STAAR Testing Anxeity

[Amethya]

So in Texas we have our state testing coming up and I been getting a lot of students with anxiety and worries about this test. Any advice how to help them on this?

[Farawyn]

I hate to say this, but no.

This is not your job, to get them through the testing.

If someone is truly anxious,your office is there, water, deep breathing, quiet time. Treat it like any other anxiety episode.

[Farawyn]

And, many children, at least in NY, OPT OUT of state testing.

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

And, many children, at least in NY, OPT OUT of state testing.

Not an option in my state, unfortunately.

But I get anxiety pukers in my office every year. And like Far said, I treat it like any other anxiety issue.

[MHDNURSE]

Yeah, here in MA we can't Opt out, BUT the parents of truly anxious kids will sometimes pull them from school for the dates of the test. The schools of course get mad, but what can they do?

I tell my own kids who get nervous that it is no big deal and no one but the school cares about the results. Seems to help...

[AdobeRN]

I hate it! So much pressure on these kids. I always told my own kids the test doesn't even matter and to just do their best and move on, but I feel like I can't tell my students that.

The way our district treats this test is crazy too - I think it makes it worse for the kids. We cover up all bulletin boards, everyone is to remain absolutely quiet thru the day, no outdoor recess/PE for anyone, parents are not allowed to come eat lunch with kids, parents can pack a lunch for their student but not allowed to drop off outside food from restaurants, kids can't use the hand dryers in the bathroom - we actually have a staff member standing outside the bathroom tearing papertowels off the roll for students to dry hands - crazy!

[OldDude]

I just don't play into the hysteria. I treat the day just like any other day.

[Farawyn]

I just don't play into the hysteria. I treat the day just like any other day.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Since anxiety is a health problem ... and test anxiety is a form of anxiety ... and taking tests is a routine feature of student life ... perhaps a school nurse could help by getting a handout/brochure/etc. on "Helping kids cope with test anxiety" and distribute it to the parents and teachers.

Producing such a resource could be a great project for someone looking to publish, provide a public service, etc. It would be a great project for a nursing student (particularly a graduate student).

My father was the "official physician" for our local school district. When he noticed a lot of kids coming into his office with generalized school anxiety, he asked a few questions and found that new, draconian disciplinary measures had been established. Some kids were becoming too scared to go to school. He went to the school board and asked them to reconsider some of those measures -- he made it a mental health issue and was successful in getting some positive changes to some of the disciplinary practices. I don't see why a nurse couldn't do similar things for the welfare of the students as a group.

Teaching kids, parents, and teachers about positive mental health behaviors sounds like a good thing to me. While it's not the school nurse's role to simply choose a public health problem and tackle it ... when it shows up repeatedly in her office, it seems reasonable to at least have a few educational resources to address it.

[tamarae1]

I have prepared a lot of ice packs and have my cups ready for water. Last year I got about a zillion headaches. They will get a few minutes of conversation free relief, but right back to the test they go. Unfortunately here in Texas, it's something we have to do. Like Old Dude said, it's just another day. As an aside, as both a parent and a nurse, I'd like to see the state mandated testing go. Teaching to a test is ridiculous and no one learns any life skills from that. My taxpayer dollars apparently don't speak loudly enough though.

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

I have hated the tests back when it was the TAAS test. Now it seems the craziness has only gotten worse. I don't even want to think what it will be like when my kids are in school.

[OldDude]

Does your school decorate the walls with encouraging slogans, hold test pep rallies, and preparation super hero you can do it in parades the hallways, and feed the kids breakfast in the classroom on test day?????????????????????????????