February 2016

Preparation for Standardized Assessments

Standardized assessments are inherently stressful for teachers, parents, and above all, students. It's important to remember that anxiety may hinder performance for the
test taker. Here are a few practical tips to help your child prepare for standardized assessments.

Take practice tests.

In addition to many state U.S. Department of Education websites, SBAC and PARCC offer practice tests that can be help to prepare students with understanding the
expectations including the content and mechanics. In Ontario, EQAO offers practice tests as well.

Promote positive attitudes.

Parents should promote positive attitudes about testing and help their child to feel prepared. Students need to take the tests seriously and be strategic, but also feel
confident and prepared.

Discuss the last few minutes.

Sometimes kids finish the test early. It's important to discuss that this is a good opportunity to double check and verify their answers for accuracy.

Eat well, exercise and rest.

In the weeks leading up to test time it is imperative for students to have adequate sleep (eight hours is recommended), eat balanced meals, drink plenty of water, and
get exercise. Foods high in protein and water help to stimulate the brain. Water along with exercise such as stretching and walking help to supply the brain with oxygen.
Eating a healthy breakfast before coming to school, particularly on the day of the test, gives the body the fuel it needs to maintain long periods of concentration.

Plan enjoyable and relaxing activities.

Trying to squeeze a little more preparation in immediately before the test is unadvisable because it can lead to feeling overwhelmed. Studying the day before or day of
the test leads to increased anxiety and should be avoided. Instead, plan enjoyable activities to feel relaxed and ready.

Kumon Success Story: Astrid and Madeleine Catz

Astrid and Madeline are identical twins from Toronto who started Kumon Math when they were nine years old. Their starting points placed them into a basic addition
level, and they continued Kumon study through high school. They completed Level L, which covers topics such as logarithms and calculus, and Level M, which includes
trigonometric functions and analytic geometry. Both girls were honor roll students throughout all four years of H.S. and received the Ontario Scholar award upon
graduation.

Astrid: Kumon taught me to stay motivated, not give up, and to set goals for myself. I learned to love math at Kumon. When I'm learning math in my classes, I say, 'I
think I remember this!' It really helps.

Madeline: Kumon was a great learning experience. I would recommend anyone to go [to Kumon]. It builds you up, and you think, 'I can do this.' It was really great,
especially when we got to high school, because we knew the stuff we were learning in our math courses already. So, it kind of built our confidence. We realized, 'Oh we
can do this!' We love applying our knowledge to real live projects, the buildings, the roads, everything around us.

The young ladies are finishing their fourth year in the Civil Engineering Program at Ryerson University in Toronto. In addition to managing rigorous school schedules,
Astrid is the finance and logistics chair for the Ryerson Engineering Competition Committee. Madeleine is a member of the Ryerson Engineering Student Society Event
Planning Committee and part of the Shinerama Committee that fundraises for Cystic Fibrosis at Ryerson. Both Astrid and Madeleine work on Saturdays as assistants at
the Kumon Center they attended as students and plan to start their own civil engineering firm after graduation.

To hear more about their Kumon journey, go to http://www.kumon.com/resources/success-stories/.

Recommended Reading List - Book of the Month

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
RRL G, for readers in 7th grade

A Wrinkle in Time is a science fiction book about the importance of love between parents and children as well as
between siblings. Many children will be able to relate to the family dynamics. Readers may also relate to Meg's feelings of
being different from everyone she knows, which cause her to feel self-conscious and awkward with both her peers and
her family. Eventually she grows to understand her family and friends better and to embrace her uniqueness. This is a
lesson from which all children can benefit.

JANE HU 510-522-2228 kumon.com/alameda-ca

janehu@ikumon.com Alameda