59. School Counselors, Students And State Testing Season

In this episode of Counselor Chat, we tackle the often-dreaded state testing season with a fresh perspective and effective strategies to support our students. 

We dive into practical tips and creative ideas designed to alleviate testing anxiety and foster a supportive atmosphere in our schools.

Highlights of this episode:

  • Understanding State Testing: We discuss how to frame state tests as mere snapshots in time, helping students understand that these assessments do not define their worth or capabilities.
  • Stress Management Techniques: Learn how to implement workshops that teach students stress-relieving techniques such as mindfulness, deep breathing, and positive visualization.
  • Creating a Comforting Environment: Ideas for motivational posters and calming activities in the classroom to boost student morale and confidence.
  • Physical Preparations for Test Day: Tips on encouraging students to wear comfortable clothing, have a good breakfast, and other essentials to ease test day stress.
  • Empowering Students with Confidence: Strategies like assuming a ‘superhero’ posture to enhance self-esteem right before the test.
  • Fun Interventions: From rainbow exercises to motivational pencil flags, discover little touches that can make a big difference.
  • Celebrating Effort: How to create celebratory events that recognize the efforts of both students and teachers during the testing period.

Check out the humorous yet insightful video by Jerry Brooks on state testing misconceptions. 👇👇👇

Gerry Brooks IG Video About Testing Assembly

Testing Helpers From My TpT Store

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Transcript

Carol: You're listening to the counselor chat podcast, a show for school counselors looking for easy to implement strategies, how to tips, collaboration, and a little spark of joy. I'm Carol Miller, your host. I'm a full time school counselor and the face behind counseling essentials. I'm all about creating simplified systems, data driven practices, and using creative approaches to engage students. If you're looking for a little inspiration to help you make a big impact on student growth and success, you're in the right place because we're better together.

