Standardize testing woes!

[KrissiK]

We're testing this week. It's a mistake. I'm only doing this for my own curiosity, really. See how the kids do. California doesn't require it. I'm on the verge of tears. DS2, who is not a mathy person anyway and is an extreme visual learner just missed every.single. question on the Math Problem Solving. It's dictated. And I just had to sit there and watch him. I wanted to strangle him. I wanted to help him. I wanted to walk him through setting up the problem. Inside I'm screaming, "Does that answer even make sense? Look at it!" And DD, is doing the kinder one. And she's freaking out because there were some big words that she shouldn't know, but she's screaming and crying and ..... this is a nightmare. We are going to plug along because I'm sure the results will tell me something. Probably just that I'll never do this again. And also how incredibly stupid standardized tests are. I don't think my kids are having trouble just because they're homeschooled. Well, maybe they are. If they were in PS all they'd be doing all year is preparing for those stupid tests.

[Jean in Newcastle]

:grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug::grouphug: (As I type from the SAT testing site. . . . I won't know how my dc are doing though until I get the results in the mail.)

[Tammyla]

:grouphug:Some kids are just not prepared for these tests the first time around.

 

Breath deep, and try to smile your way through it. Don't let them feed off your fustration. We test here because we must, and there were a few tears the first time around. Now they are just something we must do...

 

 

Hang in there, things will get better.

[GoVanGogh]

:grouphug:

I have administered standardized tests twice now.

The first time went very much as you described.

The second time (two years later) went much better.

 

It did convince me how awful standardized tests are on children in public school. So much of their time is spent in preparation for the tests, then so much rides on it. If the child didn't sleep well the night before or is in the middle of a growth spurt or whatever, it may impact their scores.

 

I was just reading an article in the paper about our new state standardized tests. The fourth graders had two days of writing assessment, each four hours long. The general sentiment: That was way too much for that age.

Ya think?! :glare: I really can't imagine why you would test a fourth grader with eight hours of writing! Made me glad that we homeschool.

 

We are going to plug along because I'm sure the results will tell me something. Probably just that I'll never do this again. And also how incredibly stupid standardized tests are.

I totally said the same thing after our first testing experience. :lol: In fact, I drug my feet on testing a second time, but DH finally talked me into it. It went much smoother.

I only used testing at this age as a practice, so they would get more comfortable with testing over the years. Also, it did show me some gaps. I did take notes when I administered the test and went back over problem areas the following week. (Waited until I was in a better mood. ;))

[Renthead Mommy]

My son started PS 4th grade in Jan. He will be coming home when we move this summer. Two weeks into it he had a full knowledge about the math testing. Testing they were doing until April. I felt like he should have known nothing about it till the test and then a simple " tomorrow we are taking a test for the school recoreds. We use a pencil and this is how you fill in teh circles. Just do your best." Not exactly what happens in ps.

 

Today while waiting in Starbucks I ended up in conversation with a local 3rd grade teacher on spring break. The subjects of tests came up. We shared similar feelings on the testing. Then she told me the plan for next year.

 

Next year 4th graders will take the math, english/LA, and sciece state

exams THREE times! Three times in one year! Then they will average those grades.

 

On one hand, I think that is a much better way to guage what the kids are learning and how the teachers are teaching (which is the true reason for the testing!). If a kid is not feeling well, had a late family event the night before, or just got up groucy and fought with his sister all morning before school and is just still in a foul mood, they aren't going to do well on the tests that day. I think the averaging is a better idea.

 

However I think it will put tons of pressure on these kids and the teachers will be pushing for them to do better each time. And they will never have a chance to learn anything off the exams.

[wapiti]

DS2, who is not a mathy person anyway and is an extreme visual learner just missed every.single. question on the Math Problem Solving. It's dictated.

 

Take a deep breath. No need for tears ;). Some things to consider:

 

1. Many visual learners are actually VERY mathy people, big picture thinkers who may or may not be good at elementary arithmetic. Don't accept the thought that he is not mathy. He is very young and is a long, long way from real math. How do you teach math to him - concretely, with manipulatives and visuals?

 

2. It's dictated. This should tell you something about a potential weakness here. How would he have done if it had been written? or might he have potential weaknesses with language processing/comprehension in general (which could be a huge roadblock for math word problems, whether written or dictated)?

[AK_Mom4]

I will also throw out there that testing is one area where I find that DD10 does much better when I am not giving the test. The first year we did testing, we did the practice tests at home first. She totally failed them. Then, she went and took the standardized test with a group of similiar students - and did brilliantly. This has been repeated each year - fail the practice, then do really well on the real test.

 

We are pretty casual in our studies - if she has a question, she can ask and I help her with it. I think for us, when I gave the tests, she expected that I would do the same thing and didn't take it very seriously.

[KrissiK]

Take a deep breath. No need for tears ;). Some things to consider:

 

1. Many visual learners are actually VERY mathy people, big picture thinkers who may or may not be good at elementary arithmetic. Don't accept the thought that he is not mathy. He is very young and is a long, long way from real math. How do you teach math to him - concretely, with manipulatives and visuals?

 

2. It's dictated. This should tell you something about a potential weakness here. How would he have done if it had been written? or might he have potential weaknesses with language processing/comprehension in general (which could be a huge roadblock for math word problems, whether written or dictated)?

 

You are totally right about #2. I know he has some auditory processing issues. And I'm just not sure what to do about it. Especially since he is so young and though his reading is good, it not good enough for him to do all his school work semi-independently. I mean, SOTW has been a nightmare for him. Poor kid. So, yes, in my rational, logical self I am saying, "this is not an indication of his math ability, it is due to auditory processing, blah blah blah!" but it's still frustrating.

 

Regarding #1, believe it or not, manipulatives only serve to confuse this child. Teach him an algorithm and he's good. This is our math journey this year. We're doing MCP. I tried to "teach" it to him and by Thanksgiving we were both in tears. We took a month off of math and in January came back to the same curriculum, only he does it independently. I only help him when he asks. I check his work, and most of the time he does very well. We're switching to TT next year.