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What Is Your Child’s Test-Taking Personality?

Find out so you can help her do her best.
By Debbe Geiger

Does she shoot through test questions in a race to be finished, or struggle to complete the exam before running out of time? Does she approach an exam with confidence or anxiety? Does she have a hard time sitting still?

Your child’s study habits and approaches to other aspects of daily life can reveal her test-taking style. Use this quiz to identify it, then find out how to maximize her test-taking prowess.

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1
The night before a test, your child:
  1. Rushes through the material and acts confident that she knows the answers.
  2. Complains of a stomachache.
  3. Spends hours analyzing the study guide.
  4. Is unsure of the content to be covered.
2
After the test, your child comes home:
  1. Upset that he didn’t get to finish.
  2. Annoyed because he was careless.
  3. Doubting that he answered questions correctly.
  4. Relieved that the ordeal is over.
3
When she receives her test results, she:
  1. Is upset because she changed correct answers to incorrect ones.
  2. Doesn’t want to talk about them.
  3. Reviews the test with you — reluctantly.
  4. Dismisses a good score because she can’t believe he did well.
4
When your child sits down for dinner, he:
  1. Is the first one finished and in a hurry to play
  2. Fiddles with his fork and exhibits nervous energy.
  3. Tells a story with such depth that he forgets to eat his food.
  4. Is unsure he likes what’s served, even if he’s had it before.
5
At home, your child likes to spend her time:
  1. Engaging with mom or dad in a noncompetitive atmosphere.
  2. Being active and playing with friends.
  3. Getting lost in a book, television show, puzzle, or computer game.
  4. Playing “school” and being the teacher who gets to correct others.
6
When your child does his homework, he:
  1. Is anxious about doing work the right away.
  2. Makes careless mistakes in his haste to get it over with.
  3. Can’t commit to answering questions.
  4. Needs constant prompting to get started and stay motivated.
7
When asked to carry out a sequence of chores, your child:
  1. Does them sloppily.
  2. Takes so long you have to remind her to finish.
  3. Is unsure she has done a good job.
  4. Is typically anxious to please.
8
When your child writes a paragraph:
  1. His handwriting is sloppy, with incorrect punctuation and capitalization.
  2. He takes a long time to write one sentence.
  3. He has a hard time getting started, and committing himself to a series of ideas.
  4. He has neat handwriting, and enjoys creative writing because there is no right or wrong answer.
9
When it’s time to get ready for school, your child:
  1. Changes outfits multiple times before deciding what to wear.
  2. Wears two different socks because she just doesn’t care.
  3. Takes forever to get ready.
  4. Is concerned about how others will judge her appearance.
10
In conversation, he:
  1. Chatters incessantly.
  2. Mumbles and is eager to be excused.
  3. Finds it hard to say a simple “yes” or “no.”
  4. Is too shy to say much.