Berkeley Parents Network: Test Taking

Berkeley Parents Network

Test Taking

Berkeley Parents Network > Advice > School & Preschool > Test Taking

Questions

17-year-old's problems with math and science tests
High school student with severe test anxiety
Therapist for teens with test taking anxiety
Teen with Poor Test-taking Skills

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17-year-old's problems with math and science tests

March 2009

My 17 y.o. son is having problems with math and science tests. He has had various private and commercial tutors and is currently enrolled in Sylvans study skill program. All his teachers and tutors have said that he is an exceptionally bright guy and they don't know what the problem is. He doesn't know what the problem is. He doesn't panic and has even thought he did well only to get a bad grade.Any one had this situation and have some good suggestions? This has been so frustrating for all of us.

My son was also very bright but tested poorly, mainly in math. After trying several tutors, I finally found Paul Gee, a math tutor, who helped him tremendously. He was very patient working with my son, and also quite communicative with me as a parent. Paul said that he has dealt with quite a few such students. He explained that some bright students learn concepts very quickly, but either do not spend the time and/or do not have the patience to learn the problem solving procedures, thus performing poorly on tests. He said one other sign of this type of student is that in their homework they may give the correct answer, but either can't or don't want to show how they got the answer. You might give Paul a call at 510-502-8465 to discuss your situation. We feel fortunate that he was able to help us. Good luck.

I’m a private tutor and have also put together a study skills course and test taking skills seminar for a local high school.

The thing that struck me is that kids often “don’t know what they don’t know.” The strategies to overcome this are:
• To complete all review sheets/end of chapter tests, etc. WITHOUT using notes or referring to the book.
• Flashcards for facts (shuffle them)
• Recitation—perhaps the most powerful. Tell another person about the subject and be ready to answer their questions. Could consider this as teaching someone the subject.
• Make a one page sheet of all formulas or other information needed for the test. Even if its not allowed to be taken in to the test, the fact that the child has done it is still a very powerful mental reference.

In Math and Science, the key is not in knowing the details and rules— it is in recognizing ‘where on the trail’ you are, what info you have, what you’re asked to do, and then developing a problem solving strategy—including what ‘tools’ (formulas, etc.) you’ll need to proceed. See Polya’s method on problem solving.

Kinda baffling that your son thinks he did well and then finds out that he didn’t. That would require some ‘post mortem’ and error analysis of individual tests, paying particular attention to the process –including the though process, not just the math or science stuff. Many kids want so much to do well, that they convince themselves that they actually did well, because they don’t want to think differently.

Hope this is useful to you. DS

High school student with severe test anxiety

June 2004

My high school junior experiences severe test anxiety on standardized tests. She doesn't need a SAT subject tutor but does need help in test approach and handling the anxiety of the test environment. She has taken a decent prep course and used different prep books. Any recommendations for someone who could help with this? This is not about getting a few more points on a test - this is drawing-a-blank, melt-down sort of anxiety. I have looked at the previous recommendations and but most are skewed towards subject tutoring.

As a former teacher of test prep, I had students just like your daughter. Two of them benefitted greatly from hypnotherapy. I haven't tried it, but it worked very well for them. Both ended up scoring as well as they did in practice. Good Luck! anne

Test anxiety is just terrible. A few suggestions: Your child may have a learning style difference that demands more time to take tests. Unfortunately this means being tested for a ''learning disability'' and being approved by the school, which is a taxing process. You might ask your medical doctor for a prescription for a betablocker--then I would recommend taking a very, very small amount of the pill under the tongue about 1/2 hour prior to the test.Do a trial first to see if the drug causes drowiness, or doesn't feel right. Your child might benefit from this very small dosage prior to future tests, public speaking or other anxiety-producing events. No regular taking of the drug is necessary. Finally,working out a test taking strategy, not talking to anyone prior to the test and wearing earplugs might help a little.

Therapist for teens with test taking anxiety

Does anyone have recommendations for therapists providing counseling or coaching for teens with test taking anxiety -- either for standardized testing such as the SATs or for taking tests and exams in high school? David

I answered my own question! I have located a Berkeley therapist who works specifically with the issue of test-taking anxiety. She is Claire Stone, MFT, a licensed marriage and family counselor. Her web site (with contact information) is http://www.berkeley-ca-therapist.com. There is a page on Claire Stone's web site that addresses therapy for test-taking anxiety: http://www.berkeley-ca-therapist.com/testanxiety.html

Hope this is helpful for other parents too. David

Hi- I have worked with a number of students on issues such as test anxiety and self-esteem, specifically in relation to the SAT. Please email/ call me if you would like to discuss your child's individual needs. Thank you, Michael hhspiel at earthlink.net

Hi, I recommend the Alexander Technique for your son to help him figure out how to find and relax habitual tensions. I am a tutor and Alexander Technique teacher. I look at breathing and see how we can make that more free. Anxiety can't have the same hold if the breath and body are free. The Alexander technique is taught using a gentle hands on and verbal approach. I work from my home in Oakland, but there are many Alexander Technique teachers in the bay area. The art of relaxation is a wonderful gift to give to your son. I'm happy to have a phone conversation with you if you are interested. My number is 510 482-2276. Sincerely, Susan Schreier bodywiz at hotmail.com

Teen with Poor Test-taking Skills

My 15-yr old son is getting decent grades but he doesn't do as well on tests as we think he could and I'm sure it has to do with his test-taking skills, not his knowledge of the subject matter. Does anyone have suggestions about classes or training for students who want to improve test taking abilities? Thanks.

My 16 year old daughter just started SAT prep tutoring which includes a lot of test taking skills. The tutor is tailoring the sessions to her needs which are in the verbal section of the test. No results yet (her second SAT I exam is on May 1), but the tutor was recommended by a reputable educational consultant. I spoke with the tutor this evening and found that he tutors many kids with various academic abilities on test taking skills. He comes to your home and charges $50 cash/$55 check per hour. His name and contact information is:

 Paul Osborne
      2342 Shattuck Ave., #223
      Berkeley, CA  94704-1517
      301-5302
      paulthetutor AT bigfoot.com

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