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Our team of school counselors will need to collaborate with the second-fourth grade teachers, principal, and parents to determine if the test anxiety group is the best thing for each student.

We will provide a pre-screening interview with a Likert scale questionnaire to the students to see how their anxiety affects them academically and socially.

Our team will ask the following questions to determine if the group will be the proper intervention for each student. (Nist & Diehl, 1990).

On a scale of 1-5, with 1 (strongly disagree), 3 being neutral, and 5 (strongly agree), how do the statements below show how anxiety or stress affects you?

1. I have a lot of friends and family who help me when I am stressed.

2. Tests never bother me.

3. I understand how to calm down when I panic.

4. I make healthy choices when I am anxious.

5. I remember information when I take a test.

6. I have sweaty hands and butterflies in my tummy before I take a test.

7. My mind goes blank during a test or assignment.

8. I make mistakes during a test or assignment.

9. Studying comes easily to me.

10. I have trouble choosing answers.

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Opening

The opening activity is saying our highs and lows of the week.

Synopsis of each activity

Motivational videos: We can show students YouTube videos about meditation and how to cope with stress, and afterwards, we can have a poster activity. The mindfulness videos will be fresh in their mind the day before the test, which is likely the time in which they will feel most nervous. The video above, 5 tips for coping with test anxiety by mylemarks, talks three main things. 1) What is test anxiety? 2) How can it affect you? 3) What can you do about it.

Motivational posters: Students can create posters for each other that have motivational phrases like “you can do this” and “you got this”. The day of the test, we can put up posters all over the classroom walls so students can feel encouraged by each other's phrases. Having words of encouragement can build up the students’ confidence. Confidentcounselors.com is a website that has many activities and ideas that can help children with testing anxiety. This activity would be helpful before the conclusion because students are getting mentally prepared for their test. Students are making motivational posters for each other, so they already had a chance to get to know each other. Also, in the working stage, “the group atmosphere has changed to one of cohesiveness, unity, and self-reliance. The goals of the members now approach those of the therapist. There is an atmosphere in group x of wanting to help one another because the members see the advantage of mutual aid. (Johnson, 1963).” This means that in the working stage, students will be more likely to want to motivate each other. Because they are motivating each other with posters, these posters would be most helpful close to when the test is being taken.

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5 Tips for Coping with Test Anxiety (for kids!)

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Opening the session:

We will talk about our highs and lows from the last session.

Discussion: What are some tools we can use to help fight test anxiety?

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Opening the Session:

We will talk about our highs and lows from the last session.

Discussion: Besides test anxiety, what else can we be anxious about?

Video: Managing Worry and Anxiety for Kids by Flocabulary

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While viewing elementraryschoolcounseling.org, various activities help students in small group counseling with testing anxiety. However, the activity that stood out the most was creating positive solution shields!

These shields will help students identify positive solutions that should help when their anxiety starts to brew. For example, the students can write any positive result, such as fidget toys to keep calm, a healthy support system (parents, teachers, friends, etc.), and tips to settle anxiety when it overshadows their ability to test well.

According to Corey, Corey, and Corey, “members begin to express reactions and perceptions that they have been aware of but have kept to themselves,” (Corey, Corey, & Corey, 2018, pg. 280). Because students have a fear to self-disclose how their anxiety affects them, the positive solution shields are perfect for the transitional stage (session five).

In addition, doing the activity and discussing why these tips work will show the students they have more options and are more robust than they realized.

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Students struggle to express their emotions when they do not understand how they feel.

In addition, because students have difficulty expressing their emotions, they may not have control over them either. According to Gagne, Liew, & Nwadinobi (2021), “younger children fall in the ‘hot’ stage of emotional regulation, which means that they have an emotional, impulsive, and reactive way of expressing their emotions” (pg. 3).

Because of impulsivity, the second-fourth grade age group tends to act on their feelings without recognizing what it means to be feeling that way.

