Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. Put Standardized Testing in Its Place: A Guide for Adoptive Parents of School Aged Kids.
While standardized tests are lengthy and academically comprehensive, they really only tell us one thing; Can your child transfer the information they have learned in school to a hyper controlled, rigorous testing apparatus? Basically, is your child a good test taker? (For me that answer was always a solid no.) Standardized tests do not quantify our child’s intelligence or potential. They do not even tell us if our child will or will not be a successful academic. But alas, most of our kids are often required to participate in this antiquated, tedious task. So, how do we make it more bearable for our kids that are terrible test takers or our kids that experience a significant amount of anxiety? Here are some thoughts that might help:
Take the pressure off, encourage your child to do their best and forget the rest. Let them know that you are proud of them for showing up and doing something hard (even though they may have not had a choice). Let them know you will celebrate once testing is over, regardless of the outcome, because they got through it.
Reach out to your child’s teacher or test administrator ahead of time and ask for the schedule of the tests, what the guidelines/rules are, where it will take place, and how long each testing segment will be. You can use this information to help set your child’s expectations for what the days will likely look like.
Make sure your child gets to bed at night and eats a good breakfast on the mornings of testing days, bonus points if that breakfast is rich in protein. Sleep and fuel will help set your child up for success.
Expect dysregulation after school, lower expectations and asks. Long testing days require our kids to hold a lot of things inside: anxiety, need for movement, need for sensory input, distractibility. etc. It is hard work! When they come home, they will not be able to hold all of that in anymore. They will likely be a mess. Create a home routine that helps regulate your child, and do not ask much of them in regard to additional responsibilities. This is a good time to give them a free pass on after school chores.
If your child has testing accommodations, reach out to your school/test administrator and ask how those accommodations will be provided for. Make sure to advocate for areas that you feel are not being adequately supported.
Lastly, if your child struggles on testing days and does not have testing accommodations, this is a great time to reach out to The Adoption and Foster Care Clinic. We have a highly skilled team that can provide a comprehensive assessment of your child and help to create a plan for a more successful and supportive school environment. Every child deserves a supportive school environment.