Plan B is the New Plan A
-
Mar 7, 2008 Posted by Ned Johnson
Sitting in the hallway of a local school waiting for a student of mine to arrive, I overheard a girl saying she has never been so scared in her life. Her SAT is tomorrow she is telling her friend. She is recounting all the reasons why she is unprepared, how she doesn't have enough time, and that she's sure to crash. Her friend asks her about her preparation and what work she has done. Yeah, well, she acknowledges, still it's going to be a train wreck. I was struck by an overwhelming urge to voice my confidence in her prospects and to wish her well, but decided to bite my tongue.
Many students will tell you that they have such conversations, with themselves if not with others. Frequently. What strikes me about them is that these students are not just anticipating failure but rehearsing it. They envision all the ways that things can and will go wrong. They may have hours of preparation and multiple successful practice tests under there belts, but still they are sure they are going to do poorly. Worrying is not preparation.
When given the opportunity, I acknowledge that all sorts of things can bedevil a student on any given test, but I also remind students that they have great skills and experience with these tests and can expect to move to Plan A to Plan B if the need arises. I encourage them to visualize things going well: not necessarily answering every question easily but using their ability to find the best methods for the questions they face and to be strategic in dealing with difficult questions or unforeseen difficulties. As with parenting, we cannot prevent adversity from confronting our kids. Nor can we give them a Disaster Preparedness Guide that anticipates every imaginable calamity. We can, however, help them prepare well and then, most importantly, foster in them a belief in themselves and their abilities so that when facing a challenge, whether an SAT or a flat tire, they don't panic or throw up their hands to find the best available solution for that given situation. I am hopeful this girl's mom and dad give her just that message and a "We love you, Sweetie! We are so proud of the hard work you've done, and we think you're going to do great!" as she walks out the door tomorrow before her SAT.