Q: My daughter is so caught up in the "tests are bad" movement that she and her peers are stressed with each exam. I think tests are essential, and I want to change her attitude. Got any ammo to back me up?

A: Yes, and it comes from one of education's most innovative thinkers, Annie Murphy Paul (anniemurphypaul.com). She's the author of The Brilliant Report, a weekly newsletter that looks at research on learning.

Murphy Paul is a proponent of "affirmative testing," a process teachers use "to ensure that testing supports learning and growth." It asks students to think in new ways about how they approach tests and to reflect on their performance afterward.

"Conventional testing drags down everyone's spirits," says Murphy Paul. "With affirmative testing, we can help students face tests with confidence and ease, rather than dread and self-doubt. It offers a way to bring a love of learning back into students' lives."

Most students see exams as the end of learning. But "affirmative testing shows students that learning is a cycle that goes from reflect to compare to adjust," says Murphy Paul. "The cycle brings improvement and clarified understanding."

How does it work? In some classrooms, teachers create "exam wrappers," a simple and effective written exercise that "prompts students to reflect on how they prepared for the test, how well their strategies worked out, and what they might do differently next time," says Murphy Paul.

Parents can use the same prompts as discussion starters to help students think about their grades and reflect on how they might improve.

Here's how the conversation might play out. Before your daughter gets her exam score, discuss:

-- Can you predict your score?

-- On a scale of 1 to 10, how much effort did you put into preparing for this exam?

-- How long did you study for it, and what specific strategies did you use?

-- What was easiest for you on the exam? Why?

-- What was most difficult? Why?

After your daughter gets her exam back, discuss:

-- How do you feel about your performance? Was your prediction correct?

-- Did you experience the "illusion of knowing"? In other words, students may "feel confident that they performed well on an academic task, only to find out that there was a gap in their understanding," says Murphy Paul.

-- What was the source of each test question? Did it come from the reading or the teacher's presentation?

-- Did you get more right answers from your reading or from listening to the teacher?

-- On your next exam, would you change any of the strategies you used, or the amount of time you spent studying?

-- What could you ask your teacher to do to help you prepare for the next exam?

While it may take time to get the hang of this discussion, it's worth the effort.

"We need to help students develop the habit of reviewing their performance and notice moments when it's important to reflect on their learning," says Murphy Paul. "Getting back a graded test is one such moment, but there are many others that occur throughout the day: when a student is embarking on a new unit, or feels confused or frustrated, or feels that they know the material cold, but might actually be experiencing overconfidence."

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)

Q: Our PTO is so focused on fundraising that it's turning parents off. As incoming president, my goal is simply to get parents involved in our school community, period. Any ideas?

A: While many schools depend on funds raised by PTOs to pay for supplies or learning experiences such as field trips, there comes a time -- usually late fall -- when parents decide they can't ask their co-workers to buy one more batch of wrapping paper or cookie dough. When fundraising fatigue sets in, PTO involvement can take a nosedive.

What draws parents to a PTO and makes it effective? It's not about the money raised or the hours volunteered, says Tim Sullivan, founder and publisher of PTO Today, an online resource for parents.

"It's establishing a culture where parents ask, 'How can we help make this school a great place for our kids to thrive?'" he explains.

Sullivan shares his list of "Seven Habits of Highly Effective Parents' Groups." The first will not surprise you.

1) Focus on building parental involvement, not fundraising. This means friendly, open communication among parents, faculty, students and the school board, which sends a message -- your group's goal is to support the success of the entire school, not just one program or class.

2) Create family events and long-term traditions that people look forward to.

"Some schools schedule an annual Family Day, Spring Fling or Movie Night and see high attendance because people can plan well in advance," says Sullivan.

3) Be truly welcoming to new parents. Avoid "mom cliques" that scare away newcomers. Make sure to reach out to parents who speak languages other than English.

"Brayton Elementary in Summit, New Jersey, has a Cafe Con Leche Committee. It holds meetings in Spanish that the principal and teachers attend," says Sullivan. "English translation is offered for non-Spanish speaking parents."

