Third-grade students at Dommerich are learning about stretching, taking deep breaths, and imagining positive mental images to better prepare them for the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Testing – known as FCAT. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the FCAT and many Florida educators have learned that relaxation is important for not only for emotional health and well being of students, but also for performance.
Mary Commins, a third grade teacher wanted her students to feel comfortable while taking the FCAT this week. In order to help them remember some strategies they could use if they did begin to feel anxious, she asked them to make name tags including the acronym R.O.C.K. The letters of R.O.C.K. stand for Relaxing, Oxygen, Calm, and Kind. The acronym was introduced by certified yoga teacher, Vickie Reedy, who taught yoga poses and relaxation techniques at Dommerich to third-grade classes during the month of February.
Reedy wanted something students could remember and feel ownership in so she let them each choose a special rock and taught them to remember to R.O.C.K - relax, breathe oxygen, calm themselves, and use kind words before and during the test. Students will keep their rocks in their desks, knowing they are near to help remind them of these self-calming strategies. “By managing our breathing, we are able control our reactions to anxiety – this is critical in test-taking,” stresses Mrs. Reedy.
Sally Crumley, Dommerich CHILL Counselor, recommended students practice deep breathing by taking a deep breath slowly and quietly, without disturbing neighbors, holding the breath by counting slowly to five and releasing the breath slowing through the mouth. She also stressed the importance of teaching children to choose positive self talk during stressful times. “I’ve studied and I can do it!” is one phrase a child might employ to help them stay calm and problem-solve.
Rachel Stanakis, a third-grader, thinks she and her classmates are ready for the test. “We have been preparing for the test with lots of practice and we are going to do our best!”
Fellow student Chris Turo agrees, adding, “The yoga and breathing we learned are going to help us not get stressed-out and keep us calm.” Cody Davis echoed him saying he thought the deep breathing would help keep his mind clear and focused.
Mary Commins believes parents can help by reminding their children to practice some of these relaxation techniques at home and reviewing with their child the students’ circle maps made the week before FCATs. The children brainstormed together in class all the “Reasons Why I Will Be Successful on the FCAT’s” and made their own personal circle map on neon colored paper to keep for the test.
“The beautiful thing about our making this circle map was that within minutes of brainstorming it was filled with reasons like ‘We practice yoga stretching to get our brains working’, ‘We use everything we have learned from pre-k to 3rd grade’, ‘We have practiced lots of reading and math strategies everyday’, and ‘We use relaxing breathing to help us not get stressed’.
“Putting the children in a positive frame of mind gives them that boost they need to help each child be successful!”
Mary Commins, a third grade teacher wanted her students to feel comfortable while taking the FCAT this week. In order to help them remember some strategies they could use if they did begin to feel anxious, she asked them to make name tags including the acronym R.O.C.K. The letters of R.O.C.K. stand for Relaxing, Oxygen, Calm, and Kind. The acronym was introduced by certified yoga teacher, Vickie Reedy, who taught yoga poses and relaxation techniques at Dommerich to third-grade classes during the month of February.
Reedy wanted something students could remember and feel ownership in so she let them each choose a special rock and taught them to remember to R.O.C.K - relax, breathe oxygen, calm themselves, and use kind words before and during the test. Students will keep their rocks in their desks, knowing they are near to help remind them of these self-calming strategies. “By managing our breathing, we are able control our reactions to anxiety – this is critical in test-taking,” stresses Mrs. Reedy.
Sally Crumley, Dommerich CHILL Counselor, recommended students practice deep breathing by taking a deep breath slowly and quietly, without disturbing neighbors, holding the breath by counting slowly to five and releasing the breath slowing through the mouth. She also stressed the importance of teaching children to choose positive self talk during stressful times. “I’ve studied and I can do it!” is one phrase a child might employ to help them stay calm and problem-solve.
Rachel Stanakis, a third-grader, thinks she and her classmates are ready for the test. “We have been preparing for the test with lots of practice and we are going to do our best!”
Fellow student Chris Turo agrees, adding, “The yoga and breathing we learned are going to help us not get stressed-out and keep us calm.” Cody Davis echoed him saying he thought the deep breathing would help keep his mind clear and focused.
Mary Commins believes parents can help by reminding their children to practice some of these relaxation techniques at home and reviewing with their child the students’ circle maps made the week before FCATs. The children brainstormed together in class all the “Reasons Why I Will Be Successful on the FCAT’s” and made their own personal circle map on neon colored paper to keep for the test.
“The beautiful thing about our making this circle map was that within minutes of brainstorming it was filled with reasons like ‘We practice yoga stretching to get our brains working’, ‘We use everything we have learned from pre-k to 3rd grade’, ‘We have practiced lots of reading and math strategies everyday’, and ‘We use relaxing breathing to help us not get stressed’.
“Putting the children in a positive frame of mind gives them that boost they need to help each child be successful!”
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