End-of-the-year tests can be challenging not only physically, but also mentally. Sitting at a desk for hours throughout the day can be extremely tiring.
The feeling that tests determine your future can be a heavy mental load. The mind plays a large role when it comes to school testing. Some people think that mindset doesn’t impact the outcome, but it does.
Although testing takes the most toll on students, the tests also affect teachers. Teachers often have to adjust lesson plans and manage an unpredictable classroom environment. Ensuring students perform well can be just as intense for educators, especially when test scores are used to evaluate teaching effectiveness or school performance.
“I feel quite stressed because not only are students’ schedules disrupted, but many teachers are also asked to proctor tests. It’s hard to maintain consistency when so many kids are pulled out of class for testing,” math teacher Stacey Behrensmeyer said.
With few opportunities throughout the school day to see a counselor, it is important to prepare mentally for these stressful times. The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services’ Kentucky Community Crisis Co-Response Model comes out with a stakeholder engagement and research report each year. In 2023, the report stated: “Furthermore, 74.7% of youth with Major Depressive Episode did not receive mental health services this year in our commonwealth.”
“I think testing is something schools need to do to understand student growth and development,” counselor Eric Thomas said. “But I feel like doing it all in two weeks is a big stretch, especially for kids transitioning from state testing to AP exams and then to final exams.”
A survey taken by students shows that 42.9% of students feel nervous about upcoming testing.
“I feel nervous usually regarding social studies/history or math are the harder parts for me,” Layla Eversole (12) said.
There are multiple ways to help deal with the emotional component of testing, such as breathing exercises, good sleep, breaks in between studying, etc.
“I think to get a good score on an upcoming test, these are the best ways to accomplish that goal,” Mia Peluso (9) said.
As the end-of-year tests are coming up, students need to make sure to prepare and keep a positive mindset. It helps more than people think.