4) Let people get involved gradually -- at their own pace. Sullivan loves the Blue Moon Club, created by the PTA at the Thirteenth Avenue School in Newark, New Jersey.

"The name lets volunteers know that they can participate at their convenience, and their contributions are valued regardless of how often they are able to help."

5) Have fun! It's an important element in building involvement.

"Rather than muffins with mom and donuts with dad, the PTO at St. Margaret Mary School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, switched it up -- Zumba for mothers and an obstacle course for fathers," says Sullivan. "The group that plays together stays together!"

6) Put less emphasis on meetings and more on volunteerism. A defined mission and objectives make it easier for busy parents to help achieve them on their own schedule and within their own means. Many PTOs function effectively with a core group supported by members who pitch in when they can.

7) Trumpet your accomplishments; people are attracted to success.

Did your school-wide garage sale raise a record amount? Promote it on Twitter. Maybe your holiday toy drive exceeded projections? Invite the local TV station to tout it on the evening news.

"Make sure to acknowledge publicly all those whose efforts contributed to your success," says Sullivan. "A little thanks goes a long way in keeping people involved."

For more ideas, go to PTOToday.com.

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)

Q: My daughter, a freshman, wants to join her high school robotics club. She struggles with math, so I don't know if she'll find it too hard. What are the benefits of a club like that?

A: Listing all the benefits would exceed this column's word limit! Encourage her to go for it. Her math skills will improve just by being part of the team.

It's likely that your daughter's high school participates in the FIRST Robotics Competition, an international program that organizers call "sport for the mind" and "the hardest fun you'll ever have." Each year, student teams raise funds, design a "brand," hone teamwork skills and -- following precise rules and using limited time and resources -- build and program robots to perform prescribed tasks in a series of competitions.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 by prolific inventor Dean Kamen.

"The nation's employers and policymakers were worried about the decline in the number of students taking rigorous science, technology, engineering and math courses," notes Laura London, who worked on the launch of FIRST's competition. "Dean Kamen decided to act. He created a fun, challenging and rewarding program that really draws students in. It's a spectacular success."

FIRST has also created programs for middle and elementary schools.

Most FIRST teams have about 25 students who work collaboratively to solve a design challenge that changes each year. Teams compete regionally, nationally and internationally.

"The competitions are a rollicking good time," says London. "Teams who have worked day and night on their robots are as psyched for the 'game.' Parents, teachers and coaches cheer themselves hoarse on the sidelines."

While building a winning robot is the goal, collaboration and teamwork are key parts of the experience.

"You compete like crazy, but help each other out," says physics teacher Patrick Freivald, the popular leader of Naples, New York, high school squad the Grapes of Wrath. "Once, a team we were about to play destroyed a transmission. They put out a request on the loudspeaker for a replacement. Within the next several minutes, we and at least four other teams showed up with spare transmissions."

Mentors with a range of skills advise the team, but don't take over the project, says Freivald.

"There's a lot of work and it's not all technical," he explains. "Teams not only build robots. They have to raise funds, write proposals, do publicity to engage the community and promote the events, and plan travel to the competitions. Your daughter will find plenty of opportunities to shine."

Are the educational benefits worth the tremendous effort? "Absolutely," insists Freivald. "Dollar for dollar, minute for minute, FIRST is a terrific educational experience.

"Not only do team members learn technical skills such as welding, CAD (computer-aided design) and assembly, they also stretch their minds to tackle a tough problem with not enough time, people or resources, and they do it magnificently. Along the way, they learn marketing, public relations, fundraising and entrepreneurship."

(The 2015-16 competition is now underway. For more information, go to usfirst.org.)

(Do you have a question about your child's education? Email it to Leanna@aplusadvice.com. Leanna Landsmann is an education writer who began her career as a classroom teacher. She has served on education commissions, visited classrooms in 49 states to observe best practices, and founded Principal for a Day in New York City.)