Worrying. Pacing. Nail-biting. Sweating. Completely blanking out. Gasping for air. Tick-Tock. Ahhhhhhhh!

Nothing causes more stress than a test. No one knows that better than Creative Tutors, an in-home educational tutoring service. Creative Tutors help students sort through and understand tough material that will eventually be covered on a test. Often, it just takes a new approach or strategy to help a child master — and recall that information — at test time.

Whether it’s a pop quiz, six-week assessment, TAKS, EOGS or the SAT/ACT, here are some ways to help students prepare and do their best:

Follow up:

Before The Test
1. Do your homework. Yes, make sure your child stays current on his or her homework. This will make test preparation much easier. But also, find out exactly what the test will cover and prepare for it. Ask the teacher for a six-weeks review sheet.
2. Practice (but not too much) makes perfect. Practice answering the kinds of questions and solving the kinds of problems that will be on a test. Copies of past TAKS, EOGS tests and SATs are available online. But, don’t over-do it. When you discover an area of trouble, it means the child needs to re-learn that concept or material. This is where a tutor can help. Arrange a time to work on these specific areas.

3. Boost your long-term memory. When using flash cards to study, have the child look straight ahead. Hold the cards in the upper-right visual field. As the child casts her eyes to the right (but keeps her head straight) have her read the cards aloud. Looking straight and right helps access the brain’s long term memory.
4. Get physical. Is your child a basketball player or dancer or does she love to jump rope? Combining fact memorization with movement is a great way to learn. Call out multiplication facts as he jumps on the trampoline. Recite spelling words while doing jumping rope or doing jump-n-jacks. It also works for memorizing vocabulary, science formulas and history facts. This way, the child can “feel” the answers, create a mental rhythm — and not just say them.
5. Speak up. Have your child read textbooks, facts, vocabulary words and math concepts out loud to themselves. This way, they hear the material with their ears, as their eyes see it and their mouths say it. Using all the senses is just another way to reinforce the knowledge.
6. Memorize with music. Have fun learning and memorizing concepts to the tune of your child’s favorite music. Interject facts and figures into the lyrics of popular songs. Have kids clap as they learn and make up their own songs and rhythms. Your child’s own funny version of “Old McDonald” or a popular “rap” can be unforgettable — and that’s exactly the point.

During The Test
1. Get the big picture. Be sure you know exactly how much time you have to take the test. Scan the test and have a general idea of how much time you can spend on each question. Complete the what you think are the easiest questions or sections of the test first — and spend more time on the others. Take your time, but watch the clock.
2. Read the questions carefully and completely. The first part of the question is only half of the story. Don’t rush and assume you know the answer, just by reading the first few words. Also, look for “trigger words,” which may tell you something about the answer. Words like “not,” “isn’t” and “don’t” may tell you that the answer isn’t what it is, but rather what it isn’t. Underline words in the question, like “define,” “solve” or “subtract,” as these are telling you exactly what to do. Use the margins of the page to make notes for yourself.
3. Visualize your answers. Can’t recall something? Think back to ball-bouncing or jump-roping — and the answer may come to you. Cast your eyes to the upper-right visual field and picture the words or number on those boldly-printed flash cards. Think back to your made-up song or rap or rhythm.
4. Stay focused. If you’re feeling stressed, ask to get up and stretch or get a drink of water. Take advantage of the planned breaks during long tests. This will re-charge your energy and your memory. If someone is bothering you (tapping a pencil or making noise), ask to move to a different seat. Don’t allow your self to become distracted.
5. Eat a peppermint. For centuries, peppermint has been known to calm the stomach and even dull minor aches and pains. But, it has also been shown to boost mental alertness. It definitely can open up the airways, allowing for better breathing during a test. Stuff a few mints in your child’s pocket and suggest he pop one in his mouth before the test or at a moment when he needs a boost of energy. It couldn’t hurt.
6. Check your work. Especially if you skipped questions and came back to them later, you need to make sure you marked your answers in the right place. On a long test, scantrons can look like a sea of bubbles. It’s easy to get off track. At the end of the test, go back and quickly check to see if the questions and your answers match.

For more information about test prep and test-taking strategies, contact one of our area owners today!