Seven Great Tips to Keep Your Child Intact During Test

7 Ways To Keep Your Chill Intact For NAPLAN Tests 

 As one more new school year begins, many students feel excited and get ready to invite one more academic year to learn new things. On the other hand, school beginning can be a hectic time for a few students and parents, especially considering upcoming tests and competitions. One such test series creating stress and anxiety in many students is NAPLAN. 

  When the season for the NAPLAN test arrives, many students get into pressurized mode. All that time, what used to be for relaxation and fun, is now occupied with studying for the new examinations, filled with anxiety and tension. You don’t want to go through that, do you? 

And this situation is not different for parents and teachers also. But don’t stress – it’s not the end of the world. Fortunately, there are ways to ease stress and keep you happy during test season. Read on to discover more about these strategies! 

  Below are seven great tips to keep your Chill intact during test season: 

1. Always be ready for anything. Get your stationery and bag ready well before with your syllabus. Choose what you’ll wear, and go for comfy clothing.

2. Stay organized: Create a study schedule and stick to it. This will help you stay on track and avoid last-minute panic. Split the challenging syllabus into smaller topics and create a plan to study them one by one. This will help you to reduce the vast syllabus burden on your mind. Just finish that day’s concept and have another routine.

3. Don’t overdo it: Don’t try to study for hours on end – this will only lead to burnout. Allow yourself to rest and take breaks. Play some games; plan some fun activities with family/friends. These things will help to refresh your mood and make you get back to studies in a new mood.

4. Set sensible objectives. Do not put yourself under pressure to be perfect. Just because your neighbor kid scored 99% on the last test, you cannot set your goal for the next test to 100%. This is not how it works in education. More than scores, what and how you are learning matters. So, set realistic goals and aim to do your best in each test.

5. Avoid comparing yourself to others. Comparison is the thief of joy. Avoid comparing yourself to others because everybody is different. You might be good at a subject which your friends are not. So, keep your attention solely on your advancements and successes. Compare your previous results to yourself and make your own goals to achieve in the following tests

6. Take time for yourself. Be mindful of setting time for yourself – do things that make you happy and relaxed. You might have heard the old saying, “study study, and your rank will be ready.” Studying all around the clock will make you exhausted and more stressed during tests. Because you won’t be able to remember anything learned with an anxious mind. So, take some “Me” time, leave your books apart and relax. This will help you refocus and de-stress.

7. Seek help if you need it. If you’re struggling to manage stress or test anxiety, seek help from others or your parents and friends. They could provide advice. And guidance to assist you through this tough time. And it’s not just you who might be going through this, so be open to having such communications.

Above all, get plenty of rest and exercise. It’s essential to stay healthy during the exam period. What’s the use when you studied a whole year for the tests without proper sleep and rest, and you fall sick during tests? Therefore, ensure that you receive enough sleep and exercise to help you stay focused and calm because a calm mind can always do better things. Sit with your friends and ask them how they manage their syllabus and learn if there are any different strategies to follow. Be open to communication and seek help when necessary.  

A small note to the Parents: 

Sometimes, parents stress their kids by comparing them to others’ scorecards. But is that necessary? Every child is different, and they learn as they grow. Especially if your kid is going to attend NAPLAN testing year 3 or NAPLAN testing year 5, make sure that you encourage and support them mentally as much as possible. Kids in this grade tend to skip the test more in anxiety or perform low in fear of scoring less if you put pressure on them. And if your child is going to attend NAPLAN testing year 7 or NAPLAN testing year 9, let them handle themselves. They are now capable of planning their studies and managing them well. Don’t try to put your study plan with strict rules on them, which they feel is a burden. All they need is your excellent intact towards the test and moral support to maintain their perfect and cool intact.    

Start your revision roughly a month in advance (or more!) rather than stressing the week before your examinations. You’ll be able to spot issues that need more excellent care when you have more time on your hands. Additionally, you’ll have more time to ask teachers, peers, or friends for advice. And instead of hard work, do smart work. Choose better sources of practice – previous year’s papers. One such source is NAPLAN’s official site, ACARA. Check out all the previous year’s practice papers here for NAPLAN testing year 3, NAPLAN testing year 5, NAPLAN testing year 7, NAPLAN testing year 9 accordingly.  

Not to mention, commencing your changes sooner allows you more flexibility regarding when to revise. There will be times when you are not motivated to study or unforeseen events that could cost you several days’ worth of study time. By getting a head start on your changes, you’ll feel less pressed for time and have more time to finish them. Exams are frequently the pain of many students’ lifestyles but remaining calm and composed will let you make the most of your revisions without suffering any unfavorable consequences.