An activity that can help identify emotional regulation would be to create emotional strength testers! Before making the emotional strength testers, students will look at the Flocabulary video on managing their anxiety. Watching the video will help discuss why students should understand how their emotions cause an anxious reaction.

Once the discussion is over, students will work to identify emotions they constantly feel during test taking or when completing an assignment. The bell will come first, and the clothespin will slide up or down where the students identify they are on the scale. The emotional testers will have six rungs total, with the first rung panic mode, the third rung worry mode, and the sixth rung happy mode. The second rung will be fear mode, the fourth rung will be concerned mode, and the fifth mode will be chill.

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Goals/Objectives of the activities:

Motivational videos: Students can learn different ways to cope with stress and anxiety.

Motivational posters: Students can help each other and motivate each other on the day of the test.

ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors

M. 2. Self-confidence in ability to succeed

M. 5. Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and outcomes

B-SMS 7. Demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem

B-SS 2. Create positive and supportive relationships with other students

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Activity Goals include:

Students will figure out how much their testing anxiety impacts their lives.

Students will find tips that align with the resources they currently have.

Students will discuss the hindrance of their testing anxiety and reactions they commonly face.

Students will create positive solution shields to show their inner strength and options within their group's reach.

Process Questions include:

How can this activity help with your testing anxiety?

What questions can we ask our support systems when we get nervous?

When we freeze in the middle of a test, what positive solution can we grab from our shields to help?

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When kids struggle, they fear speaking out for help. When the students see other members of their community struggle or have the same problem, they are more likely to ask for assistance.

A positive shield that protects them, not from failing but from their struggles, can work as a weapon when they take their tests.

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Mindsets and Behaviors that align with this group activity include the following:

M 1. Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional, and physical well-being

M 2. Sense of acceptance, respect, support, and inclusion for self and others in the school environment

M 3. Positive attitude toward work and learning

M 4. Self-confidence in ability to succeed

M 5. Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and outcomes

B-LS 4. Self-motivation and self- direction for learning

B-LS 8. Engagement in challenging coursework

B-SMS 7. Effective coping skills

B-SMS 10. Ability to manage transitions and adapt to change

B-SS 2. Positive, respectful, and supportive relationships with students who are similar to and different from them

B-SS 3. Positive relationships with adults to support success

B-SS 8. Advocacy skills for self and others and ability to assert self, when necessary

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Providing an exit ticket can give feedback about the group discussion and insight into whether the activities need improvement next time.

The exit ticket will ask additional questions regarding if they believe the positive solution shields would work for them during times of stress.

What solution on the shield are you most likely to use this week?

How can you help your peers out before a test begins?

Was this activity helpful to your anxiety? Why or why not?

If you fear speaking out, what step can you use to ask for help that we discussed today?

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Topic: Your squishy buddy can help calm you down!

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Topic: Your squishy buddy can help calm you down!

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Opening the session:
* We will talk about our highs and lows from the last session.
Discussion:
* How can we use our squishy buddy to calm us down during our test?
* How did we feel after meeting with our group for the first session and how did that make you feel?

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Considerations (for activities)

Motivational videos: Some students may get distracted while watching videos. The students might also not relate to the videos.

Motivational posters: Some students may not try while making posters and some may not feel close to other students enough to try to motivate them. This is partly because this session is part of the working stage. The textbook, Groups: Process and Practice by Corey, Corey, and Corey describe the working stage as the stage in which group members form deeper bonds with one another and deal with many issues. For example, “Some members may close off and withdraw because intensive work threatens them (pg. 285)”.

Closing:
Our closing is what we learned from the activities and what we take away from each other's motivational posters.

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Opening:

Students will play Beach Ball Bash. Everyone will get a chance to throw and catch the ball. When someone catches the ball, they must answer a question about themselves. Examples are: What is your favorite ice cream flavor? What is your favorite restaurant? Where is your favorite place to visit? If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be? After they answer a question, they can throw the animal to anyone they’d like.

