A Bubble of Confidence
Preparing Your Child for a Standardized Test
By Kayla Fay

John is in the fourth grade, and his school has announced the dates
for the end of the year standardized testing. Given that John
struggles academically, how should his parents approach this event?

A. Hope for the best.
B. Pressure John to pay attention and study.
C. Tell John just to do his best.
D. Ensure John is prepared emotionally and academically.

Most parents have a lot to say about the validity and necessity of
standardized tests. Your viewpoint on the subject will not change the
fact that your child will soon face the rigors of the dreaded end of
year exam. Like it or not, the scores and percentiles are quite
important to your child's future. Children are given a vast amount of
knowledge throughout the school year, and are expected to be able to
recall enough to answer the questions on a seemingly endless battery
of tests. Teachers have been preparing their classes all year.
Parents can also ready a child for testing by offering emotional
encouragement and academic support.

~Take responsibility. I visited a classroom of third graders
recently, and one of the children shared that she was afraid to take
the end of grade test. The teacher was out of the room, so the
assistant answered the child. "You don't have to worry one bit. Your
teacher will teach you everything you need to know." Tell your child
that you and her teacher are going to work together to ensure test
readiness. Take the burden of responsibility off the child, and
listen for the sigh of relief.

~Practice the format. The first time I did my taxes myself, I was
overwhelmed. In the following years, the process seemed easier. The
procedure was just as difficult, but I was familiar with the form.
Make sure your child has a chance to practice the test in the exact
format he will see it on testing day. The text formatting, page
layout, and wording of instructions should be exactly the same, so
that on testing day, your child will be familiar with everything but
the actual questions. Your school probably already gives these
practice tests. If not, Scholastic offers a wide range of test prep
materials.

~Make a plan. Find out if your child has any questions or concerns
about testing. What if his pencil breaks? What if the calculator
doesn't work? What if she has to go to the restroom? What if a
question is just too hard? Get answers from the child's teacher, and
while you're at it, find out all the test taking strategies taught in
the classroom. Help get rid of a few more anxieties by planning how
to skip a question or signal for a new pencil.

~Teach relaxation. Remember Lamaze class? Share your favorite
relaxation techniques with your child. Teach her to tackle only one
question at a time. Help him to tighten and relax muscles to relieve
tension. Teach self-encouragement phrases: "You can do this. That one
was hard, but this is a new question."

~Clear the calendar. The night before a test, clear the calendar.
Skip athletic games, scout meetings, dance lessons and piano. Your
child probably won't have any homework, but resist the temptation to
review academics. Lay out clothes and lunches for the next day, and
use the rest of the time for the family, with a nutritious meal, a
family movie, and an early and stress free bedtime.

~Express unconditional love. Whether your child bubbles in correctly
or not, expressing your love will create a bubble of confidence that
will be hard to break. Even if scores never reach the 99th
percentile, make it clear that your love will be there 100% of the
time. To your child, this is the percentile that counts.

Kayla Fay is the publisher of "Who Put the Ketchup in the Medicine
Cabinet?" and the mother of four boys. Email Kayla at
mailto:goaskmom@... for copies of "Multiplying Success"
and "Comprehending Comprehension", which suggest specific test taking
strategies for the math and reading portions of standardized tests.
Visit Kayla at http://www.goaskmom.com.