For this issue of Kappan, we asked our Educators Rising students, “Do you experience test anxiety? If so, can you provide an example of when a test or other assessment made you anxious? What about the experience caused the most anxiety? What do you think teachers can do to help reduce student anxiety about assessments?”
The power of understanding
I experienced extreme test anxiety throughout my school years, especially in math classes. While I excelled in regular assignments and understood the material well, the pressure of tests would quickly overwhelm me. I would find myself getting trapped in a cycle of negative thoughts, fearing failure and feeling like I was going to let everyone down. This led to low scores on tests, which only deepened my dislike for math.
Everything changed when I had a remarkable teacher in sixth grade, Ms. Lyons. She noticed my struggles and took the time to pull me aside before one of our big tests. She looked me in the eye and told me how amazing I was, reassuring me that I had the ability to succeed. Her advice was simple but powerful: She encouraged me to pretend the test was just another assignment, something I already felt confident doing. That shift in perspective worked wonders — I passed that test and regained my confidence, setting me up for success in all future assessments. Her support ignited a newfound love for math and a desire to help my future students the way she had helped me. This experience taught me how crucial it is for teachers to recognize when a student is struggling with test anxiety. Sometimes, even the simplest words of encouragement can make a world of difference. Rita Pearson’s quote from her TED Talk, Every Kid Needs a Champion, resonates with me: “You see, ‘-18’ sucks all the life out of you. ‘+2’ said, ‘I ain’t all bad.'” Teachers who notice a student’s anxiety and offer positive reinforcement can transform a student’s perspective, helping them see that they are more than just their test scores. Building a supportive and encouraging classroom environment can be the key to overcoming test anxiety for many students.
Brooklyn R. Crabtree
12th Grade | West Clermont High School | Batavia, Ohio
The pressure to perform
I experience test anxiety. I’ve always been a poor test-taker for this exact reason. Tests like the ACT make me incredibly nervous and anxious, and that’s why I haven’t been able to score well. Knowing I have limited time to complete everything is what causes me the most anxiety. The pressure of performing under a clock makes it hard for me to focus and do my best. My mind gets clouded, and I can’t show what I really know.
I think teachers can help reduce student anxiety about assessments by offering practice tests to help students get used to the timing and expectations. They can also create a supportive environment where students feel like they have room to breathe and take their time when needed. Providing test-taking strategies, practicing time management, or offering breaks during longer assessments could also be helpful in alleviating some of that stress.
Asiah Scott
12th Grade | Forest Hill High School | Jackson, Mississippi
Do we need final exams?
I’ve always dealt with test anxiety, especially during finals throughout my high school years. These end-of-year tests can really make or break my grade, and the pressure to do well is intense. I worry about letting down my family, teachers, and friends, and it affects how I see myself academically.
I think teachers can help reduce this anxiety in a few ways, like providing more practice tests and study materials so we are prepared. Teaching us stress management techniques, like deep breathing, can also help us stay calm.
Honestly, I believe tests like these shouldn’t exist. Relying on one test to reflect a student’s performance for the whole year feels unfair. A student could have straight A’s all year but get nervous and fail the test, which impacts their overall grade — and even the way a student perceives themselves. We need a better way to assess learning and better techniques to help students with testing.
Rory Cadence Watts
12th Grade | Lincoln County High School | Hamlin, West Virginia
Combatting self-doubt
Most exams and tests make me nervous. Multiple-choice exams, in particular, give me the most anxiety because I tend to second-guess myself, even when I know the correct answer. The pressure of choosing between similar answer choices makes me doubt my knowledge, and I often overanalyze questions, leading to unnecessary mistakes.
I think teachers can help reduce student anxiety by providing clear expectations for assessments, such as study guides and detailed outlines of what will be covered. When students know exactly what to study and feel well-prepared, they are more likely to approach exams with confidence. Additionally, teachers can create a supportive testing environment by encouraging students, offering review sessions, and reminding them that one test does not define their intelligence or abilities.
Kaylea Patterson
Sophomore | University of Delaware | Newark, Delaware
Teachers matter
I experience test anxiety, but it depends on the class and teacher. When I face a test from a teacher who doesn’t see through students’ eyes, I feel more anxious than when I take a test from a teacher who has made it clear they absolutely want to see every one of us succeed.
