With the upcoming STAAR tests throughout the next 4 weeks, I think it is important that all students are able to have the best testing experience possible. Besides the obvious ones that all of our teachers tell us, here are some great tips that you might not know about!
Night Before:
-Books: I would suggets picking out a book to bring with you for after your test the night before to really weigh your options. Some of your English teachers might have already gotten you books from the library with the intent of enabling you to read them after the test, but just in case, remember to bring a book!
-Comfy clothing: Having an outifit ready to be worn the night before gives you the oppurtunity to pick and choose the comfiest options possible while also staying dress code! Some great ideas include either a McLean sweatshirt or solid colored sweatshirt, baggy jeans, and maybe even a lucky hairclip!
-Lunch prep: Packing your lunch (if you bring lunches) is always a good idea to do before you go to sleep in order to get rid of extra stress factors the morning of, but making sure you bring nutritious, good meals on test day is also optimal! Another factor to take in is that all students will be eating in a classroom, so don’t bring anything too messy!
During the Test:
-Organized space: When testing on tiny desks, your space can get cramped and messy, that’s why I suggest a simple, but easy setup. One example is your books and waterbottle just beneath your feet, your MacBook in the top ledt corner, a piece of paper and your pencil in the bottom right corner, and your test ticket below your paper once you are done inputting the information from it into your TX Secure Browser.
-Brain Breaks: It’s easy when testing to space out, but if you give yourself brain breaks at the end of sections, every 10 questions, or even every 5 questions, you can stay on task better. When doing a brain break, I reccommend doing breathing exercises, taking a drink of water, or maybe, (if your teacher allows) eating a small undisruptive snack.
Post Test:
-Outside the Classroom Break: After testing is over, I would reccomend taking a quick walk to the bathroom or water fountain to change your surroundings, take a quick stretch and calm any post-test anxiety.
