Daniel T. Connor
Superintendent
227 Main Street
Goshen, NY 10924
(845) 615-6720
District news
Session teaches test anxiety relief strategies to students
February 9,
2012 – Michelle Killenberger, health teacher at the C. J.
Hooker Middle School, and Michael Hanrahan, social worker at Goshen High
School, recently held a two-day session about test anxiety relief
strategies for seventh grade Family and Consumer Science students.
The goal of this session was to introduce and teach test anxiety relief
strategies, starting with one class, using the tools and skills provided
by Hanrahan. Killenberger will then be able pass along these strategies
along to the faculty and staff at the middle school so that they are
utilized by all students.
On the first day, Hanrahan began the discussion by asking, “How many of
you study for a test, but then you can’t remember the information until
you have handed in the test?” After seeing many students raise their
hands, Hanrahan used the analogy of your brain being like a row of
lockers: When studying and learning, you place information into these
“lockers” in your mind; but when the test comes and you get anxious, all
of the lockers close. They reopen once the stress has gone away –
usually after you have taken the test.
Hanrahan then taught the class two main test anxiety relief strategies:
the rubbing stone and a breathing/meditation strategy. Each student was
able to pick a stone and directed to rub it using their thumb and index
finger. This activates the nerve endings in the hand and creates
calmness. He advised students to use this when studying or testing to
reduce anxiety.
For the breathing strategy, students were asked to put both feet on the
floor and focus on their breathing. The strategy is broken down into
three sets:
-
Take a deep breath in – hold for 8 seconds – breath out. Repeat five times.
-
Take a deep breath in and make a fist with each hand – squeezing the hand while holding the breath for 8 seconds – breath out. Repeat five times.
-
Take a deep breath in – hold for 8 seconds – breath out. Repeat five times.
Students were advised to practice this once each hour
every day to create “muscle memory.” Once the brain creates this memory,
when you do need to relax, you can take a deep breath and the body will
remember the response.
On the second day of the session, held a week later, Hanrahan reviewed
the breathing exercises and also went over test taking strategies.
Hanrahan advised the following:
-
Take a test three times. First, answer the questions what you know. Next, go back and answer what you think you know (there may have been information in the test that will trigger your memory), and last, go back and answer the ones you don’t know to the best of your ability.
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Use peppermint when you study and when you are testing. There has been some scientific study that suggests it triggers memory.
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Talk yourself into it with positive self talk: “I know this stuff!”
Day two ended with the students take a learning style test, in order to them understand their preferred style of learning and to give them strategies to capitalize on their strengths and improve learning.
More information
What does test anxiety feel like? What can you do to control it?
View the Managing Test Anxiety handout (PDF)