Controlling Your Test Controlling Your Test AnxietyAnxiety

Barbara Eckenfels, MS - F240 (936) 273-7246Barbara Eckenfels, MS - F240 (936) 273-7246Juan Lebron, Ed.S - F250 (936) 273-7246Juan Lebron, Ed.S - F250 (936) 273-7246

TEAM Division CounselorsTEAM Division CounselorsMontgomery CollegeMontgomery College

Why Do I Have Math Why Do I Have Math Test Anxiety?Test Anxiety?

Past failures come to haunt you!Past failures come to haunt you!Lowered self-confidenceLowered self-confidenceAttitude need adjusting?Attitude need adjusting?Lack of preparation?Lack of preparation?

What Comes First!What Comes First!

You need an attitude adjustment! You You need an attitude adjustment! You can do math and you must believe it!can do math and you must believe it!

You must commit to doing what it takes You must commit to doing what it takes to pass math! (More lab and study to pass math! (More lab and study time! Control Test Anxiety). Math is time! Control Test Anxiety). Math is required in all BS/BA programs!required in all BS/BA programs!

If you follow the “How to be Successful If you follow the “How to be Successful in Math” tips, you WILL Succeed. in Math” tips, you WILL Succeed.

Disarm the Power of Tests!Disarm the Power of Tests!

Grades are NOT:Grades are NOT: A measure of intelligence A measure of intelligence A measure of creativityA measure of creativity An indication of how you will contribute An indication of how you will contribute

to societyto society A measure of what you have A measure of what you have

accomplishedaccomplished A MEASURE OF YOUR SELF-WORTH!A MEASURE OF YOUR SELF-WORTH!

Grades Are:Grades Are:

A measure of what you scored on a A measure of what you scored on a particular day or days.particular day or days.

An Indication of what your professor feels is An Indication of what your professor feels is important.important.

Powerful enough to cause a delay or Powerful enough to cause a delay or adjustment in reaching your goals, but not adjustment in reaching your goals, but not powerful enough to stop you forever!powerful enough to stop you forever!

What is Test Anxiety?What is Test Anxiety?

It is the worry caused by having to take a test.It is the worry caused by having to take a test.

You may experience:You may experience: butterflies in your stomachbutterflies in your stomach AnxietyAnxiety Sweating Sweating NauseaNausea Loss of concentration or “blanking out”Loss of concentration or “blanking out” Lower grades on tests than daily workLower grades on tests than daily work

The “Flight or Fight Response”The “Flight or Fight Response”

The automatic stress The automatic stress response dates back to response dates back to prehistoric times – for survival.prehistoric times – for survival.

We cannot differentiate We cannot differentiate between a perceived physical between a perceived physical threat and a psychological threat and a psychological threat.threat.

Physiological Response to a Physiological Response to a Physical or Emotional ThreatPhysical or Emotional Threat

Hormones are elevated during the Hormones are elevated during the stress response ~ cortisol, stress response ~ cortisol, norepinephrine, and epinephrine are norepinephrine, and epinephrine are released into the bloodstream.released into the bloodstream.

Anxiety or stress response occurs!Anxiety or stress response occurs!

What are Other Causes of What are Other Causes of Test Anxiety?Test Anxiety?

•Pressure to succeedPressure to succeed

•Fear of failureFear of failure

•Need to make all “A’s”Need to make all “A’s”

•Irrational and/or negative Irrational and/or negative thinkingthinking

Who is Affected by Test Anxiety?Who is Affected by Test Anxiety?

Everyone experiences some test anxiety, but Everyone experiences some test anxiety, but there are generally two types of students:there are generally two types of students:

Those who see testing as a challenge and a Those who see testing as a challenge and a chance to show the instructor what they know.chance to show the instructor what they know.

Those who view testing as a threat. They may Those who view testing as a threat. They may have experienced past failures.have experienced past failures.

How can you How can you eliminate eliminate

Test Anxiety?Test Anxiety?

Tips for ReducingTips for ReducingTest AnxietyTest Anxiety

Be prepared! Study, study, study…..Be prepared! Study, study, study….. Get plenty of rest the night before Get plenty of rest the night before Eat properly the day of the examEat properly the day of the exam Do not arrive early or late to the examDo not arrive early or late to the exam Avoid last minute studyingAvoid last minute studying Avoid listening or discussing the test while Avoid listening or discussing the test while

you are waiting to take the test.you are waiting to take the test. Don’t forget to breathe!Don’t forget to breathe!

Tips continued:Tips continued: Replace negative thoughts, with positive Replace negative thoughts, with positive

thoughts while taking deep breaths and thoughts while taking deep breaths and doing relaxation exercises—we will doing relaxation exercises—we will practice this!practice this!

Don’t worry and get “bogged down” with Don’t worry and get “bogged down” with questions you don’t know.questions you don’t know.

REMEMBER WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED REMEMBER WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS SEMINAR AND USE IT!!! FROM THIS SEMINAR AND USE IT!!!

