1. Mr. Smarty Parks Speaks…and SMART Students Listen SMART Test Taking Tips Preparing a positive attitude is the best way to prepare for the TAKS test. But a few SMART Test Taking Tips can never hurt. BE SMART about taking tests.

2. Mr. Smarty Parks Speaks…and SMART Students Listen The Night Before the Test Everybody knows to get a good nights sleep, but don’t go to bed so early that you lay awake worrying. You may want to lay out your clothes for the morning, put your backpack by the door, and check your alarm, But DON’T STUDY!

3. Mr. Smarty Parks Speaks…and SMART Students Listen DON’T STUDY – RELAX The best way to prepare for the test is NOT TO STUDY, but to RELAX – play outside, watch a funny movie, take a bubble bath, whatever works for you. Try RELAXING. You will be ready to put forth your best effort at test time if you relax.

4. Mr. Smarty Parks Speaks…and SMART Students Listen Your teachers have prepared you. The TAKS tests what you have learned all year. If you don’t know it by now you’re probably not going to learn it tonight. Last minute cramming won’t help and it makes you nervous. TRUST YOUR TEACHERS!

5. Mr. Smarty Parks Speaks…and SMART Students Listen The Morning of the Test It helps to eat a good breakfast but don’t load up on sweets or caffeine. Most importantly, think of what you will do to reward yourself after you get home from school. Do something FUN for doing your best on the test.

6. Mr. Smarty Parks Speaks…and SMART Students Listen Pace Yourself During the Test The TAKS test is not a race. Students that turn their tests in first, often make careless mistakes. TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS. TAKE YOUR TIME. When you start to feel tired, close your eyes and take a deep breath.

7. Mr. Smarty Parks Speaks…and SMART Students Listen READ EVERY WORD of the directions. READ EVERY WORD of every question. READ EVERY WORD of every answer. READ EVERY WORD No one can afford to miss a question because of a careless mistake. READ EVERY WORD

8. Mr. Smarty Parks Speaks…and SMART Students Listen If you feel yourself starting to get tired or panicky don’t start making wild guesses. Remember that the difference between passing and failing is ONE QUESTION. You can’t afford to waste a question. Make every question count.

9. Mr. Smarty Parks Speaks…and SMART Students Listen Take Your Time. Do Your Best. There is nothing more important today than trying your best to do well on this test. (You’re stuck in the room anyway and taking it once is bad enough!) Take a deep breath and think about what you will do to reward yourself when you get home.

10. Mr. Smarty Parks Speaks…and SMART Students Listen Don’t spend too long on each question. If you cannot make an educated guess within 3 minutes, circle it to come back to later, and move on to the next question. A lot of times you may find a clue to the answer in a question later on in the test. Pace Yourself

11. Mr. Smarty Parks Speaks…and SMART Students Listen Before you turn in your test Review any questions you may have skipped, and make an educated guess if you still don’t know the answer. Use process of elimination. Do not leave any questions blank. Do not change your answers unless you are very certain your first answer choice is wrong.

12. Mr. Smarty Parks Speaks…and SMART Students Listen Make certain you have bubbled all the answers in the correct spot. When you feel that you have done your VERY BEST, turn in your test. Now that’s SMART! JOB WELL DONE!!!!!!