IOWA Testing Tips for Parents

Every year, students in Catholic Schools within the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and school districts across the country participate in the Iowa Assessments, which is a written assessment given to students in grades 1-8 at Christ the Redeemer Catholic School.  This year, testing will take place April 19-30.

At CtRCS, we also give the CoGAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) in even grades 1-8. This assessment data, in combination with valuable data points collected throughout the year from teachers and our Star 360 assessments, helps our school track student growth and achievement. No one data point or assessment can tell the whole "academic story" for a student; rather it’s the combination of all data points that help our teachers determine what areas students are excelling and what areas students need additional help in order to meet achievement goals.

Students in 1st through 8th grades will be taking the Iowa Assessments/CoGAT the weeks of April 19 and 26. Testing will last approximately 1.5 hours each morning. However, first and second graders will not be timed.

Here are a handful of well-being tips families may consider in helping students feel prepared, confident, and ready to do their best.

Well-Being Tips for Students Participating in the Iowa/CogAT Assessments

Encouragement
Help your children start the day with words of encouragement to do their best, show what they know, and that you believe in them. As adults, we may think children hear words of encouragement much more often than we did growing up, but this is not always the case. Your heartfelt words of encouragement may be even more powerful than you think.

Laugh/Joy
Share with your children a funny memory or joyful experience you’ve shared together and have them add their own perspective and share their memories of the experience. This could be a two-minute moment you share together in the morning recalling a happy time. Research has shown, “a quick burst of positive emotions doesn’t just broaden our cognitive capacity; it also provides a quick and powerful antidote to stress and anxiety, which in turn improves our focus and our ability to function at our best level.” (As shared by Shawn Achor, Harvard graduate, lecturer, global consultant to Google, Facebook, and hundreds of companies worldwide, and author of "The Happiness Advantage.")  

Sleep
According to the National Sleep Foundation, children between the ages of 6 and 13 function best (health, performance and safety) after nine to 11 hours of sleep per night; children between the ages of 14 and 17 function best (health, performance and safety) after eight to 10 hours of sleep per night. (In case you’re curious, seven to nine hours is the recommendation for adults ages 18 to 64!) Consider adjusting bedtime routines if needed to help children feel rested.

Meaning
Create greater meaning for the Iowa Assessments by sharing how they help measure student growth and progress from year to year as well as help teachers identify a student’s strengths and identify areas that may need additional emphasis, both for individual students and our school and its curriculum.

Breakfast
First and foremost—don’t skip breakfast. We know that mornings can be hectic as families get ready for the day and try and get out the door on time. If fruit is part of your breakfast, consider slicing the fruit the night before and keeping in the fridge, or if oatmeal, toast, or eggs are part of your breakfast, consider setting out the oatmeal and a bowl or the toaster and frying pan to help be prepared for making breakfast.

Layers
Too warm? Too cool? We know how room and body temperatures fluctuate so be sure your children dress in layers (short or long sleeve shirt layered with a sweater/sweatshirt). Help them to know to take off a layer if they’re feeling too warm and put on a layer if they’re feeling chilly.

Breathe
We tend to hold our breath when we begin feeling anxious or stressed. Remind your children to take several deep breaths before, during and after completing each assessment. Deep breaths can help wake us up, relax us or help us to feel more balanced.