Last Tuesday, I caught myself snapping at little Sofia for sharpening her pencil during math. The poor kid just wanted a sharp point for her work, and there I was acting like she'd committed a federal crime. That's when I knew my testing season stress was bleeding all over my classroom.

Sound familiar? We're three weeks into FAST testing season here in Florida, and I can feel that familiar knot in my stomach every morning. The one that whispers about data and scores and whether I've done enough to prepare these babies for what's coming.

But here's what 22 years in the classroom has taught me: our stress is contagious. Kids pick up on our energy faster than they catch the flu going around in March.

The Mirror Effect is Real

Children are emotional mirrors. When we're wound tight, they get wound tight. When we're calm, they settle too.

I learned this the hard way during my third year teaching. I was so anxious about state testing that I turned my usually warm classroom into a pressure cooker. My students started having meltdowns, behavior issues skyrocketed, and ironically, their practice scores got worse, not better.

My mentor teacher, Mrs. Rodriguez, pulled me aside and said something I'll never forget: "Mija, you can't pour anxiety into a cup and expect confidence to come out."

Start with Your Own Oxygen Mask

You know how flight attendants tell you to put on your own oxygen mask first? Same rule applies here.

Before you can help your students stay calm, you need to manage your own stress. I'm not talking about bubble baths and meditation retreats (though if you have time for those, más poder to you). I'm talking about small, practical things you can do during the school day.

Take three deep breaths before you unlock your classroom door each morning. I do this every single day now, even when I'm running late because Marcus forgot his project at home again.

Keep a water bottle at your desk and actually drink from it. Dehydration makes everything feel worse, and we teachers are notorious for forgetting to hydrate.

Create Calm in Your Physical Space

Our classroom environment speaks before we even open our mouths.

Dim those fluorescent lights if you can. I bought a couple of small lamps from the dollar store, and the softer lighting immediately changed the feel of our room.

Play quiet background music during independent work time. Nothing fancy, just something soft and steady. My kids love the instrumental Disney playlist I found, and it covers up the nervous pencil tapping and chair squeaking.

Have a "calm down corner" ready to go. Mine has a bean bag, some fidget tools, and a few picture books. When kids feel overwhelmed, they know they can take a break there without asking permission.

The Power of Honest Conversations

Sometimes the best thing we can do is acknowledge the elephant in the room.

I tell my students when I'm feeling stressed about testing. Not in a way that dumps my anxiety on them, but in a way that normalizes the feeling. "You know what? I'm feeling a little nervous about next week too. That's totally normal. Let's talk about what we can do when we feel that way."

This opens up space for them to share their worries too. And once fears are out in the open, they lose some of their power.

Practical Calm-Down Strategies That Actually Work

Here are the techniques that have saved my sanity (and my students') over the years:

The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique: When the room feels tense, have everyone name 5 things they can see, 4 things they can touch, 3 things they can hear, 2 things they can smell, and 1 thing they can taste. It brings everyone back to the present moment.

Belly Breathing: Put one hand on chest, one on belly. Breathe so only the bottom hand moves. We call it "balloon breathing" and my kids love it.

The Worry Box: I keep a decorated shoebox where kids can write down their worries and "put them away" for later. Sometimes just getting it out of their head and onto paper helps.

When Things Go Sideways Anyway

Because let's be real, some days you're going to lose it anyway. Last week I definitely raised my voice when Jamie knocked over the entire pencil jar for the third time. It happens.

The key is what you do next.

I apologized to Jamie in front of the class. "I'm sorry I raised my voice. That wasn't about you, that was about my stress, and that's not fair to you." Kids need to see us model how to handle mistakes.

Then I took a moment to reset with the whole class. "Okay everyone, I think we all need a brain break. Let's do some stretches."

Remember Your Why

In the middle of testing season chaos, it's easy to forget that these are just kids. Kids who need us to be their steady presence in an uncertain world.

Yes, the data matters. Yes, we want them to do well. But what matters more is that they feel safe and supported in our classrooms.

When I start spiraling about scores and percentiles, I look at my bulletin board where I keep photos from our field trip to the science museum. Look at those bright, curious faces. That's what this is really about.

You've Got This

Testing season is hard, pero we're harder. We've survived budget cuts and curriculum changes and parent conferences and that one kid who somehow always finds the one marker without a cap.

We can survive this too.

Your calm doesn't have to be perfect. It just has to be intentional. Take care of yourself first, create a peaceful space, be honest with your kids, and remember that you're doing important work.

Those test scores don't define you or your students. But the safe, caring environment you create? That stays with them forever.

Now go drink some water and take a deep breath. Tomorrow is a new day, and you're going to handle whatever it brings.