Recently, I was casually talking with a new acquaintance about how school was going for her daughter in third grade. It was great to hear that she was doing great; however, I stopped short when her mom told me she was stressed about the EOGs…already! In North Carolina, third-grade students are introduced to the standardized testing environment for the first time. This is the beginning of a series of expectations for these tests that will last through high school. Why the stress now? It will never be the end of the world if your child does not get a 5, a 4, or a 3 on the EOGs, but as parents, as educators, we set the tone early for expectations. We set the tone for low stress or high-stress expectations, whether knowingly or not. There are many ways to make this experience less stressful and more successful come EOG testing time at the end of May.
Here are some tips to equip your child and to help ease that stress during EOG’s:
First, the obvious:
- Get enough sleep the night before the test.
- Eat a healthy breakfast. Fueling the brain is important.
- Wear something comfortable.
- Answer every question.
Second, the less obvious:
- Read directions and questions carefully and understand what to do before moving forward.
- Don’t be too quick to pick an answer. There are usually a couple of choices that sound correct at first glance. We call these distractors!
- Focus on one question at a time so you don't feel rushed or anxious.
- Before the test, come up with a strategy if you get distracted. Perhaps a ponytail holder or rubber band on the wrist to light “snap” yourself back into focus.
- It doesn't matter if Johnny finishes first. Take your time!
- Stay positive the morning of the test and go in with CONFIDENCE!!
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Huntington Learning Center:
Huntington has been the nation’s recognized leader in educational services since 1977. Our mission is to give every student the best education possible. At Huntington Learning Center - Weddington, we offer children, ages 5 to 17, tutoring in Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Study Skills, Phonics, Vocabulary, Science, and SAT and ACT Preparation. Our individualized instruction is developed from comprehensive academic evaluations completed at the center. We are committed to the success of each student through this personalized instruction with our certified teachers. Each program is uniquely designed to develop the skills, confidence, and motivation for the student. We are seeing great strides every day!