Synopsis of activities:

Students will receive test-taking tips that could help them on the day of their exam.

Answer the easiest questions first, mark difficult questions and return to them later

Use process of elimination, crossing out the answer choices you know are wrong

Make an educated guess when needed

Read all the answer choices before choosing one

If penalized for incorrect answers, don’t guess unless you can eliminate some answer choices

If you aren't penalized for incorrect answers, don’t leave any questions blank. If time is about to run out, bubble something for each unanswered question

Biglifejournal.com has an activity called “Affirmation Bracelets”. In this activity, students will create bracelets for themselves and others, if they finish quickly, for them to wear on the day of the test to help them motivate themselves. These bracelets will have an affirmation written on them, such as “I will stay calm,” “I am well-prepared,” “I will think positively” and “I will stay focused.”

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Goals/Objectives:

Test taking tips will help students feel more confident about taking tests by giving them logical tools they can use while taking the tests.

The affirmation activity will boost their self confidence when they take tests by making them feel more positive about their test taking mentality.

ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors

M 3. Positive attitude toward work and learning

M 4. Self-confidence in ability to succeed

B-LS 4. Self-motivation and self- direction

for learning

Considerations:

A student might not find an affirmation that could fit them.

There could be cultural differences in how students interpret test-taking processes.

Conclusion:

Students will share what they wrote on their affirmation bracelet.

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Opening:

Feeling check-ins, describe how you’re feeling in one word. Examples: happy, disappointed, nervous, excited, sad. We are getting ready to say goodbye as the session closes so some emotions may come up. Like the image above, the word "breathe" is a reminder that we need to take a step back and just take a deep breath.

Activity:

Mrsbellthecraftycounselor.com has a great end-of-session activity called “Snowball Fight”. Each student writes three things they have learned from the group on a piece of paper. They will crush the paper into a ball and will throw it up to the center of the room. Each student will take turns opening and reading each other’s papers. This closure activity is an activity that will help check for understanding from the students and will help highlight key information students gained. It will help students link together ideas and the skills they all learned. It will help the group reflect how they will transfer the skills they learned to their future situations.

Discussion:

As a group, we will take turns answering the following questions:

Was this group experience what you thought it would be?

How did your feelings about this group change as the weeks went on?

Which week or topic was the hardest for you?

Which week or topic was the least difficult for you?

What surprised you the most about other group members?

What was the most significant thing you learned about managing stress?

What is the most powerful way in which you have grown throughout the sessions?

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Objectives:

Students will learn what they have in common.

Students will explore their own experiences.

Students will understand how time can stimulate growth and it could encourage meaningful and successful relationships with others.

American School Counseling Association (ASCA) Mindset and Behavior Standards:

M. 1. Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/ emotional and physical well-being.

B-SS. 2. Create positive and supportive relationships with other students.

B-SS. 3. Create relationships with adults that support success

Conclusion:

Encourage students to reach out to each other and their support systems. Let them know that you are their counselor and you are available for them if they feel like they need further support.

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Hi Everyone,
Welcome to our group! We will be meeting for 10 sessions. First I want to introduce ourselves,
I'm Ms.Kristen and I will teaching and working with you in sessions 2 and 3. Next, Ms. Taylor will be working with you in sessions 4 and 5. Then, Ms. Claudia will be working with in sessions 6 and 7.
Also, we will meet at 3:30 in Ms. Brown classroom, two times weekly.

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The activity is called squishy buddy.Then you will ask them how they feel when they take a test and talk about how to face their own feelings. When testing time comes around, pass out their squishy buddies and have them take deep breaths to calm their nerves. During the test, allow the children to have their squishy buddies on their desks, to use it as a positive reminder. Make sure after the exam is over, take the squishy buddies and use it on exams only.  The main reason I chose this activity is to help the children to calm down and do something productive to encourage them to be positive about an exam.

