Too Stressed by Tests?

Critics of standardized testing often tell harrowing tales of children breaking down on tests, crying, throwing up, or too nervous to sleep for weeks on end. These tales make me angry--not at standardized testing itself, but at the adults who've made kids so nervous about these tests. How kids feel about tests comes down to two things: 1) The messages adults give them about tests, and 2) How well adults have taught them the material the test covers. As Sophia Pappas points out, teachers can even make tests seem fun for kids, a far more productive strategy than getting them all worked up and freaked out:

I try to reduce the potential for inaccuracies by identifying the assessments as “fun games to play with the teacher,” which can help the children feel more at ease and less stressed by the experience. I ask students if they would like to play with me, and many times they jump at the chance to spend some one-on-one time with the teacher, especially since they get to press the “easy” button (thanks, Staples) when they finish. I remember Tyrique expressing sadness that he could not play our “game” a second time.

Appletree Early Learning Public Charter School, on whose board I serve, uses a similar approach to administering the tests that we use to track students' progress and inform and improve our educational practice.