How Parents can Help Students Succeed on High Stakes Tests

All parents want to see their children do well in school and reach their full potential. Decades of educational research have demonstrated that for the schools to be effective in helping students, parents must play a significant role in working with their children.

The educational process really begins from day one of a child's life. Experiences in very early childhood form the basis for later acquisition of critical skills and capabilities. For the first five years of a child's life, the parent and home influence is the single most critical educational force helping to shape the child's intellect. Children who are exposed to a variety of stimulating activities, who are read to systematically from a very early age, and who see their parents reading are much more likely to do well when they enter school. Another extremely critical factor is how education is valued in the home. Children who hear parents talking about the value of education and the importance of school to later success in life will tend to adopt these attitudes for themselves and in turn benefit greatly in formal schooling.

The following ideas are taken from a variety of sources which have summarized the research on how parents can play an influential positive role in preparing students for school and supporting them once they are there. An important part of schooling is the testing process. Hence, the material presented here will deal with how parents can help their students do better in testing situations. It is critical to remember that while tests are important, they are only one indicator of what children learn in school and should be used as such. The totality of the educational experience is infinitely larger.

CRITICAL IDEAS AND "HOW TOs" FOR PARENTS

1
Read to preschool children at least 20 minutes a day, and have older children read to you. Make reading a natural part of their daily routine.

2
Keep good books, magazines, and newspapers in the house. Make it easy-both for adults and children-to find something interesting to read.

3
Add to your children's enjoyment of reading by discussing each book they read. It helps them learn to express themselves. You'll enjoy the conversations, too.

4
Make sure your children see you read for at least 20 minutes a day. Remember, you're their primary role model.

5
If you have difficulty reading, tell your children stories. Hearing about their grandparents, your family history, and your own experiences will be interesting and rewarding for your children and will help them develop an appreciation for language, storytelling, and the past.

6
Limit your kids' TV viewing to no more than two hours a day. Studies show that while a little bit of television viewing every day is okay, excessive time at the set is directly linked to poor school performance.

 

EXPECT HARD WORK

1
Know what kind of homework teachers expect, and make sure children complete it. The more involved you are, the more involved your children will be.

2
Provide your children with a regular, quiet place where they can do homework. Don't make it hard for them to find a place to work. Set up a place with few distractions but close enough so they can ask you questions.

3
Expect every child-not just those considered bright-to take tough academic courses. In an increasingly complex world, all our children should be prepared to meet the challenges they will encounter. Advanced math, science, English, history, arts, and foreign language courses-and other classes that require students to write papers-provide the kind of background they will need.

4
Demonstrate your own commitment to high standards. Don’t ask teachers to give your kids grades or promotions they haven’t earned.
The goal is a good education, not a good report card.

5
Support school efforts to develop and maintain rules for student discipline. Children thrive in an environment where they know what is expected.

 

HELP STUDENTS PREPARE FOR TESTS

1
Take an interest in standardized achievement tests, but don't be so concerned that you make your child nervous.

2
Talk about the tests as "opportunities to show what has been learned." Explain that the tests are not competitions or tests where students pass or fail.

3
Encourage your child to listen to ALL instructions and follow test directions carefully.

4
Remind your child that it is OK to ask questions if the instructions don't seem clear.

5
Be positive and express confidence that your child will be able to handle the tests well.

6
Urge your child to do the best work possible but to also keep in mind that test results are only one way to show how they are doing in school.

7
Show interest in your child's school work every day, not just on test days.

 

HELPING YOUR CHILD PREPARE FOR TEST DAY
The Night Before

Help your child get to bed on time. Research shows that being well-rested helps students do better.

Help children resolve immediate arguments before going to bed.

Keep your routine as normal as possible. Upsetting natural routines may make children feel insecure.

Mention the test to show you're interested but don't dwell on it.

Plan ahead to avoid conflicts the morning of the test.

The Morning of Test Day

Get up early enough to avoid rushing. Be sure to have your child at school on time.

Have your child eat a good breakfast but not a heavy one. Research shows that students do better if they have breakfast before they take tests.

Have your child dress in something comfortable.

Be positive about the test. Acknowledge that tests can be hard and that they're designed so that no one will know all the answers. Explain that doing your best is what counts. The important thing is to make your child comfortable and confident about the test.

After the Test

Talk to your child about his or her feelings about the test, making sure you acknowledge the effort such a task requires.

Discuss what was easy and what was hard; discuss what your child learned from the test.

Discuss what changes your child would make if he or she were to retake the test.

Explain that performance on a test is not a condition for you to love your child. You love your child just for the person he or she is.