5 Ways School Counselors, Teachers, and Caregivers Can Help Calm Students’ Anxieties

Most of us can remember feeling dread in the moments before taking a test, and the fears, self-doubts, and what ifs that flourish in those moments:

• What if I get stuck on a question?
• What if I don’t know the answer?
• What if I freeze and forget everything?

Today’s students have the same fears and doubts. But they also experience those emotions more frequently and sometimes more intensely. Why?

Because in addition to their classroom tests, there has been a steady rise in the number of standardized exams and assessments they must take. Kids worry about what a low score might mean. They worry about disappointing their teachers and their parents. They worry about keeping pace with their peers.

For many, especially in the upper-elementary grades, managing test anxiety is a constant challenge. As a mother and school counselor, I have seen just how big the fear of failure and the pressure to perform can get. In fact, it motivated me to write a children’s storybook specifically about test anxiety.

In Bravo, Jalen!, the main character learns how to tame his fears and doubts through preparation, a positive mindset, and taking a series of steps to make himself SHARP. Along the way, he has support from a caring friend and encouragement from an empathetic teacher.

Providing support, offering encouragement, AND teaching practical strategies are how school counselors, educators, and parents can work as a team to equip students with the tools and confidence they need to handle every type of school-related anxiety.

Here are five key areas where collaboration and focus can make an immediate and positive difference:

1. Communication: Build and reinforce consistent communication between school and home by using varied communication tools: email, apps, notes home, conferences, and shared observations. Teachers, specifically, can share with students and their families test dates, the content that will be covered, any materials students need on testing day, and guidance on how to prep for the exam (what chapters to read, what lessons to review, what formulas to practice, etc.).

   Parents, too, should share with the school what they’re seeing at home, such as academic frustrations or motivation issues. When coupled with classroom observations, a more complete and reliable picture develops, making it easier to identify underlying issues and implement targeted interventions. School counselors also should be available to participate in conferences or student strategy meetings.

2. Confidence building: Everyone has a role when it comes to helping students feel more prepared and less anxious before exams, presentations, or performances. Let kids know what to expect (test format, time limits, content covered, materials needed, etc.). Emphasize the things they can control (making sure their devices are charged, sharpening their pencils, wearing comfortable clothes, getting enough sleep, eating a healthy breakfast, being hydrated, etc.). This creates a sense of purpose and empowerment.

3. Time management and organization: Students who are disorganized can easily become overwhelmed and feel unprepared on test days. School counselors can address these issues in small-group sessions or with classroom lessons that emphasize specific strategies (creating daily schedules and routines, prioritizing, setting goals, etc.).

4. Study skills and test-taking strategies: During counselor-led lessons on academic development, study skills, or test preparation techniques, school counselors should invite classroom teachers to participate so the language and terms students hear are consistent. For example, the counselor and teacher both using the phrase “slash the trash” to explain a testing strategy that involves eliminating obviously wrong answers first, then carefully considering the remaining choices. Go a step further by offering parent workshops on study skills, testing strategies, organization, time management, and other techniques for managing homework and test anxiety. Provide handouts with techniques, strategies, and definitions that can be used at home.

5. Emotional regulation: Once students can recognize and identify the physical symptoms of their anxiety, they must be able to manage them. Strategies may involve positive affirmations, deep breathing, counting, stretching, or drinking water. Students can practice these skills in individual and group counseling sessions or classroom counseling lessons. This is another opportunity to reinforce consistent language between the school and the home by involving classroom teachers and parents.

Teachers can help students prioritize tasks and focus on what material to study. Parents and caregivers can help designate a time and place for studying and establish routines at home for completing homework, managing assignments, and studying for tests. Together, counselors, teachers, and parents can reinforce the importance of preparing for tests well in advance as a way to minimize anxiety and boost confidence on test days.  

By increasing collaboration and using more effective communication, we can ensure our students receive the support and strategies they need to overcome their fears and find success!

Ashley Bartley is a popular children’s author and school counselor whose newest storybook, Bravo, Jalen! can be ordered for your classroom, school, or home library. Five companion activities to help students master their test anxieties are also available for download.