tests, tests, and more tests!!!

Friday's class brought back so many memories. All throughout middle school and high school, it was nothing, but major testing. Even though it was one test, the studying and preparing lasted for years. When I entered sixth grade, GEPA was all I heard until the day of testing came around. I remember preparing so much. Our english teacher had us writing practice picture prompts and narrative stories. It almost seemed endless. After three years of getting ready for the test, the week finally came. I have never been more stressed out because the teachers were making this into such a big deal. It was finally over, and it was a big relief.
I graduated eighth grade, and I started high school. All of a sudden, it was all about HSPA! It started all over again for another three years!! People were saying if you don't pass the HSPA, then you can't go to college, and I was so nervous.
Of course, I passed both tests, the GEPA and the HSPA, but it was a really stressful time. Teachers make these tests seem like the most important thing a student will ever do, but like I have heard before, "it's just a test." The stress that comes from these tests can actually hurt a student's ability to work. Who can get a good grade on a test after being stressed out over it? That's why from past experiences, I want to have a calm atmosphere for my students when preparing for these tests. The preparing part isn't supposed to stress them out, but prepare them calmly for what is ahead. A teacher can't stress the student's out because then they will stress themselves out, and I have already been stressed out for many years in middle school and high school.