Stopping Test Taking Anxiety: For Teachers

Testing makes a great deal of children nervous and uncomfortable. Here are a number of ways to help students through this difficult time:

Tell students to take deep breaths.
Have a motto for your class. Something they will repeat when they feel the stress.
Develop a "tell" between you and the student with the difficulty.
Crunchy and chewy snacks help.

Helping Children Cope with Tragedy"
Jeff Heinz: New York, NY

Listen to children's concerns without interrupting.
In a patient and reasonable tone, reassure them that they are safe.
Explain what happened and try not to disguise or avoid it.
Note that this is something done by some bad people, and that most people can be trusted.
Emphasize that the victims did not deserve to be hurt, especially when it's a hate crime.
Talk to children about telling an adult when someone is behaving in cruel ways.
Say that such events are rare and unusual.