Support Testing with Mindfulness

A student's mind during testing...

A teacher's mind during testing...

The anxiety of testing can get to us all. We do not have to let the anxiety control us or our students. We can support the testing season with mindfulness.

Mindfulness has been shown to reduce anxiety, improve focus, regulate emotions, and promote resilience. 

Mindfulness trains the brain to recover quicker, it interrupts the cycle of worry, and helps anchor to the here and now and brings attention to each question.

Try utilizing Inner Explorer before heading into the gym for testing. 

Take some time to review and share mindfulness tips the students can engage in during testing.

Below are some great mindfulness practices to help support the brain and body during testing.

1. Quick Calm

    Try some counting breathing techniques. The key to this mindful activity is making sure the out breath is longer than the in. Having a longer out breath engages the Vagus Nerve and connects to the parasympathetic nervous system. This is our rest and digest system. It is the opposite of the fight or flight system.

Try

2-1-4 (2 in, 1 hold, 4 out)

4-4-6 (4 in, 4 hold, 6 out)

4-7-8 (4 in, 7 hold, 8 out)

These breathing techniques will help lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate, reduce anxiety, and promote calm.

2. Balanced Breathing

    Our kinder classes learned this breathing technique last week, so I know we all can give it a go. This involves closing off one nostril to breathe in. Then hold the breath and switch nostrils to breathe out. Now with that same nostril breathe in again. Switch and breathe out. Last leave both nostrils open and take in a deep breath and then breathe out.

3. Stretching and Yoga

    Movement before the test can help get out wiggles and relax the body.

4. Superhero Pose.

    This is an oldie but a goodie. The beginning of this blog post from 2019 talks about the superhero pose. Give it a quick look. Try it. See how you feel after standing like a superhero.

5. Set Intentions.

    We need to have a positive, growth mindset. Set an intention or goal for the day. Set an intention for the test. "I will work hard. I will do my best. I will complete all questions." Here is a blog post from 2023 addressing having a growth mindset.

6. List Gratitude 

    Train your brain to be positive. Our brains have a negative bias. We have to train our brains to be positive. Use listing gratitude to help start the day with a positive mindset. 

We have several blog posts on gratitude. If you go to MondayMindfulMoments.blogspot.com and type in gratitude by the little magnifying glass you can find several options to explore. 

7. Grounding (in the here and now)

    Grounding utilizes the 5 senses to anchor to the present.

    5 Things you see

    4 Things you hear

    3 Things you touch

    2 Things you smell

    1 Things you taste (you could provide a mint to help wake up the brain)

8. Be Your Own Hype Man

    Encourage your students to encourage themselves. 

    Take a moment to read my board with Testing Affirmations. 

    I can do my best.

    I will do my best.

    I am doing my best.