| John is in the fourth grade, and his school | | | | everything but the actual questions. Your |
| has announced the dates for the end of the | | | | school probably already gives these practice |
| year standardized testing. Given that John | | | | tests. If not, Scholastic offers a wide range |
| struggles academically, how should his | | | | of test prep materials.Make a plan. Find out |
| parents approach this event? A. Hope for the | | | | if your child has any questions or concerns |
| best.B. Pressure John to pay attention and | | | | about testing. What if his pencil breaks? |
| study.C. Tell John just to do his best.D. | | | | What if the calculator doesn't work? What if |
| Ensure John is prepared emotionally and | | | | she has to go to the restroom? What if a |
| academically.Most parents have a lot to say | | | | question is just too hard? Get answers from |
| about the validity and necessity of | | | | the child's teacher, and while you're at it, |
| standardized tests. Your viewpoint on the | | | | find out all the test taking strategies |
| subject will not change the fact that your | | | | taught in the classroom. Help get rid of a |
| child will soon face the rigors of the | | | | few more anxieties by teaching your child how |
| dreaded end of year exam. Like it or not, the | | | | to skip a question or signal for a new |
| scores and percentiles are quite important to | | | | pencil.Teach relaxation. Remember Lamaze |
| your child's future. Children are given a | | | | class? Share your favorite relaxation |
| vast amount of knowledge throughout the | | | | techniques with your child. Teach her to |
| school year, and are expected to be able to | | | | tackle only one question at a time. Help him |
| recall enough to answer the questions on a | | | | to tighten and relax muscles to relieve |
| seemingly endless battery of tests. Teachers | | | | tension. Teach self-encouragement phrases: |
| have been preparing their classes all year. | | | | "You can do this. That one was hard, but this |
| Parents can also ready a child for testing by | | | | is a new question."Clear the calendar. The |
| offering emotional encouragement and academic | | | | night before a test, clear the calendar. Skip |
| support.Take responsibility. I visited a | | | | athletic games, scout meetings, dance lessons |
| classroom of third graders recently, and one | | | | and piano. Your child probably won't have any |
| of the children shared that she was afraid to | | | | homework, but resist the temptation to review |
| take the end of grade test. The teacher was | | | | academics. Lay out clothes and lunches for |
| out of the room, so the assistant answered | | | | the next day, and use the rest of the time |
| the child. "You don't have to worry one bit. | | | | for the family, with a nutritious meal, a |
| Your teacher will teach you everything you | | | | family movie, and an early and stress free |
| need to know." Tell your child that you and | | | | bedtime.Express unconditional love. Whether |
| her teacher are going to work together to | | | | your child bubbles in correctly or not, |
| ensure test readiness. Take the burden of | | | | expressing your love will create a bubble of |
| responsibility off the child, and listen for | | | | confidence that will be hard to break. Even |
| the sigh of relief.Practice the format. The | | | | if scores never reach the 99th percentile, |
| first time I did my taxes myself, I was | | | | make it clear that your love will be there |
| overwhelmed. In the following years, the | | | | 100% of the time. To your child, this is the |
| process seemed easier. The procedure was just | | | | percentile that counts.Kayla Fay is the |
| as difficult, but I was familiar with the | | | | publisher of "Who Put the Ketchup in the |
| form. Make sure your child has a chance to | | | | Medicine Cabinet?" and the mother of four |
| practice the test in the exact format he will | | | | boys. Don't miss "Multiplying Success" and |
| see it on testing day. The text formatting, | | | | "Comprehending Comprehension", which suggest |
| page layout, and wording of instructions | | | | specific test taking strategies for the math |
| should be exactly the same, so that on | | | | and reading portions of standardized tests. |
| testing day, your child will be familiar with | | | | |