Peyton Zaletsky, Editor-in-Chief
@peytoncourant
In an ideal world, students who work hard in class, spend countless hours studying, and walk into an exam feeling completely confident with the material would receive a grade that is reflective of their knowledge. However, in reality, many students, like Junior Alexandra Lasusa, struggle to demonstrate their abilities on a test or receive grades that reflect their hard work because of an all too common culprit: test anxiety.
“Oftentimes, the feeling of anxiety can become so overwhelming that it’s hard to concentrate on a task,” Alexandra said. “On top of that, the tick of the clock and the stress of not knowing what’s on the test can add to the pile of emotion.”
Test anxiety affects teenagers worldwide, and according to Teen Talk Counselor Greg Sloane, the extent of its effects is unique to every student. “I have students tell me about almost blacking out, blanking out, or totally freezing up even when they feel like they are prepared,” he said. “That’s a concern because if they are prepared, this tells me the issue is that there is too much pressure on them, which could be self-imposed or from another source.”
The majority of the pressure and anxiety students feel can often stem from competing with peers to try and achieve the highest grade. “We have successful, academically bright students that will do well without the added pressure of trying to measure up to the person next to them,” Mr. Sloane said. “It’s tough to try and make this go away, but students need to stop putting the weight of the world on one bad test grade and realize that they are going to be okay.”
Many educators, like English teacher Maggie Hamill, have seen how test anxiety can hinder a student’s performance on a test, and they therefore have begun to implement relaxation strategies for their classes before beginning exams. “I have observed students’ growing worry in anticipation of a test and have tried to guide them through strategies to manage that stress so that they can attempt exams with confidence rather than a growing stress that makes them freeze up and not perform as well as their potential would allow,” Ms. Hamill said. “I have tried such strategies as taking a moment of guided meditation, deep breathing, and going for a fresh air break during which we find all the colors of the rainbow.”
Students have found that focusing on the present and having internal dialogues with prove to be helpful techniques to use while taking a test. “Some strategies I use are rationalizing and focusing on the present,” Alexandra said. “Most people who have anxiety are always thinking about the ‘what ifs?’ If you are able to pull yourself into the present moment and think ‘Is this really worth worrying over?’, then you can overcome the dangerous slope of anxiety.”
While reducing anxiety right before or during a test is key, walking into an exam feeling well-prepared is also essential to reducing stress levels. “Going in for extra help during RAM Time, using study guides, and creating study groups with classmates are all super helpful strategies to minimize anxiety,” Ms. Hamil said. “I also think that basic health is a key factor — getting enough sleep the night before a test, eating a healthy breakfast, and getting a quick dose of fresh air in the morning are all super beneficial to managing stress before a test.”
Some students, like senior Julia Paine, have been able to fully overcome their test anxiety by utilizing these strategies. “My teachers helped me to reframe my mindset and realize that a grade is not as important as my learning,” Julia said. “When I get questions wrong, I use that to make study tools for future quizzes and exams so that I can improve.”
The top priority for teachers is for their students to learn and be able to perform to the best of their abilities on exams. “I think the goal of teachers here is to have students do their best and show what they think they know on an exam without the pressure,” Mr. Sloane said. “If a student is bright in class and participates and does their work but their test scores are consistently lower, that’s an indication that some kind of factor is interfering with their success.”
If a student’s grades are consistently poor as a result of their test anxiety, there are other resources that the school can provide to help to find a solution. “We have a team approach here, so when there’s an issue, the counselor, psychologist and teacher will sit down and come up with a plan,” Mr. Sloane said. “Helping students to approach their work in a different style can allow them to be more successful.”
Working with teachers and implementing custom support plans have proven to be highly beneficial for students who are overcome with test anxiety. “My teachers are very supportive by allowing me to take breaks and drink water during exams,” Alexandra said. “A bonus to this is having extra time on tests, so the stress of not finishing fast enough is eliminated.”
At the end of the day, the most important part of school is for students to learn, and in order for them to take the first step towards decreasing their test anxiety, they need to limit the amount of weight they place on every exam grade. “By meeting with teachers after challenging unit tests, I have been able to accept that learning is more important than the grade,” Julia said. “As long as I am confident when answering questions and am able to learn from my mistakes, I am succeeding in the class.”
