According to an article that I read public school students may be the most tested kids in the world, taking more than 100 million standardized tests every year. Nevertheless test results are taken very seriously by educators, parents, administrators, and even local government officials, for they are viewed as a measure of teacher and school competence and, in some cases, can affect a child's future placement in a school. To take the degree of testing (seriousnessly) a step further, "Parents buy and sell houses just to be in the neighborhood with the best test scores!"
Even good students who are well prepared can be derailed by the general air of anxiety surrounding the tests. For example, "When I express to my students that we are about to take a test some of them immediately begin to panic and feel sick."
However, it's natural to feel anxiety before you take a test(children as well as adults), but some children experience a level of nervousness that interferes with their performance. I think standardized tests are stressful because of how they are administered. They are rigidly timed, the instructions are complicated, and the rules are inflexible. This routine differs greatly from day to day classroom life. Often the room itself is rearranged and children begin to feel out of place.
So therefore, to aide in diminshing the effects of anxiety one could create a positive atmopshere, replace dreading to take test by creating anticipation (some type of reward or excitement), practice time management and involve parents in the process.
I believe that proper prepartion is the key to countering anxiety. We as professionals must mentally prepare our students for situations test ready situations and information. A confident student will combat anxiety if he or she as a solitified belief in their talents and abilities, which can also be facilitated by the teacher, the student will rise above his own pesimistic beliefs and take control of the situation.
It is my belief that students affected by anxiety experience an overwhelming fear of failing before arriving to take the exam. Many of them think negatively, forgetting information that they have studied. Moreover, just mention the test and it will put a little fear in students. However, for many students all they need is a little encouragement from family, friends or teachers.
According to an article that I read public school students may be the most tested kids in the world, taking more than 100 million standardized tests every year. Nevertheless test results are taken very seriously by educators, parents, administrators, and even local government officials, for they are viewed as a measure of teacher and school competence and, in some cases, can affect a child's future placement in a school. To take the degree of testing (seriousnessly) a step further, "Parents buy and sell houses just to be in the neighborhood with the best test scores!"
ReplyDeleteEven good students who are well prepared can be derailed by the general air of anxiety surrounding the tests. For example, "When I express to my students that we are about to take a test some of them immediately begin to panic and feel sick."
However, it's natural to feel anxiety before you take a test(children as well as adults), but some children experience a level of nervousness that interferes with their performance. I think standardized tests are stressful because of how they are administered. They are rigidly timed, the instructions are complicated, and the rules are inflexible. This routine differs greatly from day to day classroom life. Often the room itself is rearranged and children begin to feel out of place.
So therefore, to aide in diminshing the effects of anxiety one could create a positive atmopshere, replace dreading to take test by creating anticipation (some type of reward or excitement), practice time management and involve parents in the process.
I believe that proper prepartion is the key to countering anxiety. We as professionals must mentally prepare our students for situations test ready situations and information. A confident student will combat anxiety if he or she as a solitified belief in their talents and abilities, which can also be facilitated by the teacher, the student will rise above his own pesimistic beliefs and take control of the situation.
ReplyDeleteIt is my belief that students affected by anxiety experience an overwhelming fear of failing before arriving to take the exam. Many of them think negatively, forgetting information that they have studied. Moreover, just mention the test and it will put a little fear in students. However, for many students all they need is a little encouragement from family, friends or teachers.
ReplyDelete