When Testing Becomes Trauma: Listening to Our Students

We rarely ask students how high-stakes testing makes them feel. But if we did, we’d hear a truth we can’t afford to ignore.

Some talk about nausea. Others cry before the exam even begins. One student told me, “I feel like I’m being judged for being stupid.” This is more than anxiety—it’s trauma.

When we condense a year of learning into a few hours with a Scantron, we send a dangerous message: your worth is measured by scores. And when students internalize that message, it affects more than academic confidence—it damages their sense of self.

Standardized tests aren’t inherently evil, but their weight in school systems is overwhelming. They narrow learning, heighten stress, and punish students who process or express knowledge differently.

It’s time to put students at the center of the conversation. Not data. Not rankings. Not mandates.

Because when testing becomes a source of fear rather than growth, we’ve lost sight of what school is supposed to be.