So TAKS season is upon us. Not tax. But TAKS. Fortunately, and for some not so fortunately, tax season is over. But as for the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills…it’s lurking around the corner. Most people are effecting by this, in some way or another. Maybe you are the parent to a child who has to take the dreaded thing. Maybe you are a student who has or had to take it at some point. Maybe you are the teacher that has to teach it, and administer it. And if you aren’t in one of those categories, you should probably just pretend that you hate it as much as the rest of us…the stress does things to us…beware…
As a student, I hated this time. My mom had to come lay in bed with me at night to help me fall asleep because I was so anxious that I wasn’t going to pass and be stuck in my current grade forever. I would get sick to my stomach every time I had to take it, and I would always get put in the room that I swear had the loudest and most distracting kids in the whole school. My fear was always put at ease when I got the results at the end of the year when I realized that I would get to move on to the next grade…until my sophomore year. I’m going to get a little emotional here…I didn’t pass my Science TAKS test. I would have to take a remediation class my junior year. In the midst of going to honors classes and a college English class, I would have to take a “stupid” class. Or so I thought. I was devastated beyond belief. It turns out, that wasn’t a stupid class. Not by any means. I met some wonderful people that I didn’t even know went to my school and learned more in that class than any other science class I had ever had. Not to mention, I kicked that test’s butt the next year.
Okay, so what’s my point through my confession of failing and hatred for this test? To help you, as a parent prepare you child for that week of brain draining testing. Because preparation is key. Not just preparation of knowledge, but preparation of yourself. Below, you will see a link to proven test taking strategies that will help your children succeed. I hope that you in whatever ways this test affects you that these strategies help in some way!
Happy Thursday!
Your friendly Neighborhood Blogger,
Cait
