Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

My kids are taking standardized tests in a few months. How do I prepare them? Today on Home School Heartbeat, HSLDA president Mike Smith offers you some advice.

Mike Smith:


Test anxiety is real. And not just for the child who will be taking the test. Home schooling parents also find themselves getting very nervous as the testing date approaches. The first and formost important thing you can do is to pray with and for your child that God will give him peace of mind and help him remember what he has learned.


Homeschooling mom and writer Debra Bell suggests using a test preparation program. This not only provides your child a chance to practice with the test content, they also teach your child good test-taking strategies. Time management is important when taking a standardized test.


If possible, arrange to have him tested in a familiar setting by someone he knows, and make sure he is well rested and has a nutritious high protein breakfast low in sugar on test day.


If allowed, it is often helpful for young test takers to have a ruler with them to keep their place in the testing booklet. And make sure he has a watch to manage his time. A high protein snack for breaks is also a good idea.


Don't just drop your young children off at the testing site. Be around at breaks and lunchtime for encouragement.


And finally, hide your own fears. A standardized test can be a helpful tool to give you an idea on how to better tweak your homeschool program. It will help you know what he knows well and what he has not mastered. But it should not be used to pass judgment on your homeschool program. Until next time, I'm Mike Smith.