Ninth graders who did not pass the Keystones in Spring last year or the fall of this year the pressure is on. If students do not pass their Keystones they can not graduate. Ninth grade students who can not pass the algebra portion of the Keystone have to take a Keystone review course their tenth grade year. This is not fair that students will have to lose an elective because they did not pass a test.
Students that are now in ninth grade that were in level two for their eighth grade year only have one chance to take the exam. Only being able to take the test one time compared the three chances academic students are able to take is not fair. Students should have equal chances to take the test.
Another major test that is coming up is the PSSA’s, Pennsylvania System of School Assessment. Eighth grade students have to take the two week PSSA testing and also the Keystones for academic eighth grade students. Having to take both of these substantially important state tests is a lot of pressure. Many people have great anxiety about testing. During these weeks of testing students should be excused from other school assignments.
Some ways to prepare for standardized testing are to, believe it or not, study! Studying can help refresh material that has has been learned throughout the year. Another tip to help improve testing is to get eight or more hours of sleep. Not resting enough can lead to depression and reduce students’ ability to concentrate. Also, eat a nutritious breakfast. It may be hard to believe that eating a simple breakfast could help improve test scores but it is true. According to http://psychology.about.com/, eating breakfast can have a beneficial influence on school performance. One study found that children who ate a healthy breakfast had higher energy levels and better learning ability than similar students who did not eat breakfast.
