How To Reduce Student
Stress
Linda Gatewood
9th Grade Counselor
W. P. Davidson High School
Stress Reduction

Manage time wisely by setting up a study
schedule and breaking up studies into smaller
chunks.
 Get organized and have a system of
organization for note-taking and keeping track of
assignments. Being organized allows you to
clear your mind of the mental clutter that
disorganization brings.
 Keep a calendar, a schedule and a filing system
for school assignments.
 Create a soothing study environment and have a
specific study space.




Take a 20 minute power nap. Sleep deprivation
means less productivity and less learning.
Exercise is one of the healthiest ways to reduce
stress. Exercise decreases the stress hormone
cortisol and gives a natural energy boost.
Visualization and imagery are both proven
stress management techniques. You can
reduce stress and improve test performance by
imagining yourself achieving your goals.
Music is a stress reliever that also has cognitive
benefits, music can calm you down or stimulate
your mind. Students can use classical music to
help them study and play upbeat music to help
them ‘wake up’ mentally.

Develop optimism because those who shrug
off failure are healthier, less stressed and
more successful.
 Get enough sleep because if you want your
performance to be your best you need to be
well-rested. Research shows that those who
are sleep deprived have trouble
remembering and learning and perform
poorly on tests.
 Have some time each day to enjoy yourself.
Time Management



Use a calendar to mark off time. When you
schedule on the calendar don’t just schedule the
event but schedule the time it will take to
complete the event.
Don’t just schedule school days and activities
but schedule all activities including things like
required chores or outside activities. Schedule
all activities at least a week ahead that way you
will have a clearer idea of how to use your time.
Use a “to do”list and jot down things you need to
do today, tomorrow and by the end of the week
or later. Prioritize your list and break it down by
moving items to tomorrow or further.





Schedule your time by scheduling today’s “to
dos”. Transfer important events from your
calendar to your list and always schedule
free time.
As new things come up, add them to your
list. As you complete old tasks cross them
off.
If you have evening events---a date, a game
a practice---schedule study time before.
Use spare time wisely. Get reading done
while you ride the bus or while you are
waiting for an appointment.
Review your notes every day because this
will reinforce what you have learned so you
need less time to study.

Communicate your schedule to others. Let
your friends know when you are studying so
that you won’t be distracted.
 You will work more efficiently if you figure out
when you do your best work. If your brain
handles studying best in the afternoon don’t
wait until late at night
 Don’t waste time agonizing and worrying
about work you’re supposed to be doing just
go ahead and do it. Handle it once!
 Keep things in perspective and don’t set
unrealistic goals that set you up for failure.
Set goals that are difficult yet reachable.
Time Pointers

Where school work is concerned, make
every effort to stay current. In fact if you get
the chance work ahead!
 When you schedule your time, it’s a lot
easier to say “no” when you need to.
 Build some flexibility into your schedule. One
way is to schedule frequent breaks. Another
way is to give each “to do” more time than
you believe it will take. A flexible schedule
will also help you keep on schedule and help
you stay in control of your time.
TESTING
Required Tests

AHSGE: Alabama High School Graduation
Exam




Tests basic skills in Reading, Mathematics,
Language, Social Studies and Science
Administered initially in the sophomore year, but 9th
graders who have completed Biology or Algebra I in
middle school may take those portions in the fall of
their 9th grade year.
Given in September, December (seniors), March and
with an option for seniors in July.
Students are required to pass all 5 areas for
successful completion for a diploma.
PLAN: Pre-ACT Test
 Consists
of four major parts: academic
tests, interest inventory, study skills
assessment, and student information.
 Administered to all 10th graders.
 Used to prepare students for the ACT.
 Compare results to baseline created with
EXPLORE test taken in 8th grade.
Optional Tests

PSAT/NMSQT: Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude
Test and National Merit Scholarship Qualifying
Test





May be taken by juniors for competition for National
Merit Semi-finalist standing
Given in October (Oct. 12, 2011)
Used by academically talented students to compete
for National Merit Scholarship Semi-finalist standing
Sophomores may take for practice, but will need to
take it again as juniors in order to be considered for
NMST standing
Requires a fee
ACT: American College Testing
 May
be taken by college-bound students
as part of college-entrance requirements
 Measures performance in English,
Mathematics, Reading and Science
Reasoning
 Given in October, December, February,
April and June; must register six weeks in
advance
 Requires a fee
SAT

