| The proverbial panic before a test. This is very | | | | therapeutically processed, then as these children |
| serious. Many very intelligent people cannot take | | | | grow up, they find that those same feelings keep |
| tests. As the stakes go up so does the anxiety | | | | recurring during stressful or similar circumstances. |
| level. The biological sciences has taught us that as | | | | Therefore, anxious test takers must confront and |
| we become scared or threatened, our sympathetic | | | | identify why they feel the way that they do. Once |
| nervous system is activated. This is done through a | | | | they have done that, then the next step is to |
| series of hormonal secretions from the adrenal glands | | | | identify how to not feel that way. Finding stress |
| that turn on various receptors and cause a cascade | | | | and anxiety release valves in ourselfs is about the |
| of biological changes in our system. | | | | most powerful endorphine we have. |
| The term, "fight or flight" has been used to describe | | | | Once you can unlock your own stress relief abilities, |
| the effects of fear or the sensing of danger in the | | | | then you are on the way to successful test taking. It |
| human as well as mammalian species. Unfortunately | | | | is a misnomer to think that just becasue someone |
| for students, it is at work with each test. For some | | | | gets a bad grade on a test they didn't study. It is |
| reason, there are those people that are calm during | | | | quite the contrary with those whom have test |
| tests. You don't even see their eyebrow raise. | | | | anxiety. These people study for hours. They |
| Then there are the ones who become so panicked | | | | know the material backwards and forwards. |
| that they could pass out. Some actually do. | | | | However, when it comes to performing in a |
| To begin to help those people who have test | | | | environment that is not comfortable, unfamiliar, or |
| anxiety, it is first necessary for those people to find | | | | threatening, these people are unable to recapture all |
| some quiet time and think about what it is that | | | | of the information that they have learned. So, it |
| makes their vital signs go haywire, such as their blood | | | | would be a good idea for test takers to get to know |
| pressure, heart rate and respiration. The answer will | | | | the area where they are going to take their tests. |
| not be the same for everyone, but in solace it is | | | | Go down to the testing room, ask if you can look |
| easier to think. For those who have such dibilitating | | | | around and get a feel for where you are going to be |
| test anxiety the first question that they should ask | | | | spending three hours or more. |
| themselves is when do they remember first having | | | | Let the supervisor or teacher know that you are one |
| their test anxiety attack. It would not be surprising | | | | of those people with test anxiety and that |
| if many find that they must go way back in their | | | | familiarizing yourself with your surroundings will help |
| memory to some point in grade school or | | | | you to perform better on the test. The next thing |
| kindergarten. | | | | that anxious test takers should do is to make mock |
| Childhood memories of being humiliated in the | | | | tests and take them to public places and practice |
| classroom or at home, by overbearning teachers | | | | taking them. Confidence is built in small steps, but |
| over expecting parents can cause a lot of mental | | | | little by little even the most anxious test takers can |
| damage to children. If this damage is never | | | | overcome their fear. |