Do your kids study for tests?

[daisymom]

Do your children around age 12 and up "study" for tests? My oldest is 12 and I have never really tested much before this year. Even then, the only tests I am giving her are for grammar and math. She is about to take her end of year Algebra 1 final exam and I feel like she needs to study for it and feel pressure to do well. I have never asked her to study for a test, I have simply given her one when it was time and she has done well. I don't think she will do well on this final test because it is a cumulative test over the entire year. I know as a child, I would have felt the pressure from school to study and would have spent hours preparing. I don't think she will study very much if at all simply to get a grade from her mom. If it was an outside class, she would definitely study. I guess my real question is how do you motivate your children to study for a test? Please understand, I am not a believer in testing for all subjects. But I do think there is benefit in reviewing all the information and preparing for a test in certain subjects like math.

[AK_Mom4]

For math and science stuff, my old kids studied by going back over the end-of-chapter problems in the days before the test. If they knew how to work them all correctly, that was a pretty good indicator that they would do well on the test.

 

For more rote-stuff like history and languages, they usually use flashcards to go over dates and vocab words the night before the test (just enough to make sure they had refreshed it in their minds).

 

For a 12yo and a year-long cumulative test, is there a set of review problems she can work? If not, I would just pick out one or two from each chapter and have her spend a couple of days refreshing her brain on how to solve them.

[Trillian]

DS took his first test that I gave him this year (he took the National Mythology Exam last). I led him through how to study for it - he had a study guide, he studied a section each day, any areas he had problems with he reviewed again the next day. It took him about a week to feel ready (well, he didn't feel ready but I knew he was ready). He has test anxiety and seems to have no natural study skills, so leading him through how to is important to me.

[Lilaclady]

I think it is a good idea to teach kids test taking strategies - how to bubble in correctly, not to turn the paper until told to do so, go over their work if their is enough time etc. it does not help a child who has not been taught these things in an exam and it really doesn't take that long.

Also, for a kid like yours, you might want to do review with the child and go over the chapters you have learnt. Since she hasn't taken a test before, you should not be surprised that she does not have test anxiety. She does not know anything was at stake. It is a good thing and you want to cultivate that by preparing her well so she does not learn to fear tests.

[Mom22ns]

Yes, my kids study for tests. They don't normally study for math tests, although I would encourage them to do a little review, looking back through the chapters before the final exam.

 

For all other subjects, they study. The go over terms, people, places, events, practice problems, whatever is necessary. Testing tells me how much they have retained, but it also tells me how prepared they are to handle tests given by other teachers in the future.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

In the past I have given dd11 tests from time to time, but now they are a part of our routine. Various test taking skills are important, so not only do we do test prep for standardized tests, but I am also making sure she is familiar with various types of tests she is likely to encounter in her later education.

 

 

Two thoughts come to mind:

 

Does your daughter's math program incorporate previously learned concepts into the new ones she is learning? If not, I would recommend finding one that does. You could also find a supplemental program if she needs more continual review. For me, math is something that needs to be used and understood. If she has forgotten math concepts, I'm wondering if she is not using them frequently enough. Obviously all math builds, but some programs are better than others at incorporating concepts.

 

My other thought is perhaps the materials you are using aren't challenging enough for her, or the tests you are giving her are too easy. You mention giving her tests when it is time, and that she has always done well. From reading your post, I'm presuming this is without studying. There are various ways to look at this. Some would see it as a good sign. It could also be viewed as a red flag that something needs to be adjusted. My attitude with my own dd is simply:

 

Working up to your potential should involve work.

 

This holds true for gifted students as well as for students for whom making any response at all requires great mental and physical effort--I've worked with both.

 

Those are just a couple observations that don't really answer your question. Answering your question about motivating a student to study is tough. All kids have different currency, and that's where the answer lies. My best advice is to go treasure hunting to discover hers.

[daisymom]

Thanks for all the replies! I am not sure why the idea of sitting down with her and doing the review with her had not occurred to me. I am also wondering now if her math program is hard enough because she has not had to study. Lots of good thoughts.

[SailorMom]

I would say do what many math classes do before a final: give her worksheets with the type of problems she'll see on the test. She'll either breeze through it as a nice refresher - or she'll realize what she has forgotten and ask for some review help. I'm finding that studying is a skill many kids have to learn. For me - it came naturally, but not my DS.... when I say, "you should study," without more guidance, he's lost.

[AK_Mom4]

Thanks for all the replies! I am not sure why the idea of sitting down with her and doing the review with her had not occurred to me. I am also wondering now if her math program is hard enough because she has not had to study. Lots of good thoughts.

 

Not necessarily. It *MIGHT* be too easy for her, or it's possible that it is just a good math curriculum and she is learning the material as she goes along. :D

 

A better check might be to see if she is just reviewing things she already knows or is she covering new material. If she is getting lots of new material and not struggling with it, then you are probably doing it just right!