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Goals for the session and process questions

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Goals for the session and process questions

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GOALS:
1.  To have the squishy buddy near them for a test, this will help them to remain calm.
2. Taking deep breaths and having their squishy buddy near them, will create less stress for them.
3. Using it during exams, can allow them to feel safe and relaxed when they see their squishy buddy.

PROCESS QUESTIONS?

1. What ways can you use this rock to be more positive in your testing anxiety.

2. How do you feel when painting this rock?

3. What are some ways that testing anxiety makes you feel sad?

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ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors

M.1. Apply self-motivation and self direction for learning.

M.2. Demonstrate ability to work independently.

M.3. Self-confidence in ability to succeed.

M.4. Demonstrate critical thinking skills to make informed decisions.

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Students will share how their squishy buddy makes them feel before and after the test. What is their favorite thing about their squishy buddy.

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This activity will allow us to introduce ourselves and get to know each other.  There will be a set of questions and lets go have some fun.
1. What is your name?
2. What grade are you in?
3. What is your favorite subject?
4. What is your favorite?
5. What's one thing you wish to do over the summer?

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GOALS:
1. Be able to introduce yourself and feel comfortable.
2. Work together to answer the questions and be open to conversation more.
3. Learn and participate in a group with other age and grades.

PROCESS QUESTIONS:
1. How did the questions, make you feel?
2. How did you like this activity?
3. Is there anything that you would change or fix?

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B-SMS 5. Perseverance to achieve long and short-term goals
B-SS 7. Leadership and teamwork skills to
work effectively in diverse groups
B-LS 4. Self-motivation and self- direction
for learning

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Students will share how they liked working with others and how those questions made them feel. Also, what they like and dislike about the group.

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Opening the session:
* We will talk about our highs and lows from the last session.
* How will drawing bubbles help our testing anxiety?
* What was our favorite thing about last group's session?
* How do you feel about today's session?

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The students will wear a blindfold and will fill in the bubbles on a pretest sheet. This will be done right before a test with child, to help to calms their nerves. This will help the child to feel better about testing and it will be a fun activity to do with your their peers.

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GOALS:
1. Fill in bubbles on a pretest to, create less stress and fun.
2. Being near a friend and drawing the bubbles, will be a creative way to interact with a pretest.
3. Use this activity, when you about to take a test.

PROCESS QUESTIONS:
1. In what ways, will filling in the bubbles, help you to increase you feeling relaxed?
2. How will this activity, help you in the long run?
3. Does this activity, make you feel happy and enjoyed?

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M 4. Self confidence in ability to succeed
M 3. Positive attitude toward work and learning
B-LS 4. Self motivation and self-direction for learning
B-LS 8. Engagement in challenging coursework

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Student will share how the bubbles and blindfold activity made them feel before taking their big exam. Also, what was their favorite part of this activity.

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The essential goal of the Likert Questionnaire is to determine which students would benefit from a test anxiety group.

Using the Likert Questionnaire, the teachers, parents, and our team can collaborate (based on their student(s) on how this group could benefit them.

Teachers will cross-reference the results from the questionnaire based on student work. By doing this, our team can figure out if the group works best for each candidate.

Once the findings are clear, the team will follow up with parents with informed consent if the student is the right candidate based on the recommendations from the teachers.

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Emotion Tester Created by: Taylor Burton 

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The overall goal of the activity is that all six modes will help the students put their feelings into words to identify when they are anxious. Once the students can identify their emotions, they can use the coping skills learned thus far to keep them at the top of the emotional tester!

Process questions include:

How can we calm ourselves down when stuck in a specific mode?

There are a lot of things we can be anxious about. What does that look like when completing assignments that count towards a grade?

What fears do we have if we get scared or anxious?

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The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Mindsets and Behaviors that align with this group activity include the following: (ASCA, 2019).

