Don’t Skip the Test
What we lose when we avoid the things that scare us
I’m subbing at a middle school when my co-teacher makes an announcement about the upcoming English Language Arts (ELA) tests. The New York State standardized exams are two days long, untimed, and often administered on a computer.
A girl raises her hand. She asks if she can skip the test if she gets her parents to write a note. The teacher doesn’t skip a beat—I get the sense she’s answered this a hundred times.
“Yes,” she says, nodding at the student. Then the teacher launches into a spiel about the importance of testing.
I think to myself: Yes? Wouldn’t a parent want to know how their child performs across reading, writing, listening, and language proficiency?
The seventh graders are barely paying attention when I decide to pipe up.
“It’s like competition—in sports, in anything,” I say. “Tests can help you learn how to perform under pressure. It’s a muscle that you build.”
A couple of girls burst into giggles. I realize I may have become suddenly animated in my excitement. The teacher turns to me with a surprised look on her face.
“That’s right, Ms. Catchatoorian.”
That moment stuck with me because I used to be the kid who dreaded tests more than anything. If I could’ve gotten out of them easily, I would’ve jumped at the chance. The very thought of an upcoming exam had me tossing and turning the night before, my stomach twisted in knots. I had to take my SATs twice, and I still don’t know how I got through them. Well, that’s partly true.
During my senior year of high school, I began picking at the cuticle on my right thumb. There were other factors going on at home, namely my parents’ constant bickering. For whatever reason, picking at my thumbnail became my way of coping with emotional pressure. Without fully realizing it, I’d pick the skin around my nail bloody. Afterwards, I’d slap on a Band-Aid and promise my mother I would stop. I wasn’t able to break the habit until my thirties.
Nowadays, many schools offer resources such as classes that teach students how to manage emotional stress. Specialized classrooms where they can take quizzes and tests in private, away from distractions like other kids. We didn’t have these supports in the ’80s. Had we, I probably could have saved myself a lot of Band-Aids, and heartache.
It took me several years into my young adult life before I felt somewhat grounded. From acting auditions to job interviews, to tech issues on a music stage, I learned how to navigate life’s thorny scenarios.
Stress is unavoidable. How we meet it is another story. And it’s in facing that fear—showing up despite our terror—that the real success lies. Not the grade, not the job offer, but the willingness to step forward anyway, time and time again.
Maybe that’s what those tests are really for. Not to measure young minds, but strengthen them.
***
Yes to this for me!