Tutoring For All Ages

Now that we’ve talked about the basics of test anxiety and how important it is to “think positive” and just breathe, it’s time to tie it all together with a tip to help make it all work, plus a little icing on the cake:

• Practice, practice, practice. Practicing anxiety-reducing techniques is crucial, so that they’re more effective during the test, and so that you can do them quickly if you need to use them on test day. But the practice sessions don’t have to stop there. You can also practice some of the things you’re likely to encounter during the test, especially if you’re taking a standardized test like the SAT. Test preparation companies often offer free practice tests to students, in the hopes of selling them a prep class or private tutoring once they’ve walked through the door.
  
  But you don’t have to buy anything to take the test — just call ahead and make sure there’s room for you. You’ll take a proctored test in a classroom with strangers, in conditions set up to mirror the actual test as closely as possible. If you can find one of these in your area, it’s a great opportunity to expose yourself to the experience of taking a big test. And, since the score doesn’t really matter, you can also experiment with various techniques, from relaxation and breathing to guessing strategies and taking breaks. Plus, after the test you’ll get a score sheet that summarizes your strengths and weaknesses, which is quite a bonus.
  
  Even if you can’t find a test prep company near you that offers free proctored practice tests, you can set one up yourself by hiring a tutor to proctor, and then review, a practice test for you. Better yet, hire a tutor and reserve a classroom at your school, and invite your friends to a practice test session. Practice tests taken under real test conditions are extremely valuable, and it’s worth arranging it yourself.
• Develop positive rituals and habits. It’s a fact of being human that we are more comfortable with things we’re used to. Sometimes that works against us, as with bad habits (and bad boyfriends/girlfriends), but it’s also possible to use it to our advantage by developing rituals that help us.
  
  An example: at some point in school, I realized that I could often remember the week or the month that a teacher had discussed a particular concept, but that didn’t help me much when I needed to find the notes for a specific topic. Until, that is, I started adding the date to the top of each and every page of my in-class notes. At first it was a bit cumbersome, but eventually it became a part of my note-taking routine. It was an easy habit to keep up, and there were plenty of times when I was incredibly grateful to myself for it, because that little bit of writing at the top of my notes made random recollections like “oh, I think we talked about that right before Halloween” into useful memory-references.
  
  Applying this to standardized tests can mean any number of things, from always marking every fifth question as a reminder to take a few deep breaths to habitually writing down the first three Pythagorean triplets at the start of every math section. A positive habit for just before a standardized test might include a relaxation and visualization session the morning of the test. Positive habits during a standardized test will generally be quick and nearly effortless, and will often reap huge rewards.
• If you get stuck, do something. Freezing up happens to nearly everyone at some point, and the best way to combat it is to take action — any action. Freeze up during a presentation? Cough, or dig your toes into the soles of your shoes. Stuck in a fog? Sometimes physically shaking your head is enough to bring you back to life. (Not too hard, obviously; don’t injure yourself.) Feel a bit of panic rising on a test? Don’t just sit there — doodle, take deep breaths, or even write something positive at the top of your test: “I can do this!” Positive and a bit cathartic is even better: “I am going to kick this test’s ***!” The latter, of course, is best reserved only for situations in which no one but you will ever see the test booklet.
  
  Whatever you choose, doing something is better than doing nothing. Deep breaths bring oxygen to your brain. Doodling can allow for creative thinking. The act of writing may focus you enough to see where to go next.

Severe test anxiety is a serious issue that requires not only the consultation of a professional, but also deliberate practice of targeted strategies to help combat it. But if you do take the time to develop good habits, engage in positive self-talk and visualization, and make sure you cover the basics, don’t be surprised to find that your test goes better than you had even dared to hope.