Carol: Hi everyone, it's Carol. Welcome back to another episode of Counselor Chat. I am so happy that you're here this week. Thanks for tuning in and listening today. I thought we would talk about state testing. Did you make a little face when I said state testing? Like the nose crinkled up and your eyebrows kind of furrowed together? Because just saying it, that's what happened to my face. I am so glad that this is a podcast and that you couldn't actually see my face because it was quite the face. Who likes state testing? I don't know if anyone is out there raising their hands saying, I do, I do. And I know when it comes time for talking with our kids and doing state tests with kids, they're not raising their hands either. And when I was a middle school counselor, I spent plenty of years as the testing coordinator. I am so happy to be in the elementary school and have that as not my role anymore because just organizing for its state test, that could be a whole nother episode. But today, as we're talking about state testing, I really just wanted to talk about ways and ideas that as school counselors, we can support our students during state testing season. I think one of the things that we really need to do is to really have kids think of the test as just a snapshot of time. It's not something that defines their whole life or their whole career. It's just a snapshot of where they are at that moment in time. And it's only for a few hours, so it doesn't really define who they are or what they're capable of doing or what their performance is on a day to day basis. It's just a snapshot of those 3 hours on that particular day, and those 3 hours or two or one are going to be over hopefully in a short amount of time. If we look at it in the big scheme of things, and I think we have to really be able to tell kids that they have to just think about it in terms of the perspective which it's in, and it's just a snapshot. I also think we really need to do some things to really ensure kids well being and their confidence. And so some of the things that you can do are simple things, like maybe having a stress management workshop, maybe invite kids in to your office and really teach them how to manage stress. Go over things like deep breathing or mindfulness or even positive visualization. I know this year I went into one of our classes, it was a fifth grade class, because there were so many kids that were just uptight and anxious and really nervous about the state test that we talked about, how it's just the snapshot in just a moment, but of their lives. But then we also really dove deep into how can we manage our stress? What if we're are sitting down? And as that test is being handed out, actually this year, it's computer based. They're turning on their computers and they're just waiting. I think that moment or two of waiting for the instructions to be given and the things to actually get going is kind of anxiety producing for a lot of our kids. And so having them understand mindfulness and how to distract themselves, like counting. Like, go around the room and try to count ten things that you see that are red, or try to count eight things that are green. Or do some rainbow exercises, like look around the room and see if you can find things that match the rainbow in rainbow Order. What's something that I see that's red, then orange, and then yellow and go through the rainbow? Or have them actually sit like a superhero and put themselves in a posture that a superhero might have and hold themselves up high because it'll help them take deeper breaths and breathe easier. And once again, just distract them for that anxious thought that they're having. Other things that I've done included just leaving motivational posters and coloring sheets and notes in the hallways and in classrooms. I like to give some color by code things as, like, little kind of. We have morning work in our school with some of the teachers so that they can give to the kids as morning work with just little ways that they can prepare. Like wear loose and comfortable clothing. Dress in layers so that if you get hot or you're cold, that you can either take a layer off or put a layer on. Don't wear clothes that are tight so that when you're sitting there and you're, like, super uncomfortable, make sure that you've eaten before, have a good breakfast, have something to drink, and make sure you use the bathroom before the test begins. Otherwise, I'm going to be walking kids up and down the hall 85 million times to use the bathroom, is that one of your jobs? Because it's one of mine. But remind them those little things and then just ways that, you know, to think positive and mindfulness and deep breathing and all those things and all these little things are kind of in my color by code that I leave. And maybe some motivational posters that they can color themselves. And I know as you walk down our hallway right now, there's all these motivational coloring posters all on the lockers, and they're kind of cute little things like, you are worth more than your test score and do your best on the test and don't stress and, you know, just little things like that. Just little reminders. And the more they see it and the more they hear it, the more they're actually going to believe it. So it's really important to leave those motivational posters and notes up for them to see. I've also taken pencils for kids and made little flags that I tape onto the end, kind of by the eraser with some of those little motivational quotes, too. Brain breaks just before the test starts or right after really can help kids relax and recharge as well. Just a little simple stress stretching exercise or a quick games or even one of those fun little go noodle dances. Other things I think that we can help with are having some self care sessions. We can host sessions on self care where students can really learn about the importance of rest and nutrition and exercise during stressful times. And if we hold these sessions prior to the testing season, it's only going to help them when it is testing season, because our kids really, sometimes they don't get enough sleep and they don't eat healthy snacks, and they're not getting enough water. And they need to really learn how to care for themselves. So we want to really encourage those sessions as well. We can also have some celebration events. One thing that I started when I was at the middle school was before the test, I would use chalk and I would decorate all the walkways into the school with guitars. I say rock the test and you can do it. Just little things. And we would just decorate. And so the kids just thought it was fun, something different when they came into school that day. And then I even had little snacks and things for the teachers as well because they put a lot of time and effort into this testing business as well. So I always used to bring, like, homemade Oreos or cookies or something for, for the teachers just so that they could have a little break. And when I was the Tustin coordinator, they'd have to come to me anyway to bring me their, their boxes and testing and all that stuff. But we also some things that can help our kiddos during testing season is to encourage random acts of kindness. This is something that goes just beyond February or, you know, the holiday seasons. But encouraging these little random acts of kindness among our students and our staff during testing season, like writing encouraging notes or complimenting each other or making fun little bookmarks for the library books, these are all things that make us feel good. And when we feel good about ourselves, we become more confident. And so we want to encourage that because when we're feeling confident, we're going to also be less stressed. So all these things kind of tie in together, and we want to remember to kind of integrate them into our program. Earlier this week, I saw this funny little video from Jerry Brooks, principal, and he was just, if you haven't seen it, I wish I could link it. Well, maybe I can link it into the show notes. But he had this little video of, he's answering a phone call from the central administration about state testing. And they're like, hey, did you have your testing assembly? Did you have that for your kids? Because it's testing season. And he's like, yeah, I had the assembly. And he's like. And I asked, he's like, we invited in a basketball player and a baseball player or football player from our local college, and I had them in, and we asked, the first questions we asked were, do you remember what your state test score was? And they're like, no. And then we asked them, do you know how you did on the state test? No. Do you know how your friends did on the state test? No. Do you know how your girlfriend did on the state test? No. Did your state test score help you get into college? I don't know. You know, so there were all these questions about what did they know about the state test? And did they remember anything about the state test and how did the state test define them as a person? And it did absolutely nothing. And he's just really hilarious how he, he said it. So I will link it, but it's really important that our kids understand that, that this test score isn't who they are. It's just one little, like, I tell them, it's just a snapshot. And I love how Jerry goes on to say, you know, I followed up by asking, these are our speakers, like, what mattered most? What really made them do well in school? And they said their friendships and being kind to one another and all these things that are really cell based, those are the things that are the important things in life. Being a good person and being kind and being a good friend and being honest and having integrity, those are the things that matter. And these are the things that we have to tell kids that matter as well. So as we enter state testing season, it's good to have all these things that really motivate them and have them do their best. But we want to encourage that by having them just feel good about who they are as a person and having that confidence within them and knowing that this is just one thing and there's going to be other things in life as well. Anyway, my friends, like I said, I will try to find the link I saw on Instagram. So I will get the Instagram link and I will pop it in the show notes so that you can watch it and crack up like I was. And anyway, I hope this episode was just kind of something that you deal with too. If you do anything fun and exciting for state testing, I'd really like to hear it as well. Anyway, my friends, until next time, I hope you have a really great week.

Carol: Thanks for listening to today's episode of Counselor Chat. All of the links I talked about can be found in the show notes and@counselingessentials.org podcast. Be sure to hit, follow, or subscribe on your favorite podcast player. And if you would be so kind to leave a review, I'd really appreciate it.

Carol: Want to connect?

Carol: Send me a DM on Facebook or instagramounselingessentials until next time. Can't wait till we chat. Bye for now.