Well, we’ve made it to Spring Test Season ’16! Students, teachers, administrators and parents experience this part of the school year in many different ways, but most would agree that it can be a high-pressure moment in our educational lives. We all know about getting enough sleep, eating a good breakfast, and having our lucky socks and pencils on those upcoming test days, but what are some other ways we can prepare our brains and bodies to set ourselves up for success?
Practicing a bit of mindfulness at different points before and during the testing sessions can help us feel more calm and grounded, both good states to be in when we’re asking our brain to perform at high levels. What is mindfulness? How about a definition from a leading expert on it, Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn:
Notice the words “paying attention” and “non-judgementally” in particular. The term ‘mindfulness’ is thrown around quite a bit these days, and often people think that it means working hard to make one’s brain completely empty and free of thoughts–if your brain isn’t perfectly clear and empty, you’re not doing it right! This is simply not true, however; our brains are wired to think all the time. Practicing mindfulness is learning to pay attention non-judgementally to all those thoughts, giving us some space and perspective to really notice and honor them. Here’s an example of a simple mindfulness practice that can help us pay attention to our thoughts before or during a stressful testing situation…when we feel our bodies getting nervous and our brains buzzing with anxiety, try this strategy:
Describe 5 things you see in the room/area. (“The walls are light blue.” or “The trees outside the window are green and lush.”)
Name 4 things you can feel. (“My feet in my shoes, and my shoes on the floor.” or “The air in my nose.”)
Name 3 things you can hear. (“Traffic on the highway.” or “My own soft breathing.”)
Name 2 things you can smell. (“New pencil smell.” or “fabric softener.” Or remember 2 smells you really like.)
Name 1 good thing about yourself. (“I’m a thoughtful friend.” or “I’m feeling stressed, but I’m handling it.”)
Doing an exercise like this can help us take a step back from our buzzing brain, bring us back to the present moment, and allow us to gently observe and name our feelings. If we’re feeling a measure of panic or powerlessness due to test anxiety, being able to say “wow, I’m feeling pretty stressed! I can take a moment to remember where I am right now and give my brain a break” can help us back into the thinking, logical, frontal part of our brains and out of our fear-feeling amygdala and mid-brain. The strong feelings coming from our amygdala during stressful situations can help keep us safely out of physical and emotional danger, but it’s not the best place to stay when we’re trying to get our brains to work logically!
One of the best, simplest ways to come back to the present moment and pay attention non-judgementally to our thoughts is to intentionally notice our breathing. Here is a basic breathing exercise adapted from Calm Classroom:
Sit up straight and comfortably in your chair. Rest your hands on your desk or in your lap. Close your eyes. Feel your feet flat on the floor. Relax your shoulders back and down. Let your whole body be still.
Feel the air moving in and out of your nose. [wait 10 seconds]
Remember, when you breathe in, you will fill your lungs completely. Make each breath slow, smooth, and deep.
Now, breathe in for a count of 1….2….3….hold. Breathe out for a count of 3…2…1…hold.
Breathe in for a count of 1….2….3….hold. Breathe out for a count of 3…2…1…hold.
Breathe in for a count of 1….2….3….hold. Breathe out for a count of 3…2…1…hold.
Breathe in for a count of 1….2….3….hold. Breathe out for a count of 3…2…1…hold.
Now breathe normally and relax. Feel the air moving in and out of your nose. [wait 20 -30 seconds]
Now, take a deep breath in, hold and exhale slowly.
Notice how you feel. [wait 10 seconds]
Slowly open your eyes.
The beauty of exercises like these is that they require no special preparation, space or equipment; they are tools at our disposal any time we need them, and they are highly effective at inviting our brains back into a calm, logical space. For a special treat, however, definitely check out Calm.com for some peaceful sounds and visuals anytime you have access to a mobile device or computer with the internet!
Even though testing time can be a stressful time in school, practicing a little mindfulness can help us all get through it with a little more awareness and self-compassion. Take good care of those brains and bodies, Austin ISD SEL fans!
AISD Social and Emotional Learning 