4 Ways to Boost High Stakes Testing Scores

Here are some helpful tips that will help your students train for the “marathon” of high-stakes testing:

1. Look into seated stretching
   Have you ever sat in your classroom desks? If you have, you know that stretching can offer some serious relief to tired students. Spend some time researching effective stretching while seated, like this video from the Mayo Clinic, and then share the techniques with your kids. Not only will they thank you at the end of testing week, but they will also thank you with improved focus and (hopefully) higher scores.
2. Create a culture of positivity before the test
   As Henry Ford famously said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re probably right.” Start getting the kids thinking about what will happen when they meet their testing goals. Perhaps squeeze in a quick writing assignment asking the kids to picture themselves in honors classes next year/graduating/going to college/having a cool job. The mind is a powerful weapon and has a unique gift for making things happen that don’t seem possible.
3. Add “catering manager” to your resume                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               It may seem outside your responsibility, but a lot of research has been done on the effects of food (specifically, lack of food) and test performance. You will want to make sure your students are well fed before testing starts every day. In low SES schools and neighborhoods, that might mean stocking up on granola bars and other snacks before testing week. In my district, the local McDonald’s restaurants offered a free breakfast for kids on test days. Look into offers like that and make sure the kids know about them. You might also want to try some peppermint, apparently.
4. Practice makes perfect: use a proven test preparation program               
   As the old saying goes, “practice makes perfect.” Make sure you are giving your students the practice they need to succeed on upcoming high-stakes tests. When choosing a provider, make sure the standards mastery and test preparation programs are explicitly designed to help your students master the content specified in your state and proven to improve performance in core skill areas.

Are you looking to partner with an online standards mastery and test preparation solution to help prepare your students for fall high stakes testing?  Study Island’s high impact, high value standards mastery and test preparation programs are specifically designed to help students master the content specified in state and Common Core standards.

See the benefits of Study Island for yourself. Schedule a demo here.