The countdown is on! Parents, teachers, and students have endured the eight levels of he… I mean months of school! Quite literally, many of us are counting down the days until summer is here. Whether we are dreading it or eagerly anticipating the well-deserved break, there is one big unavoidable hurdle remaining: end-of-year testing.
In some ways, it feels like the other F word. Depending on your student’s grade level and district, they may have some combination of everything from STAR testing, EOCs, i-Ready, Waterford, Amira, FAST PMA, ACT/SAT, YMCA, WXYZ. There is no denying these acronyms can be daunting, confusing, overwhelming, and damn near anxiety-inducing. What these tests fail to do though is measure what kind of person your child is, what their future holds, their widespread abilities, their sense of humor, or their hopes and dreams. So, Mama, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt, Uncle, trusted adult — let’s not add more stress to ourselves or our growing children.
As parents and loved ones, we naturally want the best for our kids, and we encourage them to do well in all areas of life. I have heard students even in elementary school saying things like, “Oh, man my mom is going to kill me if I don’t score a level 4 on this test!” or “I’m still not on grade level? I must be stupid!” These statements are heartbreaking but a reality for a lot of students. Some have that internal motivation and want to do well for their own personal goals while others feel the stress of high expectations from family.
As a mom who is also a teacher, I get it! We want our children to do well, and there isn’t anything wrong with setting goals or aiming high — but just not at the expense of their mental health. Instead, talk to your child and their teacher, ask where they were at the beginning of the year, and then focus on the growth that they DO achieve. I talk with my students about how the goal is growth, and that’s what should make them feel proud of themselves. How do they feel like the school year has gone? What is their favorite thing they have learned? What is a challenge they overcame? Did you make new friends this year? This should be the focus, not a score calculated based on one single test with a multitude of material covered and question types.
So, parents, let’s encourage our children before they take the test. We can emphasize that it’s important they do their best but that it isn’t the most important thing in the world either. Write your student an encouraging note, tell them you’re proud of them, make sure they get plenty of sleep the night before, have a good breakfast if they like, and give them a mental break afterward. Send them to school knowing they are loved and that no matter what, you will be there to celebrate their growth.
Our “Dear Parent, From a Teacher” series helps parents obtain the tools and insight to ensure a successful school year for their children. If you are a teacher who wishes to write a guest blog for this series, please email your topic to [email protected].
