How to Prepare a Child for State Testing

Standardized state testing is a way by which public school accountability is measured. Although educators and parents may not see eye to eye on how it is implemented, it is important that the students are well prepared to be able to pass the tests.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Parental support and guidance
• Textbooks
• Research materials
• Practice, lots of practice
• Online practice testing
• Computer based training (CBT), CD's, DVD's
• Review support group

1. Parental support and guidance is important in preparing your child for state testing. Ensure that you remind your child to review and practice ahead of time to be ready for standardized testing. Help your child understand each subject which will be tested on by showing samples, explaining and practicing scenarios.
2. Practice. Use research materials, text books, computer based training (CBT), CD's, DVD's and any form of study material that can help in your child's review practice. If you have a personal computer at home you can go online to use practice testing available from the Internet. If you do not have a computer at home, your local public library has computers you can use for free.
3. Work with your child's teacher to get additional tips in preparing your child for state testing. Ask which areas you need to get your child to concentrate on to improve results.
4. Work with other parents in school. If you are a member of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), make good use of those meetings to explore new ideas to help your child prepare for state testing.
5. Check on your child's school for support or review groups that your child can join in to help prepare for state testing. If there isn't one, organize to have one started and have other parents and students sign up. If your child is home schooled, contact other home schooling parents to set up a study group.
6. As it gets closer to testing day, limit the extra activities your child is doing. Limit play time and TV viewing so your child can devote extra hours to review and master the subjects that she will be tested on. Make sure your child get enough exercise and plenty of nutritious food to help with the energy and brain power. The day before the test, have your child go to bed early.
7. On the day of testing, make sure you both wake up early and have your child eat a hearty breakfast. Be early to go to the site if this is a separate location than that of the school that your child attends to. Most school conduct state testing at their location. For homeschoolers a separate public location is designated, so make sure to get the location and time and show up early.

Tips & Warnings

• Bring extra pencils and pens for your child to use. Normally they are provided for but it is better to be prepared in case they run out or the pencil breaks and there are no extra ones to use.
• Don't let your child rely only on pure memory when studying. it is important that your child understands the overall concept so that however the problem is presented she will get to the solution.