Preparing for Assessment
A good night’s sleep and a good breakfast are the best ways to prepare for the assessment day. Any regular medication should be given as usual, unless otherwise discussed.
As assessment sessions can be long, it is recommended that you bring favorite drinks and snacks for your child to enjoy. To avoid fatigue we will take breaks throughout the assessment such as drawing, talking, and playing a game.
Depending on your child and how quickly they warm up to others, it may be best to set up a meet-and-greet prior to the formal assessment to allow your child a chance to feel comfortable with me before completing cognitively-demanding tasks. This will not be the case for most children and in my experience children often warm up quickly and enjoy the tasks they are given as part of the assessment process. You as the parent know your child best; if you feel a pre-assessment meeting is needed we can discuss a meeting time (free of charge from the assessment process).
The "T" Word
This is an important day for your child. I want your child to feel comfortable and confident the day of testing. The process can understandably provoke anxiety in a child. For most children, the way testing is presented to them is most important. I like to avoid the word “test” as much as possible. If I do use the "T" word, it is to tell a child, "It’s a test that’s not really a test." I share with him or her that we will be answering questions and working with puzzles. I assure a child that he or she will not receive a “grade." The purpose of the assessment is to find out how a child learns best, because we all learn differently. All that matters, is that each child tries his or her best.