Many states require homeschoolers to take standardized tests at certain grade levels.
When tests are not avoidable, there are still many ways to ease the stress and pressure they carry. For instance:
Create a pleasant testing environment: There’s no need for your children to take their test in an unrewarding, intimidating testing center with a proctor breathing down their neck. Many parents let their children have snacks and drinks while they take the test, and allow breaks to move around and play in between test sections. Making the environment comfortable will ease the sense of stress and pressure significantly.
Treat the test like a game: Children love puzzles and games, and that’s really all a standardized test is. Help your children understand how the test questions are created, what rules to follow, and some tips and tricks to succeed. For example, make sure your children know to watch out for trick answers (“distractors”).
Look over the test beforehand: Make sure your children are at least slightly familiar with most of the subject matter covered by the test. Some outdated tests ask questions which are no longer applicable to modern children’s experience such as using a library card catalog. Try to avoid these tests if possible.
Choose a test with no time limit: The pressure of a ticking clock sends stress levels through the roof. Also, students who actually know the material quite well often freeze up and do poorly when faced with a stressful time limit.
Administer the test at home: Homeschoolers aren’t used to taking tests in a crowded testing center filled with other students. That experience is stressful even for children at traditional schools. Much of the stress associated with testing can be avoided or lessened by taking the test at home.
Pretest: The option to pretest isn’t always available. But if it is, take advantage of it. Pretesting ensures that the test your student is taking is at the proper difficulty level, and isn’t full of material that they’re not prepared for.
Teach your child how to take a test: Test-taking is a skill that improves with practice. Make sure your child knows about testing conventions and terminology. For example, make sure they understand the concept of “all of the above,” and know how to properly fill in the bubbles on the answer sheet.
Explain why the test is necessary: If children don’t understand the reasons behind taking a test, they can jump to anxiety-provoking conclusions. Let them know why you’re giving the test, that it’s simply something every student needs to go through to continue on with their schooling. This can reduce their anxiety, and improve their performance.