8th grade students at Awtrey will take the Georgia Grade 8 Writing Assessment on Wednesday, January
23rd. Testing will begin promptly at 9:20 am. Late students will not be
admitted in a testing session once testing has begun. Make-ups for the
Writing Assessment will be held on Thursday, January 24th. This will be
the only day for make-ups. Please see the test taking tips below to
ensure success for our 8th graders!
Test Taking Tips for Students:
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Show up on time. Get the test off the best possible start by getting there on time. Arriving late might make you feel rushed and nervous.
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Stay focused and relaxed. Focused and relaxed? Doesn't that sound impossible? Well, what we mean is this: Keep your mind on the test, but don't tighten up. Try to stay loose and cool so you can move through the questions one by one.
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Sit Comfortably. Don't hunch over the test or stiffen up. Sit in a relaxed way and keep your posture loose so you don't add aches and pains for your list of possible worries.
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Expect and accept a little bit of stress. Don't worry if you still have some stress while you begin the test. Almost everyone feels this-it's there because you want to do your best and get a good grade.
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Read the directions. Take a minute to read the test instructions before you get started. This will keep you from making simple mistakes and guarantee that you won't have to waste time going back and redoing any work because you didn't understand the directions.
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Pace yourself. Know ahead of time how many questions there are and how quicly you will have to move through each one. Don't focus on the clock as time ticks away, but glance up every once in a while to make sure you're not falling behind pace.
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Don't Rush. Try to keep a good pace-but never rush through a question. Make sure you understand what is being asked, then make sure you think clearly about your answer. If the question is multiple-choice, read every single possible answer before you decide which one is the best. Read them all before you answer.
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Don't get distracted. Try to keep a good pace-but never rush through a question
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Focus on the stuff you know. If you get stuck, don't stay stuck. Pass on the questions and come back if you have time. You might come up with the answer to the hard question while you're answering an easier one!
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Use all of your time. If you happen to finish the test before time is up, don't sit there starting into space. Go back over the questions, especially the ones that seemed hard, and check your work.
* Adapted from: http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/school/teststress/article10.html
Test Taking Tips for Parents:
- Keep a positive attitude about testing
- Mark down test days on your calendar so you and your child are both aware of testing dates
- Make sure that your child gets enough sleep on the night before the test
- Ensure that your child eats a healthy breakfast and avoid heavy foods that may make him/her groggy and avoid high sugar foods that may make him/her hyper.
- Make sure that your child gets up early enough so that he/she will be on time to school
- Encourage your child to do well but don't pressure him/her. You may stress him/her out. It is important for your child to stay relaxed for the test.
- Talking about the test with your child can relieve stress about test taking