With that being said, I feel the biggest cause for test anxiety, at least for me personally, is the environment and energy surrounding you. I believe teachers can combat their students’ test anxiety by creating an inclusive environment and acting as if the entire classroom is facing the test as one unit. When teachers start handing out tests to assess our classroom as a community and ensuring every one of us has the accommodations and preparation necessary, then we will see the decline in test anxiety.
Owen Elsasser
12th grade | Ralston High School | Ralston, Nebraska
Losing focus
I experience test anxiety because I am aware that I do not perform well on tests. Since tests aren’t as engaging as normal classwork, I tend to lose focus and dissociate when I am taking tests, especially online.
When I feel myself getting anxious, I remind myself that my test scores aren’t a representation of me as a student. I think if teachers reminded students of that, anxiety about assessments could be reduced drastically.
Corynn Coleman
11th grade | Northwestern High School | Hyattsville, Maryland
Tests don’t define us
Fortunately, test anxiety has never been prominent in my educational journey. The first time I remember experiencing testing anxiety was in elementary school when I took my first state-mandated test in the third grade.
I rarely get test anxiety now, but when I do, it’s either because I’m unprepared for the test or because I know the test is going to be very difficult. I set very high standards for myself when it comes to my academics, so I want to do the best I can on these tests.
Tests don’t define student success or potential, and we should not encourage students to take test grades as a measure of their knowledge or worth. Getting a bad test grade is not the end of the world, and it doesn’t determine your academic capabilities. Undesirable grades can be a redirection, but they can also indicate that students need enhanced support or different learning strategies.
Additionally, it is imperative to acknowledge how crippling testing anxiety can be for students, especially those with learning disabilities or those who require additional support for success. Hopefully, one day we can veer away from using testing as a benchmark of student success and instead focus on different assessments that are inclusive to all learners.
Ivy Grace Smith
Freshman | The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Stress and overthinking
I have always experienced test anxiety. The thought of underperforming is always in the back of my mind when I am taking a test. Another problem I have is overthinking. I saw how this affected me when I got some test results back and saw that on one of my wrong answers, I had the right answer at first. But I started overthinking, and then I got the answer wrong.
When I took the ACT for the first time, I was so stressed out. I think everything about the environment just stressed me out to the point where I underperformed. The time limit was stressing me out the most because I was too worried about answering all the questions in time instead of just worrying about figuring out the answers. I think that teachers can help make sure students are prepared but also try their best to not make the testing environment so stressful and make sure the students know that everything will be okay.
Delaney Ohm
12th grade | Washington High School | Washington, Missouri
The testing environment
I personally do not experience test anxiety, but many of my close friends do. When we were getting prepared to take the SAT in high school, they were extremely anxious due to the environment not being very welcoming of their specific testing needs. I think that teachers can spend more time in classrooms talking about the SAT and what it will be like so that students are less afraid or less anxious walking into that exam.
Calvin Plante
Freshman | American University | Washington, D.C.
Too many questions, too little time
I experience frequent test anxiety. Every test or assessment I take, I get really anxious because I’m afraid I won’t do well or I don’t know what I’m doing.
This was a big problem while taking the ACT in my junior year. I think the time and the number of questions made me the most anxious. It’s hard to answer 60 math questions in only 60 minutes.
I think teachers could try to prepare us more, so we aren’t so anxious. They could try pre-tests, review guides, etc. This always makes me feel more prepared and not so nervous or anxious!
Bailey Hoover
12th grade | Lima Senior High School | Lima, Ohio
The dread of finals
As a student, I have always had test anxiety, especially when it comes to final exams. At my school, we take final exams at the end of first semester and at the end of second semester. These exams are a huge part of our grade, so it increases my anxiety. I could have a low B in a class, and if I take the final and don’t do well, now I have a C. I think it can be unfair for us to work hard all semester and then have a final test determining our final grade. Schools should offer extra help during these exams. I also think that teachers can do things such as make study guides, offer help, go over material from earlier in that semester, and just give advice.
Averie Paul
11th grade | Charleston High School | Charleston, Illinois
How to set the tone
I experience test anxiety when I know the test is going to be longer. For example, I got anxious about the SAT because it was a very long test, and the rules are very strict so I would have to ask the teacher for permission for anything I did. I think teachers can help reduce anxiety when reading the instructions by not making it seem so formal. They could make it feel more like they were just teaching a lesson in the classroom.
Amber Sanders
12th grade | Upper Merion Area High School | King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
This article appears in the Summer 2025 issue of Kappan, Vol. 106, No. 7-8, pp. 65-68.
