HOUSTON — STAAR testing begins Tuesday for Texas schools and continues next month.
As your Education Station, KHOU 11 wants to make sure your child is test ready.
For the first time ever, students will take the test completely online.
But before they tackle testing the rest of the week, here are five top things parents can do to prep their kids:
- Body health
- Feeding the brain
- Good night sleep
- Affirmation
- Consistency of schedule
Let’s start with that last one.
“A little bit of practice every other day leading up to when they are going to be taking the test,” said Rachel Mead. tutoring and test prep expert for Study.com
While you want to give them that consistent schedule, she said kids should take it easy the day before
“Test anxiety is a real thing,” said Mead.
Mead told KHOU 11 News students should relax or do something they enjoy 24 hours before the test to ease anxiety, but they need to take care of their physical health too.
“Hydration is so important especially in children when they are in an educational setting,” said Mead.
So, if your student weighs around 120 pounds, Mead recommends they should be drinking 80 ounces of water, which equals 10 cups a day. Or if that’s too much, Mead said half an ounce of water a day for each pound of body weight works, which is five cups a day for that weight size.
“That week I was just falling off. I was like, 'OK guys pick up some muffins. Pick up some of this.' I remember telling my husband that protein power is real. My son was having a lot of mental brain fog without it,” said teacher Adaeze Okpom.
Okpom, wife and mom of five, remembers what happened the week she didn’t make a protein egg-based breakfast for her son like she typically does. She noticed it affected his ability to retain information.
When it comes to her kids’ self-esteem a boost from mom on test day goes a long way.
And when she pours words of encouragement and positivity into them like you’re so smart, Okpom said her children’s faces light up.
“I talk specifically on their strengths. The thing is I am their mom. I already know what they are good at. I highlight those things, so they feel bigger and so the things they are insecure about will feel smaller,” Okpom said.
Phrases of affirmation for your child could also be as simple as leaving little written notes like on the bathroom mirror that say, “ Hey you got this," “ I’m proud of you already, and do your best.”
For more information on STAAR test prep strategies visit this link.