You can be a great help to your child if you will observe these
do's and don'ts about tests and testing: Do talk to your child
about testing. It's helpful for children to understand why
schools give tests and to know the different kinds of tests they
will take. Explain that tests are yardsticks that teachers,
schools, school districts and even states use to measure what
and how they teach and how well students are learning what is
taught. Most tests are designed and given by teachers to measure
students' progress in a course. These tests are associated with
the grades on report cards. The results tell the teacher and
students whether they are keeping up with the class, need extra
help or are ahead of other students. The results of some tests
tell schools that they need to strengthen courses or change
teaching methods. Still other tests compare students by schools,
school districts or cities. All tests determine how well a child
is doing in the areas measured by the tests. Tell your child
that occasionally, he