Q: My daughter's class does a lot of writing. A recent assignment had kids keeping a "gratitude journal" of things they're thankful for. I found it oddly personal. The teacher explained that studies show that expressing gratitude helps kids become better students. Really?

A: A growing body of evidence suggests that having a "gratitude attitude" boosts learning. Gratitude is one of the nonacademic "soft skills" that researchers say can predict life satisfaction and high achievement.

Journalist Paul Tough put a spotlight on gratitude's effect on learning in his book "How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character" (Mariner, 2013). The other traits Tough describes are self-control, zest, social intelligence, optimism, grit and curiosity.

Educators are taking opportunities to weave gratitude into lessons. Gratitude Works, a program from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), is based on studies showing that fostering gratitude can increase students' pro-social behavior, optimism, resilience and satisfaction with school.

Gratitude starts at home, says Andrea Reiser, co-author with her husband, David, of "Letters From Home: A Wake-Up Call for Success and Wealth" (Wiley, 2010). She offers these tips to foster it:

-- Make gratitude a family event. Take a moment each day when everyone notes something they are grateful for. "Whether it's a favorite toy or a birthday card from Nana," Reiser explains, "this daily tradition helps develop a positive frame of mind."

-- Model gratitude: "Set a good example by saying 'thank you' sincerely and often," notes Reiser. When kids see us expressing thanks -- to the cashier at the grocery store or the safety patrol officer at school -- they are learning how to express their own appreciation.

-- Don't shower kids with too much "stuff." Buying kids whatever they want, whenever they want, "dilutes the gratitude impulse and it can mean that they don't learn to value or respect their possessions," says Reiser.

-- Have kids pitch in when they want something. When kids save up their allowance or earnings, they have a stake in the purchase and better understand its value. It also teaches restraint and encourages kids to appreciate what they have.

-- Keep thank-you notes ready to send. There are opportunities throughout the year for kids to recognize and thank those who have done something special for them, says Reiser. It's important that they compose the notes themselves.

-- Shift the focus from receiving to giving. "When kids give their time and energy to help others, they're less likely to take things like health, home and family for granted," notes Reiser. Many families make service to others a holiday tradition.

California youth counselor Marissa Gehley suggests incorporating gratitude into family routines: "Thank your daughter for picking up her room or walking the dog."

She says it's helpful for children to hear "thankful words" often, such as, "We're fortunate to live in this cozy home," or "We are so grateful that Uncle Trevor got here safely," or "I really appreciate your letting me know."

To encourage young readers to be thankful for "the beauty that exists in each day," children's author and illustrator Tomie dePaola just published "Look and Be Grateful" (Holiday House, 2015). Find a spot for it at the Thanksgiving table.

(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 high school offers SAT test prep, but nothing for the ACT. My daughter, a freshman, didn't take the PSAT in October because we're hearing colleges now pay more attention to the ACT. Which test should she take?

A: First, a note about the PSAT. "Most students don't take it until their sophomore year, so it's OK if your daughter didn't take the recent PSAT, which was the first administration of the new test," says Robert Franek, senior vice president and publisher of The Princeton Review.

The PSAT doesn't count for college admission. It is the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship, and very high PSAT scores -- combined with other factors -- can make a student eligible for other scholarships.

For the majority of students who take the PSAT, "the main benefit is to get practice for the SAT," says Franek. "Students shouldn't stress out about it. It is more important to get good grades and take the most challenging courses available: The most important factor in a college application is the student's high school GPA and transcript. Test scores are second in importance."

All colleges that require test scores -- that's about 1,900 of the 2,700 four-year accredited colleges in the United States, says Franek -- accept either ACT or SAT scores, and don't have a preference. And even if a student is applying to a test-score-optional college, ACT and SAT scores are used in determining awards for scholarships and grants, so there is a benefit to taking one of the tests.

So which test should your daughter take? Franek says the answer is simple: Choose the test she will do her best on.

Franek helps students figure that out every day: "At our offices and online, students can take a free, full-length practice SAT and ACT and get reports of how well they did on each test with guidance on areas to improve one's scores.

"Prep seriously at least three to four months before taking it. We encourage students to take the test in their junior year -- that way they have time to retake it in the fall of senior year, if necessary, for one reason or another."

The ACT overtook the SAT two years ago as the more-taken test. About 1.9 million students in the class of 2015 took the ACT; about 1.7 million took the SAT, and many took both, says Franek.

"Some states use these tests as part of their statewide assessment test," he explains. "For example, the ACT is given to all public school juniors in 13 states. The SAT is given as the public high school exit exam in other states, including Michigan, Connecticut and Idaho."

Franek describes the ACT as "more of a big-picture exam, more closely tied to what students are learning in school. It has a science section, and it tests more advanced math concepts.

"However, the SAT is changing. The new SAT debuts in March 2016 and will impact students in the class of 2017. It will be more similar to the ACT in format, scoring and test content."

To compare the two tests and to learn about the new SAT, go to princetonreview.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 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.)