WishboneDawn Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 My 13 year old has been plugging away at Singapore DM and doing well but recently we found an old (1st edition was published in the 30's. My copy is a Canadian revision from the late 40's/early 50's) algebra text and she's loving it. Something about the simple, down-to-business approach I think. Anyway, we'll get back to DM but she needs extra review anyway so we're working through the mastery tests the text has at the end of each topic to find out where she needs some extra work. She did 2 today and scored 80% and 87% respectively. The 80% came in a test with questions like 5y=11.5 and 7t=2.38 that she solved according to instructions in the text - solve the questions mentally within a specific time frame. This is basic, easy stuff in one respect but a little different from what's been required of her. Mastery? My sense is a couple of the mistakes were brain farts attributable to a 13 year old brain but then if I'm looking for mastery, don't brain farts count against that? Just confuzzled here and trying to come up with some standard of mastery I can use. I've pushed her through things in the past and in a few areas we're paying for that right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 (edited) :bigear: I'll elaborate a bit for clarity. On both tests she showed mastery of the methods she needed to use. Her mistakes were due to multiplication/division errors. I think I'm getting closer to my answer. Edited September 30, 2011 by WishboneDawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted October 1, 2011 Author Share Posted October 1, 2011 :bigear::sad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 To me it is simple: mastery is being able to remember and apply the concepts and techniques not just after a week, but after several months. Mastered skills become permanent. This why we test mastery by giving the kids one comprehensive final exam in math at the end of the semester. (Chapter tests do not measure true mastery) Daily work has to be done and redone until correct, but is not graded and mistakes are not penalized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted October 1, 2011 Author Share Posted October 1, 2011 I think this is where my own lack of math shows, in the measurement of her skills and the knowing how to accurately assess her skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 I think this is where my own lack of math shows, in the measurement of her skills and the knowing how to accurately assess her skills. Doesn't your book come with tests, or at least problems? You can easily put together a comprehensive exam by taking a few problems from the ones she worked during the semester (pick some where there are many for the same concept as these will be the more important things). She will not have memorized the problem, you can reuse it. (Exception: change the story for word problems, or save a couple to use for exam) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted October 1, 2011 Author Share Posted October 1, 2011 Doesn't your book come with tests, or at least problems?You can easily put together a comprehensive exam by taking a few problems from the ones she worked during the semester (pick some where there are many for the same concept as these will be the more important things). She will not have memorized the problem, you can reuse it. (Exception: change the story for word problems, or save a couple to use for exam) Sorry, not what I meant to imply. I mean lacking the confidence to see the obvious, which you're pointing out. It was a bit of a self-serving and self-pitying comment on my part. You gave good, solid advice. I'll stop the dithering and follow it now. :) Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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