Oh the test stress. We all know it too well through our own experiences and now having to put our students through the same thing too.
It sucks - for everyone!
However to this day, there is one thing that has helped so many of us get through tough situations and that is through the use of motivational quotes!
Think about it - how often do you take note of positive quotes on Instagram or Facebook? Or what about in your home or classroom? Is there a motivational quote on display anywhere?
I bet there's a good chance there is!
That's because they do actually help. They work as little fire-starters that get your booty into gear and inspire you to keep going.
So when I started creating motivational quote colouring pages for my students back in 2014, it wasn't much of a surprise when they would tell me that they really helped them! Since then thousands of teachers around the world have been using my colouring pages to help their students during the testing season.
However... recently I had a brainwave to crank this theory up a notch! Keep reading to learn more...
It sucks - for everyone!
However to this day, there is one thing that has helped so many of us get through tough situations and that is through the use of motivational quotes!
Think about it - how often do you take note of positive quotes on Instagram or Facebook? Or what about in your home or classroom? Is there a motivational quote on display anywhere?
I bet there's a good chance there is!
That's because they do actually help. They work as little fire-starters that get your booty into gear and inspire you to keep going.
So when I started creating motivational quote colouring pages for my students back in 2014, it wasn't much of a surprise when they would tell me that they really helped them! Since then thousands of teachers around the world have been using my colouring pages to help their students during the testing season.
However... recently I had a brainwave to crank this theory up a notch! Keep reading to learn more...
Oh how they do stress the test...
It is no surprise that testing is a leading cause of stress and anxiety among school children, and in this article on The 5 steps to help your students manage their stress, I shared that "teen stress is even rivalling that of adults, and half of all teenagers weren't sure they were doing enough to handle their stress, with many expressing feelings of overwhelm, sadness and exhaustion."
Unfortunately we can't not test them, but what we can do is help and encourage them to get through these tough times.
For many people, simply being inspired by a motivational quote can have a huge, empowering effect!
Unfortunately we can't not test them, but what we can do is help and encourage them to get through these tough times.
For many people, simply being inspired by a motivational quote can have a huge, empowering effect!
The science behind motivational quotes
There is a scientific reason why these motivational quotes really do help so many of us - here are just 3 of them:
1) You feel like you're being coached, especially if you are inspired by the author of the quote. You feel that if they did it, you can do it too!
​2) Short and catchy quotes are memorable which helps you continue to recall them and be inspired by the words for a long time to come.
3) It's in our DNA to be aspirational. We want to look up to role models and leaders, and one way we are able to do that is through their inspirational words.
1) You feel like you're being coached, especially if you are inspired by the author of the quote. You feel that if they did it, you can do it too!
​2) Short and catchy quotes are memorable which helps you continue to recall them and be inspired by the words for a long time to come.
3) It's in our DNA to be aspirational. We want to look up to role models and leaders, and one way we are able to do that is through their inspirational words.
What can help students ease test stress
I have been condoning colouring therapy for many years now. To me, it's not "fluff".
Many, many students have confirmed that they find colouring therapeutic and relaxing and it does physically help them with their anxiety. It's all about mindfulness and being in the moment.
Yes we know we have a lot of content to get through as teachers, but our students' well-being and ability to handle stress simply cannot be pushed aside.
This is the reason I created quote colouring pages: a combination of both colouring therapy and motivational quotes! It really does help relax and inspire your students, and if you are interested in learning more, you can read about it here.
Recently, I was thinking how to use this concept to help our students even further...
It's all well and good relaxing and colouring the pages before the test, but what about during the test? If having motivational quotes on display is inspiring as a reminder, then how could we incorporate this?
Then I had a brainwave - quote colouring table tents:
Many, many students have confirmed that they find colouring therapeutic and relaxing and it does physically help them with their anxiety. It's all about mindfulness and being in the moment.
Yes we know we have a lot of content to get through as teachers, but our students' well-being and ability to handle stress simply cannot be pushed aside.
This is the reason I created quote colouring pages: a combination of both colouring therapy and motivational quotes! It really does help relax and inspire your students, and if you are interested in learning more, you can read about it here.
Recently, I was thinking how to use this concept to help our students even further...
It's all well and good relaxing and colouring the pages before the test, but what about during the test? If having motivational quotes on display is inspiring as a reminder, then how could we incorporate this?
Then I had a brainwave - quote colouring table tents:
Testing motivation
What if, students could get the benefit of relaxing colouring therapy before the test to help calm their nerves, but also have this quote on display on their desk during the test?
This concept has a multitude of benefits. When students colour their quotes, they create an emotional connection to the resource. They remember colouring specific parts in and with it come the thoughts and emotions they were feeling as they were doing it. By having their personal tent in front of them during the test, not only will they be inspired by the words, but also by the feelings of calm they felt as they were colouring it in.
If you think this sounds a bit "woo woo", I encourage you to try it yourself and see what I mean! You may find you can recall exactly what you were watching on TV, or what you were daydreaming about at the time. Fascinating stuff! So let's use it to our advantage to help our students.
This concept has a multitude of benefits. When students colour their quotes, they create an emotional connection to the resource. They remember colouring specific parts in and with it come the thoughts and emotions they were feeling as they were doing it. By having their personal tent in front of them during the test, not only will they be inspired by the words, but also by the feelings of calm they felt as they were colouring it in.
If you think this sounds a bit "woo woo", I encourage you to try it yourself and see what I mean! You may find you can recall exactly what you were watching on TV, or what you were daydreaming about at the time. Fascinating stuff! So let's use it to our advantage to help our students.
I am still a huge advocate for motivational posters around the room and it's an effective way of covering the walls and decorating your classroom!
These table tents offer an additional option for your students. By all means you can use both posters and tents! But the emotional connection students have to their own work as well as seeing their favourite quote right in front of them as they are doing their test, is empowering and inspiring.
These table tents offer an additional option for your students. By all means you can use both posters and tents! But the emotional connection students have to their own work as well as seeing their favourite quote right in front of them as they are doing their test, is empowering and inspiring.
Depending on time restraints, I know a lot of teachers like to give the colouring pages to students who finish tests early rather than spending time before the test colouring these in. That is absolutely fine and if you choose to use them that way, you can get your students to keep the tents they colour in and save them for a future test so they can still have their own work in front of them during a test.
You could also let students take some of the tents home and colour them in while they are in a relaxed head space, and bring them to school with them the next day to display during their tests.
You could also let students take some of the tents home and colour them in while they are in a relaxed head space, and bring them to school with them the next day to display during their tests.
Any way we can help our students through the stressful emotions of taking tests is only ever a good thing, and I hope these motivational colouring tents do that for your students this testing season!
If you are interested in using these colouring table tents with your students, then you can download the bundle at a discount below and you will get 15 different designs to choose from:
If you are interested in using these colouring table tents with your students, then you can download the bundle at a discount below and you will get 15 different designs to choose from:
If you'd like to "try before you buy", you can download a colouring tent for free first! Simply input your name and email below and it will be sent straight to you:
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