Scholastic Aptitude Test





May be taken by college-bound students as part of
college-entrance requirements
Required for consideration as National Merit
Scholarship Finalist
Measures performance in mathematics and English
Given in October, November, December, Januarty,
March, May and June at Murphy High School and
UMS-Wright Preparatory School
Requires a fee
ACT or SAT????
 How
do we know which test to
take?
 Should we take both?
 How many times should we test?
 What is the
advantage/disadvantage to
multiple testing attempts?
Here are some of the factors that make
the SAT and ACT very different breeds:







The ACT includes a science reasoning test; the SAT
does not.
The ACT math section includes trigonometry.
The SAT tests vocabulary much more than the ACT.
The SAT is not entirely multiple choice.
The SAT has a guessing penalty; the ACT does not.
The ACT tests English grammar; the SAT does not.
Remember, both the SAT and ACT are important
parts of your application, but they're only one of
several factors--from your courses and grades to
recommendations and your personal statement--that
colleges consider.
The SAT may be a better test for
you if:







1. You did great on the PSAT. The devil you know may be better than the devil you don't.
2. You have a killer vocabulary. You know "didactic," "sedulous" and other esoteric words
(including esoteric) and want to use that comparative advantage.
3. You can ace grammar. In addition to the essay section, the Writing section of the SAT tests the
deviation between standard written English and the way we actually speak the language. You
know that "everyone has their own idea" is wrong, and you are comfortable with "On the table,
there ARE a pencil and some paper."
4. You find it easier to write essays that use illustrative examples rather than argument. For
example, if a topic such as "Should the rights of the individual be secondary to the good of the
community?" seems like an easier topic to write on than "Should students be required to
participate in extracurricular activities?" then the SAT essay may be more your speed. In the
former example, you can use anything from the Civil Rights Movement to The Scarlet Letter as
evidence, while the latter likely begs more for examples from personal experience or abstract
arguments.
5. Whether or not you're academic, you consider yourself quick-thinking. At some level, the math
section of the SAT is based on reasoning. The reading section is about seeing things the same
way as the test-makers. The official name is, after all, the "SAT Reasoning Test." The hardest
math questions on the SAT are not about advanced content or formulas that you may have
forgotten.
6. You are high-energy or impulsive to the point of being impatient. Comprised of nine sections
and an essay, the SAT is 20 minutes longer than the ACT, which is comprised of four long sections
followed by an essay. But there are more starts and stops on the SAT — which makes it feel
as though it's moving along faster than the ACT.
7. All of your friends are doing it. For many folks, the SAT is a rite of passage and is the
common yardstick people use, for better or worse, in comparing their scores to the scores of their
friends, parents and siblings. The whole drama of high school wouldn't be complete without it.
The ACT may be a better test for
you if:








1. You did great on the PLAN (the "PSAT" for the ACT) or had a PSAT or SAT score inconsistent
with your academic performance in school.
2. Your vocabulary is not as strong as your reading. You read well and relatively quickly. Arguably,
the ACT is a test that is three parts verbal — English, Reading and Science (the latter section
requires no knowledge outside of what the test presents).
3. You are great at writing papers but haven't had formal grammar instruction. The English portion
of the ACT is more a test of punctuation and sentence and paragraph structure. Many students
find the English to be common sense, much like proof-reading a paper.
4. You prefer to write essays that are argumentative, persuading with ideas even if you lack
perfect recall of facts and figures. Or you prefer to answer questions that ask about everyday
issues in your life or school.
5. You fear you will choke under pressure. The ACT effectively has "score choice." If, when you
register, you do not indicate schools you want to receive your scores, you can wait until you have
taken the ACT several times and then select the best scores to send. On the SAT, all scores (SAT
and SAT Subject Tests) will be part of your score report. You cannot "hide" a low score on the SAT
as you can on the ACT.
6. You are more academic than "test savvy." The ACT seems to most people to be more
curriculum-based and thus more straightforward. There is more advanced math content
(logarithms, trigonometry, conic sections, etc.), but it seems more like a regular test you might
encounter in school.
7. All of your friends aren't doing it. You dread telling people what your scores are, imaging that
they are immediately making judgments about how you "stack up." Tell your friends you have a
580-620-590 on the SAT, and the ranking begins. Tell them you got a 27 on the ACT, and they'll
ask "is that good?"
Ned Johnson runs Prep Matters, a standardized-test tutoring firm in Washington, D.C.
Questions?