Getting together over coffee with the moms in my daughter’s grade 6 class after the long Summer break, the topic quickly turned to how anxious some of our kids are ahead of the new school year. One mom told us about her boy who could not get to sleep as he worried so much about the next day – the first day of school.
Worries about new classroom dynamics, the new teacher, new rules, some new friends, new academic expectations and pressures top the list.
It’s normal for us all to feel anxious when we have to get out of our comfort zone. I’m sure we all have memories of exams, presentations or performances at which we experience the sweaty palms, the pounding heart, the shaking hands and worst of all – the trouble remembering what you had learned.
A high level of anxiety in difficult situations can interfere with several aspects of cognition that are critical for successful learning and performance:
- Paying attention to what needs to be learned
- Processing information effectively (e.g., organizing or elaborating on it)
- Retrieving information and demonstrating skills that have previously been learned
Anxiety is especially likely to interfere with such processes when a task places heavy demands on either working or long-term memory—for instance, when a task involves problem solving or creativity. In such situations learners may be so preoccupied with doing poorly that they can’t get their minds on what they need to accomplish.
So what can we parents do to help alleviate these anxieties in our kids?
- Create and maintain a home environment that will help your children be well rested during regular school days and during the week of testing. In that same vein, make sure they also maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly. You’d be surprised how much a bit of exercise helps.
- Evaluate your children's academic progress over a period of time rather than on one single test score.
- Be proactive: talk to your teachers and administrators about your child’s anxieties and any concerns you have about upcoming tests, classroom presentations or performances. Avoid cramming, develop good study habits and good test taking skills.
- Talk with your children:
- Encourage them to do their best.
- Help them learn about test preparation: be aware of time allotted for the test, read directions carefully, and for time management purposes leave questions blank that they are not sure of and attempt to answer them later. Also help them with techniques for settling their nerves: take deep breaths to regain composure when anxiety levels rise.
- Don’t let them compare themselves to other students. We all have areas of learning we need to work harder at than other areas.
- Model good reactions to your own anxieties. Talk openly with your child about things that make you anxious and how you deal with those situations. They are not alone.
- Teach your child about positive self talk. Tell themselves that they can do this. “It’s just my worry. I am not going to forget everything. I can do this.”
- Reward them when they make positive steps towards overcoming their anxiety.