Three Factors to Three Factors to SuccessfulSuccessfulTest TakingTest Taking

PreparationPreparation

Your knowledge and preparation are basic Your knowledge and preparation are basic to doing well. You may panic in the test to doing well. You may panic in the test

due to incomplete knowledge or from not due to incomplete knowledge or from not having studied enough.having studied enough.

This is not TRUE test anxietyThis is not TRUE test anxiety

Test Taking SkillsTest Taking Skills Familiarity with test taking formats and the Familiarity with test taking formats and the

development of good test taking strategies development of good test taking strategies are essential to your academic success!are essential to your academic success!

Emotional StateEmotional State Your emotional state affects your ability to Your emotional state affects your ability to

test well.test well. It takes a calm and controlled emotional state It takes a calm and controlled emotional state

for your memory and judgment to work most for your memory and judgment to work most effectively.effectively.

Conquering Test Anxiety by Conquering Test Anxiety by Learning Relaxation TechniquesLearning Relaxation Techniques

You cannot be relaxed and anxious at the same time! Control the “Flight or Fight “ Response:

Deep Breathing Progressive Muscle Relaxation (Practice) Choose a word to link to the relaxation exercises. Mental Imagery Systematic Desensitization

Progressive Relaxation Progressive Relaxation Exercises: Breathe!Exercises: Breathe!

Take a deep breath, hold for 5 seconds. At the same Take a deep breath, hold for 5 seconds. At the same time, tense the muscles in your face and neck. Now time, tense the muscles in your face and neck. Now slowly exhale and relax these muscles.slowly exhale and relax these muscles.

Take another deep breath, hold for 5 seconds and at the Take another deep breath, hold for 5 seconds and at the same time tense the muscles in your shoulders and same time tense the muscles in your shoulders and arms. Slowly exhale, relaxing these musclesarms. Slowly exhale, relaxing these muscles

Continue through the following muscle groups:Continue through the following muscle groups: Chest and lungsChest and lungs Stomach areaStomach area Hips, legs & feetHips, legs & feet

Pay attention to how you feel while doing this exercise. You Pay attention to how you feel while doing this exercise. You should begin to feel your body relaxshould begin to feel your body relax

Control Negative ThinkingControl Negative Thinking

You You cancan control what you think!! control what you think!!

Control Control negative thinkingnegative thinking: self-defeating statements can become: self-defeating statements can become “ “self-fulfilling propheciesself-fulfilling prophecies”.”.

AwarenessAwareness: Identify your own pattern of negative statements: Identify your own pattern of negative statements

ConsequencesConsequences: Note the consequences. Take the statement:: Note the consequences. Take the statement:

““If I blow this test, it’s my whole career, my whole life.” NOT!! If I blow this test, it’s my whole career, my whole life.” NOT!!

CHANGE TOCHANGE TO:: ““If I continue to think about my life right now, I won’t have time to If I continue to think about my life right now, I won’t have time to

concentrate on this test.”concentrate on this test.”

RebuttalRebuttal: Now, challenge your original statement. These statements are NOT : Now, challenge your original statement. These statements are NOT absolute, predictable truths!absolute, predictable truths!

Reverse Negative ThinkingReverse Negative Thinking

Begin to Develop positive self-statements:Begin to Develop positive self-statements:

“I CAN do well on this test.”“I CAN do well on this test.”“I studied hard and Know this material.”“I studied hard and Know this material.”

“I’m smart and will succeed no matter what!”“I’m smart and will succeed no matter what!”

Progressive Muscle RelaxationProgressive Muscle RelaxationPracticePractice

Close your eyes and listen as I talk you Close your eyes and listen as I talk you through the sequence of tensing and relaxing through the sequence of tensing and relaxing your different muscle groups.your different muscle groups.

Choose a Relaxation Word to use as you relax Choose a Relaxation Word to use as you relax your muscles and exhaleyour muscles and exhale

Get comfortable, close your eyes….Get comfortable, close your eyes….

Mental Imagery PracticeMental Imagery Practice

Relax, take several deep breaths and listen…..Relax, take several deep breaths and listen…..

Systematic DesensitizationSystematic Desensitization

Work mentally through a hierarchy of Work mentally through a hierarchy of least anxiety producing situations to least anxiety producing situations to the worse anxiety situations.the worse anxiety situations.

Use your relaxation techniques while Use your relaxation techniques while vividly imaging the least anxiety vividly imaging the least anxiety producing situation on your hierarchy producing situation on your hierarchy list.list.

Keep practicing until you are relaxed.Keep practicing until you are relaxed.

Go to the next level. (See handout)Go to the next level. (See handout)

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!PRACTICE!

The skills you need to conquer The skills you need to conquer Test Anxiety will not be Test Anxiety will not be acquired overnight!acquired overnight!

If you believe you CAN do it, If you believe you CAN do it, then you CAN! then you CAN!

Life is too short to “sweat” Life is too short to “sweat” the small stuff!the small stuff!