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Stress Can Be Caused By Test Anxiety
We’ve
all had nightmares about arriving to class with the sudden realization
that an impending exam was on our heels. This kind of a nightmare can
wake a person out of a deep sleep and the disturbing dream can be
difficult to shake. A person who has test anxiety lives this nightmare
every time he takes an exam.
Test anxiety is very frustrating for students, teachers and parents for
many reasons. Teachers work hard to develop fair methods of evaluating
a student’s progress. The exams are a big part of this process. When a
student has test anxiety, the evaluation approach is not a very
reliable measurement of the student’s understanding and progress.
The major problem with this troublesome condition is that it interferes
with the student’s ability to demonstrate knowledge and comprehension
of the materials covered in class. Test anxiety is a significant
obstacle that a student has to face and it can have severe
ramifications if unrecognized and untreated.
Parents may become frustrated about their child’s test anxiety because
they see that he conveys understanding at home while he is studying but
he is unable to perform well on exams. The frustration goes doubly for
the student who feels incredibly nervous and unable to think while
taking tests.
So what can be done about test anxiety? The first step is to identify
the problem. This isn’t quite as easy as it may seem. It is easy to
misinterpret a lack of confidence with a lack of knowledge. The student
may think that he really doesn’t deserve a good grade simply because he
doesn’t perform well on tests.
Once you have determined that the problem is test anxiety, you can
begin taking steps to dealing with the problem. Mental preparation and
relaxation techniques are ideal strategies for dealing with this
condition. The specific activities that can be used vary greatly and
you may find that one works better than another.
One consistent approach is to eat a healthy snack before taking the
exam. Hunger can be a great distraction and it can be a source of
anxiety on a subconscious level. In order to assure that the student
will do well on the exam, his primary needs should be met. Skip the
sweets. Sugar and caffeine can make test anxiety.
Getting over test anxiety isn’t easy. There is no quick fix but if
everyone recognizes the condition they can take the proper steps to
recovery.
This
information is
not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and
informational purposes only
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