M 1. Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional, and physical well-being

M 3. Positive attitude toward work and learning

M 4. Self-confidence in ability to succeed

M 5. Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and outcomes

B-LS 4. Self-motivation and self-direction for learning

B-SMS 2. Self-discipline and self-control

B-SMS 5. Perseverance to achieve long and short-term goals

B-SMS 6. Ability to identify and overcome barriers

B-SMS 7. Effective coping skills

B-SS 9. Social maturity and behaviors appropriate to the situation and environment

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An exit ticket would provide feedback so that students can give feedback about the group discussion and insight into whether the activities need improvement next time.

The exit ticket will ask additional questions regarding whether the students believe the emotion tester activity can help identify how they feel in the moment.

Based on the modes on the emotion tester, which emotion do you feel you spend the most time in and why?

How can you ask your support system for help when you are anxious?

Was this activity helpful to your testing anxiety? Why or why not?

How is this activity helpful for controlling your emotions, and how can we use it to identify our feelings better?

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1. How do members transition from one stage to the next?

1. Members transition from one stage to the next by showing they are progressing through the group. If teachers report that they are not applying the interventions or still struggling, our team will need to reevaluate if a more significant intervention needs to be implemented. In addition, we would need to check with the student at 1:1 to see if they need anything else from us as counselors.

2. What types of activities would be helpful to implement to help create greater connections and trust among members?

1. Types of activities that would create more significant connections and trust among members would be activities towards social support, coping skills, emotional identification, and motivation work which we include in each session.

3. What activities are significant for this specific age group and group topic?

1. The significant activities for second fourth-graders and testing anxiety include videos, arts, crafts, and discussions that tailor toward what it means to be anxious.

2. Furthermore, the activities help identify the feeling of anxiousness during tests and assignments and how students can use interventions to give them a leg up regarding academic success and growth.

4. How does diversity impact your planning and preparation for this group?

1. Diversity impacts our planning and preparation for the group because we understand that everyone comes from a different background when handling stress. Therefore, creating various activities will help determine what methods work best for each student in the group.

5. Include details on how activities and sessions are processed and closed.

1. Activities and sessions are processed and closed using discussions, how they make the group feel, and exit tickets that give our team feedback to prepare for the next session.

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American School Counselor Association (ASCA). (2020). ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success. ASCA. Retrieved from: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/Standards-Positions/Standards/ASCA-Mindsets-Behaviors-for-Student-Success

Bell, A. (2021). 20 Closure activities. Mrs. Bell The Crafty Counselor. Retrieved from: https://mrsbellthecraftycounselor.com/2019/09/closure-activities/

Biglifejournal.com. (n.d.). 5 tips to reduce test anxiety in children. Big Life Journal. Retrieved from:  https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/tips-reduce-test-anxiety-children

Confidentcounselors. (2019). Test anxiety: Activities and ideas that help. Confident Counselors. Retrieved from: https://confidentcounselors.com/2019/03/14/test-anxiety-activities/

Corey, M. S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2018). Groups: Process and practice (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Flocabulary. (2017). Managing Worry and Anxiety for Kids. [Video] Youtube. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7g8Atv27Q8

Gagne, R., J., Liew, J., Nwadinobi, K., O. (2021). How does the broader construct of self-regulation relate to emotion regulation in young children? Developmental Review. 60, 1-7. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2021.100965

Johnson, J. A., Jr. (1963). The dynamics of group therapy. In Group therapy: A practical approach. (pp. 53–81). Blakiston Division/McGraw-Hill Book Company. https://doi.org/10.1037/14326-003

Mylemarks. (2019). 5 tips for coping with test anxiety (for kids!). [Video] YouTube. Retrieved from:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDYx9qM_ygg

Nist & Diehl. (1990). Test Anxiety Questionnaire. [PDF]. Retrieved from: https://www.ccsu.edu/pas/files/sss/LESSON_5_-_TEST_ANXIETY_QUESTIONNAIRE.pdf

Rex, M. (2017). Test Anxiety. Elementary School Counseling. Retrieved from: http://www.elementaryschoolcounseling.org/test-anxiety.html