HOW TO DO YOUR BEST ON TESTS BY LOWERING STRESS

1. HOW TO DO YOUR BEST ON TESTS BY LOWERING STRESS Tips and Tools by Dr. Ron Rubenzer 2011 drronrub@aol.com www.drrubenzer.com Prepared for GCS

2. Why test at all? • The days of the “self-made” man are over • Would you go to an MD who got her degree on the internet? • Even teenagers have to pass a driver’s test (Imagine an SAT score cut-off to drive!)

3. Why test at all? • $cholarships (Up to $30,000 at Harvard) • To get into desired colleges/trades • Promotion (for students to next grade, for adults to next pay “level”)

4. Why learn test-taking/test anxiety management • Testing is the number one source of stress for high schoolers • Reducing excess test-anxiety increases your IQ and Creativity scores (Columbia University [NYC])

5. Why learn test-taking/test anxiety management YOU WILL FEEL BETTER ! YOU WILL DO BETTER! Feeling better helps you do better, and doing better helps you feel better

6. Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803-1882 • Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain

7. Why learn test anxiety management • Avoiding test-anxiety contagion Since test anxiety is a learned habit, and can even be caught from others (the “chicken little” syndrome), TEST ANXIETY CAN BE UNLEARNED (like dropping a bad habit) New Term: Trait affective presence, or misery spreads misery (2011)

8. AVOID TEST ANXIETY CONTAGION • First step: Avoid negative people, then seek out “winners” not whiners • You can replace test-anxiety with positive Eustress-TO SHOW WHAT YOU KNOW

9. How-to do best on tests: • The mantra for good test performance is “Be over-prepared and under-reactive” Pessimistic reactions are often Overreactions Belief in a positive outcome is more realistic

10. Edison said, “The only reason we have a body is to support the life of the brain.” Students must be – • Fact-Smart (Left Brain) • Test-Smart (Left & Right Brain) • Stress-Smart (Right Brain)

11. Training to become Fact-Smart (Left Brain) • Teach Positively - Students learn more when they like the teacher • Becoming Fact-Smart: The smartest person in the world. Marilyn vos Savant, IQ of 230, proclaims that repetition is the best way to learn. (Like seeing a movie 10 times)

12. Fact-Smartness • Require students to develop and memorize their own flashcards. • Take AP courses and more advanced courses whenever possible

13. Children must first become effective (accurate) at answering questions before they become efficient (fast)

14. THE POSTER CHILD FOR GENIUS

15. Training for Test-Smartness (Both Left and Right Brain) • Do it yourself. The testing coach should take a legitimate practice test first. (And remember: you don’t have to “do” to be able to coach. Most Olympic coaches are well past their prime.) • Take advantage of online “daily” practice questions. • Know your game board. • Memorize standard instructions for sections of the test if available.

16. Don’t be surprised. Make up your own trick questions for others. Practice “grace under pressure.” • Answer the easiest questions first. Mark the hard items and then go back. • What are they asking, really? • Read and answer the core question, without being tripped up by “word traps” (irrelevant details) or generalizations (always, never, everywhere). Don’t waste time on “trial” test items.

17. Your Best Bet: • Try to eliminate obvious wrong answers so you can improve your odds of choosing a correct answer • DON’T SECOND GUESS (trust your instincts)

18. “Timing is everything (almost)” When practicing, work on accuracy first then work on speed. Watch your watch (yes, wear a watch in case a clock is not provided). Pacing is probably the number one cause of underachievement on a child’s first standardized group test. • Carve out time to go back to those questions you didn’t know the answer to and as a last resort, make an educated guess.

19. Becoming Stress-Smart: (Right brain; not becoming negative or too “generic” during testing) • Relaxation is the oil in the machinery of thought . • Relax and Exercise aerobically, regularly. See your mental health professional on test-anxiety reduction tips. Contact your coach on exercise.

20. Consume “Food for thought” just before the test session. Eat fruit followed by a drink of water. Make certain to eat a substantial breakfast on test-day (perhaps an English muffin with peanut butter). Even having “that candy bar that satisfies you” is forgivable right before a test (a trick night airline pilots use for energy). Try peppermint candies. • Visualize success. BRING-IT-ON. (Game mindset) “A goal well visualized is a goal half realized.” Picture yourself remaining calm and paying attention to what is in front of you on the page. VISUALIZE WHAT YOU WANT, don’t worry about your fear.

21. Use humor to relax • Use humor to relax. I took an IQ test and the results were negative…”. My Catholic School Nun’s favorite saying was TIME PASSES-WILL YOU.

22. Our motto for each student should be "Your success is my goal" Students should be happy and effective in their twelve year career

23. STRESS MANAGEMENT 101 • Lower your stress: Time management, healthy lifestyle, support, positive attitude, problem solving skills (take “approved” practice tests!) • Cope with stress you can’t avoid: Exercise, write, express feelings, enjoy life, relax your body, relax your mind Source: Healthwise (2007-2010 )Stress Management, zu1940-8/26/2010 For more information on Stress Management Contact AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STRESS (914)-963-1200, www.stress.org

24. Model Relaxation. It flows downhill • The key to relaxation is right under your nose: controlled breathing. • If you can count to ten, you can relax. Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose to the count of five (as if you are filling your stomach with air): counting silently, one, two, three, four, five. Now exhale through your mouth, counting from six to ten while completely relaxing every muscle in your body (from head to toe). Repeat 3-10 times, daily.

25. Motivating Your Child: The Goldilocks “just right” level of motivation.” You want your child to “care enough to prepare”. As in the Goldilocks fable, in terms of motivation, you don’t want to be too hot or too cold, but just right - to be calm and bright on test day.

26. Dilemma: Still underachieving on tests after full training? • Turn your DILEMMA (2 opposing opinions) into a TRILEMMA : Get a THIRD opinion and/or approved accommodations for test-taking Seek advice of a professional on testing

27. The take-away on test-taking TOP TEN TEST-TAKING TIPS (THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO TEST) Become Fact-Smart: 1) Teach Positively: Students learn more when they like the teacher (William James-Harvard, 1899). Be a model of relaxed-exposure to tests (calm & cool).

28. Test taking tips 2) Teach memory mechanics. The basic rule is repetition, repetition, repetition to train your brain to remember facts.3) Require students to develop their own flashcards and stack the deck with only the memorized facts to study for tests.

29. Become Test-Smart: 4) Answer the core question, without being tripped up by “word traps” (irrelevant details) or generalizations (always, never, everywhere). 5) Be Clerically Correct: For the young, when in doubt, check their skills out (attention, handwriting, reading skills).

30. Test taking tips 6) Provide “Test Rehearsals” (if approved). All great performances start with rehearsal. Become Stress-Smart: 7) Test for Test-Anxiety. “Stress is sand in the machinery of thought.”

31. Test taking tips 8) Consume “Food for thought” just before the test session. Eat fruit, followed by a drink of water. Enjoy peppermint candies. 9) Relax: See your mental health professional on test-anxiety reduction tips. Use humor to relax. See a movie the night before the “big event.” Breathe Right!

32. Test taking tips 10) Learn from those who do best on tests. Test-Prep can boost test scores by a whole letter-grade or at least 10%! (Scruggs & Mastropieri, Purdue University, 1992)

33. AND REMEMBERThis is ONLY a test! 

34. Once again: If you can’t Fight or Flee Flow