Most educators spend classroom time teaching you test-taking skills and distributing practice tests to help prepare for the TAKS. Take advantage of these materials, the teachers that want you to learn the material covered and how to master a standardized test. Educators want you to improve your memorization and critical thinking skills. Just ask Douglas Reeves, who chides away from "mindless testing drills" and encourages "extensive student writing, accompanied by thinking, analysis and reasoning."
There are resources for students who may need extra help getting in the TAKS testing state of mind. Don't be afraid to investigate these "intervention/remediation" programs and intervention specialists. They understand that different people learn differently and may have just the right insight to explain the TAKS mindset.
Make a habit of taking the many practice tests available to get used to the rhythm of the TAKS and familiarize yourself with the difficulty of the material. Mark down concepts and question formats that give you trouble and focus on them. Practice knowing when to move on from a question so that you don't lose too much time.
Although it may seem obvious, experts stress physical readiness before taking the TAKS, including appropriate sleep and breakfast, comfortable clothing and glasses or contacts for those with prescriptions. Anxiety reduction is another factor in optimizing performance, including being on time and focusing on the test rather than other students.
Pacing is key during taking the TAKS test. Examine and answer one question at a time. Start with questions and concepts you easily understand. Skip questions that give you trouble and go back to them later.
Read the directions and follow them carefully. Ensure you are answering what is being asked and request clarification if you don't understand. The website Tips4taks recommends practicing reading the directions on practice exams to get used to processing the instruction, rather than browsing the directions while taking the real test.
Devote enough time to any essay questions on the test. Use scratch paper to create an outline with a cohesive introduction, body and conclusion.
When you go back to those problem questions and still aren't sure of the answer, try using the process of elimination to determine what the answer is not. If you feel you can make an educated guess about what the answer might be, do so.