Understanding Test Anxiety—Why It Happens & How It Affects Student Performance

Heyyy, SuperTeachers!

Let’s talk about test anxiety—a silent academic killer that affects student performance more than we realize.

High-stakes testing can bring a wave of stress for students. They’re not just thinking about the questions on the test; they’re also worried about their scores, their futures, and how their teachers and families will perceive them.

For some students, test anxiety can mean sweaty palms and butterflies—for others, it can mean a complete mental shutdown.

The Science Behind Test Anxiety

Test anxiety is more than just nerves. It’s a physiological stress response that makes it harder for students to perform at their best.

Cortisol Overload: Stress hormones flood the brain, making it difficult to recall information.

Cognitive Overwhelm: The brain becomes so focused on the fear of failure that it has less energy for thinking and problem-solving.

Identity Threat: Students who fear confirming negative stereotypes (e.g., “People like me aren’t good at math”) experience an added layer of stress.

Research Insight: Neuroscience shows that chronic stress weakens working memory, which is essential for solving multi-step problems and recalling learned information.

How Test Anxiety Shows Up in the Classroom

• A student who knows the material suddenly freezes on test day.

• A student rushes through the exam, misreading questions due to stress.

• A student gets a headache or stomach ache before every test.

• A student says, “I’m just not good at tests”—even though they understand the content.

We can’t just tell students to “calm down” or “relax.” Instead, we need to give them tools to manage stress and create a testing environment that supports regulation.

Student stressing during test

In Part 2, I’ll break down actionable strategies to help students self-regulate before and during high-stakes tests.

But first, I want to hear from you:

How do your students react to test anxiety? What strategies have worked (or not worked) in your classroom?

Drop your thoughts in the comments!

(Stay tuned for Part 2—where I’ll share specific, research-based techniques to help students build confidence and self-regulate stress.)

Need more support?

Let’s talk!

Every classroom is different, and sometimes you just need a thought partner to figure out what works best for you and your students. If you’d like to dive deeper into instructional strategies, student engagement, or just need a fresh perspective, schedule a coaching call! No pressure—just real talk and actionable steps to help you thrive.

Schedule a time that works for you here: Scheduling Link

Looking forward to connecting!

~ Dr. O