STINK! will show kids how to stop panicking
and start preparing.... This book gives kids (ages 8-13) the
information they need to make the best of a "testy"
situation.
 Test
Success in the Brain-Compat-ible Classroom
This guide to making test day a celebration of learning and
achievement presents dozens of tips, strategies, and activities
that teachers, parents, and students can put to work right
away.... to enhance understanding, retention, and retrieval
of information. In addition, ideas for creating optimal personal
and classroom learning environments and evaluations of individual
test-taking habits are offered.
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How
to Combat Test Anxiety
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I remember vividly the day that I was so anxious about an
upcoming test that I got sick twice before the bus arrived
to take me to school. By the time we sat down for the exam,
the butterflies in my stomach had beaten their way up my esophagus
at least twenty times, and I forgot everything I'd easily
memorized the night before.
It's probably happened to everyone on occasion, but when test
anxiety interferes with your life on a regular basis, not
only can it ruin your grades, it can harm your psyche. So
what can you do to stop it?
•
Don't cram. Prepare for the exam well ahead of time.
Break up material into manageable chunks. Choose the study
technique that works best for you—flash cards, study
groups, audiotapes, or a review sheet.
• Avoid discussion about the test. Sometimes listening
to others' concerns prior to the exam can cause you to doubt
yourself. Test anxiety rubs off.
•
Sleep. Don't arrive to the exam tired! Get plenty of
rest the night before.
• Eat. Munch on nutritious, mild foods before
the exam. A growling stomach or heartburn will only distract
you from the test questions.
• Arrive on time. Don't arrive too early;
you'll spend the extra time worrying and getting discouraged.
If you arrive too late, you've not only cheated yourself out
of precious time, you'll feel rushed and even more anxious.
• Don't study at the last minute. If you don't
know the answers by now, you'll only add to your distress
level by trying to remember more.
• Make up your own mantra. Repeat positive
thoughts to yourself like: I am prepared, I know the material,
I am relaxed, I will pass this test, I am a good student.
• Breath! Practice taking slow, deep breaths
to help you relax.
• If you don't know, move on. If a question has
you stumped, move on to the next. You can come back to it
when you've finished the rest of the test. Worrying over it
costs you time you could devote to other questions.
• Pat yourself on the back. When the test is over,
reward yourself for finishing it. Don't spend any more time
worrying about your answers.
*Tips compiled from the University
of Chicago Student Counseling and Resource Service.
Written by Iris Wolfe
Have you had a bad test experience? How did you get past it?
E-mail
us!
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On the Web
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Managing
Test Anxiety
Anxiety Test
Overcoming Procrastination
Test Anxiety Sites
Study Guides & Strategies
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Anxiety Symptoms
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If you have the following symptoms prior to an exam, you may
suffer from test anxiety.
• Fear... of failing before you arrive to
take the test.
• Tension. When the exam is being passed out, your fingers
are clenched around your pencil.
• Negative thinking. You've convinced yourself you're
stupid, you're a failure, and you shouldn't even bother.
• Blanking out. You completely forget everything
you knew hours before.
• Frustration. You're aggravated with the grade
you ended up getting because you knew the material before
the exam.
• Late recall. As soon as you walk out of the testing
area, you remember everything.
• Physical symptoms: increased heart rate, queasiness,
sweating, shortness of breath, etc.
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