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Fall 2006 Newsletter

School has started again, which means standardized testing will be administered for many students. Many school districts administer standardized achievement tests annually. These are formal tests, which measure, through the use of norms, how well your child has mastered selected skills in comparison with other children of the same age or in the same grade across the country. These tests offer a gauge or yardstick of your child's performance.

As a parent, you can help your child prepare for standardized tests and reduce "test anxiety" by understanding the different types of tests and how they are administered.

At The Petersen Academic Group, we offer individualized, one-on-one test taking strategies and preparation to help your child feel confident when it comes time for he or she to take a standardized test. We also administer the SSAT test "Secondary School Achievement Test" at our location.

Things you can do to help your child prepare for standardized tests:

  1. Sign your child up ahead of the testing date for the test prep course offered at The Petersen Academic Group. Tutorials are one-on-one, and structured to meet the individual needs of your child. You can do this by going to the tutorial registration page.

  2. Relieve "test anxiety" by talking with your child ahead of time.

  3. Remind your child that it is crucial to listen and follow directions.

  4. On the night before the test is given, make sure your child goes to bed early enough to get a good nights rest. See that your child has a good breakfast in the morning.

  5. Even if your child isn't taking a "standardized" test at this time, you can still encourage him or her to learn good study skill habits now, which will help to prepare him or her for future academic challenges. Our 8-week Harvard Study Skill course is one good way to achieve this.