Preparing for State-Wide Assessments

 It’s April, which means the weather is getting warmer, baseball is in full swing, and another school year is coming to a close. Before that can happen, your students will be taking their state-wide assessments. This battery of tests is a yearly ritual that most students are required to participate in to help determine if they are meeting state educational standards. Parents and educators have debated the need or value of these assessments for years. That is not my purpose today. Regardless of how these assessments are perceived, the majority of students in Santa Clarita will take them. Teachers and administrators will implore students and parents to take these assessments seriously, which can often result in feelings of stress and anxiety for everyone involved. I want to encourage parents to look at these upcoming assessments as a life-lesson for their students. An opportunity to be placed in a stressful, yet controlled environment. There will be times when your student is required to perform at their highest ability, whether it be in school, sports, or in the job market.
Teaching students to manage stressful and anxiety provoking situations can be a useful tool, and an important life-skill. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and visualization can be easily taught and reduce the adverse reaction that stress and anxiety have on students (and adults). We all utilize various relaxation techniques throughout the day to manage stress. Taking a walk, playing a little solitaire on the computer, watching TV, or reading are very common techniques that help to reduce anxiety. Now is the time to teach students how to manage stressful situations so when they are presented with them in life, as they will be during state-wide assessments, they will have the necessary tools to remain successful.
If you have questions about anxiety management, please contact the offices of Dynamic Interventions at 661-257-1254, or on the web at www.dynamicinterventions.com.