247. Dear Stellar Teacher: How Can I Make Test Prep Season More Effective and Less Overwhelming?

Standardized testing season is just around the corner, and if the thought of long testing days, endless review packets, and restless students already has you stressed, you’re not alone. In this episode of our Dear Stellar Teacher series, Sara and Emily are sharing realistic and encouraging strategies to help you navigate test prep season with more joy, confidence, and intention—without overwhelming your students (or yourself!).

From building test-taking stamina to rethinking how we review and prep, this conversation is packed with actionable ideas to help you maintain a positive classroom environment and keep students motivated and supported during testing season. Plus, you’ll hear some of our favorite ways to create balance and avoid burnout, so your students can show up on test day feeling confident and calm.

We also share a few common mistakes to avoid during the final weeks of test prep, along with our go-to ways to maintain your normal literacy routines while still meeting test prep goals. Whether you're a test-season veteran or heading into your first round of state assessments, this episode will help you finish the year strong—with a little more fun and a lot less stress.

Join us in the Stellar Literacy Collective Membership: stellarteacher.com/join!

Fill out the Dear Stellar Teacher form for a chance to be featured on a future episode.

Sign up for my FREE private podcast, the Confident Writer Systems Series, here!

Sign up for my FREE Revision Made Easy email series here!

Follow me on Instagram @thestellarteachercompany.

To check out all of the resources from this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.stellarteacher.com/episode247.