Testing Time: Let’s Talk MAP and I-Ready! 📝✨

Hey Crane families!

It’s that time of year again, our K-6 students will soon be taking their MAP and i-Ready assessments. These tests help us get a clearer picture of where our students are academically and how we can best support their learning.

🧠 So… what are these tests all about?

MAP (Missouri Assessment Program) is the state assessment designed to measure how well students are meeting Missouri Learning Standards. It covers core subjects’ English language arts, math, and science. Students in grades 3-6 will be tests on both English language arts and Math. Grade 5 students will also be tested on science.
i-Ready Diagnostic is a tool we use to track academic growth in reading and math for students in kindergarten through 6th grade. This assessment helps teachers personalize instruction by identifying students’ strengths and areas for growth.

Both of these assessments give us valuable insights into student learning and help guide instruction, interventions, and classroom/school planning (Black & Wiliam, 2018).

📅 When are the tests happening?

Your child’s teacher will share specific dates, but testing will begin soon (stay tuned to class newsletters and school updates on the Crane Rooms APP). We spread testing out to avoid overload and keep things low-stress.

💡 How you can help your student be ready:

Here are a few easy, helpful things you can do at home:

Make sure they get a good night’s sleep the night before (it really does help!).
Eat a good breakfast in the morning, fuel the brain!
Encourage a positive mindset. Remind them that this is just one way to show what they’ve learned. Progress over perfection!
Avoid scheduling appointments during testing times, if possible.

😬 What if my child feels anxious?

This happens. A lot of kids feel a little nervous during testing, especially if they’re putting pressure on themselves. Here’s how you can help:

Normalize it. “It’s okay to feel a little nervous. Just try your best!”
Reassure them. Let them know that this test helps teachers understand how to help them, not judge them.
Practice calming strategies. Deep breathing, stretching, or squeezing a stress ball can help.
Celebrate effort, not scores. Focus on how hard they worked and how much they’ve learned.

🧠 Extra Support: When It’s More Than Just a Little Nervousness

While it’s totally normal for kids to feel a few butterflies before a big test, sometimes those feelings can become overwhelming, and that’s okay too. If your child is showing signs of persistent or intense anxiety prior to testing, here are a few things to watch for and ways we can work together:

🚩 Signs it might be more than typical test stress:

Trouble sleeping several nights in a row
Frequent stomachaches or headaches before school
Tearfulness, meltdowns, or refusal to go to school on testing days
Negative self-talk (like “I’m dumb” or “I’ll fail anyway”)
Trouble concentrating or racing thoughts

These can be signs of test anxiety, which is fairly common in children and can impact their academic performance and emotional well-being if not addressed (Suldo et al., 2014).

💛 How you can support your child:

Validate their feelings. Let them know it’s okay to feel this way and they’re not alone. Try saying: “It sounds like this is really worrying you. That’s okay, many feel this way. Let’s figure it out together.”
Focus on effort over outcome. Reassure them that growth is the goal, not perfection.
Use calming techniques together. Try things like:
- Deep breathing (“Smell the flower, blow out the candle”)
- Progressive muscle relaxation (tense and release)
- Positive self-talk or mantras: “I can do hard things.” “I’m doing my best and that’s enough.”
Keep routines predictable leading up to test days. This includes sleep, meals, and even downtime.

👩‍🏫 How I can help:

If your child is experiencing ongoing anxiety around testing (or school in general), please don’t hesitate to reach out. I can:

Check in with your child at school
Teach them simple coping tools
Work with teachers to make sure they feel supported during testing
Partner with you to come up with a plan that works at home and school

You’re not alone in this, and neither is your child. We’re a team, and I’m here to support you both 💛

Cheering them (and you) on,
Kayla Glossip
Crane Elementary Counselor

References:

Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2018). Classroom assessment and pedagogy. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 25(6), 551–575. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2018.1441807

Suldo, S. M., Shaunessy-Dedrick, E., Fefer, S. A., & Ferron, J. (2014). Development and initial validation of the Student Academic Stress Scale. Journal of School Psychology, 52(5), 339–358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2014.05.003