| Admittedly, I am a slow reader. At a young age I would find myself reading an entire page only to read it again. Nearly every book I have read, even as an adult, I will have to reread several pages. It’s not that I don’t understand what I am reading, it’s typically because something like this will occur: I will read the word “birthday” and as I continue reading I will simultaneously be thinking about whose birthday I’m forgetting that month, whose birthday is coming up and what I should get them. Before I know it, I have no idea what is happening in the story, and realize I haven’t retained anything I have just read. Needless to say, I am easily distracted. In high school, when it came time to prep for the SATs and ACTs, I knew the section I was dreading; reading! In the reading section you only have 35 minutes to read 4 passages and answer comprehensive questions. If they gave me an hour, I would have aced the section. But I was sitting in a room with about 30 of my peers and we all thought this test could potentially determine the next four years of our lives. No pressure. I was surrounded by stress, and a large ticking clock. I had too many reasons to be distracted, consequently, my ACT score certainly wasn’t anything to brag about! Nonetheless, I made it to college and received a Bachelor of Science. However, if it wasn’t for my philosophy professor agreeing to let me take his final in a quiet room, I don’t think I would have passed his class to graduate in four years. The test required too much reading! Many of us have experienced anxieties about test-taking or live with learning disabilities. Many of you have children who will face the challenge as well. Please read this week’s communication for tips to ease the tension of test-taking. |
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