Weve all had nightmares about arriving to class with the

Weve all had nightmares about arriving to class with the sudden realization that an impending exam was on our heels. This kind of a nightmare can wake a person out of a deep sleep and the disturbing dream can be difficult to shake. A person who has test anxiety lives this nightmare every time he takes an exam.

Test anxiety is very frustrating for students, teachers and parents for many reasons. Teachers work hard to develop fair methods of evaluating a students progress. The exams are a big part of this process. When a student has test anxiety, the evaluation approach is not a very reliable measurement of the students understanding and progress.

The major problem with this troublesome condition is that it interferes with the students ability to demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of the materials covered in class. Test anxiety is a significant obstacle that a student has to face and it can have severe ramifications if unrecognized and untreated.

Parents may become frustrated about their childs test anxiety because they see that he conveys understanding at home while he is studying but he is unable to perform well on exams. The frustration goes doubly for the student who feels incredibly nervous and unable to think while taking tests.

So what can be done about test anxiety? The first step is to identify the problem. This isnt quite as easy as it may seem. It is easy to misinterpret a lack of confidence with a lack of knowledge. The student may think that he really doesnt deserve a good grade simply because he doesnt perform well on tests.

Once you have determined that the problem is test anxiety, you can begin taking steps to dealing with the problem. Mental preparation and relaxation techniques are ideal strategies for dealing with this condition. The specific activities that can be used vary greatly and you may find that one works better than another.

One consistent approach is to eat a healthy snack before taking the exam. Hunger can be a great distraction and it can be a source of anxiety on a subconscious level. In order to assure that the student will do well on the exam, his primary needs should be met. Skip the sweets. Sugar and caffeine can make test anxiety.

Getting over test anxiety isnt easy. There is no quick fix but if everyone recognizes the condition they can take the proper steps to recovery.