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What is SO important that it makes flunking these questions OK? What part of these questions does not relate to understanding? Why would you need parent involvement or even homework to pass the NAEP test? Do schools have any way of determining if they screw up rather than the kids?
From NAEP 2007 Sample Math Questions and Results - 4th Grade
9. On the chart, circle all the numbers that have 4 as a factor.
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15
Did you use the calculator on this question?
37 percent correct.
- - -
13. Mark's room is 12 feet wide and 15 feet long. Mark wants to cover the floor with carpet. How many square feet of carpet does he need?
Answer: _____________ square feet
The carpet costs $2.60 per square foot. How much will the carpet cost?
Answer: $ _____________
Did you use the calculator on this question?
24 percent correct.
- - -
14. There will be 58 people at a breakfast and each person will eat 2 eggs. There are 12 eggs in each carton. How many cartons of eggs will be needed for the breakfast?
A) 9
B) 10
C) 72
D) 116
Did you use the calculator on this question?
20 percent correct.
- - -
15. Ben bought 4 items at a bake sale and added their cost on his calculator. The total cost read 1.1 on the calculator.
What amount does Ben need to pay?
A) 11 cents
B) 1 dollar and 1 cent
C) 1 dollar and 10 cents
D) 11 dollars
Did you use the calculator on this question?
29 percent correct, in spite of the fact that they push calculators and understanding.
- - -
2. What number is 10 more than 5,237?
A) 5,238
B) 5,247
C) 5,337
D) 6,237
81 percent correct. Still about 20 percent got this wrong, and this is 4th grade.
- - -
This is not about constructivism, understanding, IQ, or SES. They complain about teaching to the test, but then what on earth do they want to teach that's more important? It should take them no more than 50 percent of class time to get kids to master this material - no homework required. Do schools think that these kids are stupid? At what point can you stop blaming external causes?
Teachers think that the problem with education is what walks into their rooms. They see kids who haven't mastered previous material and they can't imagine how they are going to fix that. The real problem is how did these kids get there in the first place. It used to be that social promotion was a last resort. Now, it's promoted as a normal part of (Everyday Math) spiral mastery. They are making the problem worse and getting nothing in return.
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13 comments:
Wow.
http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2008/012008/01152008/348552
I didn't know Investigations used math games that are from teaching techniques used in Singapore and Japan....
hum.
The problem is that they don't teach to that test. At least not in CT. The state standardized test rules the roost and it's incestuously linked with constructivist programs like Everyday Math. So, they teach EM because it aligns well with the state test, NAEP or any semblance of math mastery be damned.
"...and it's incestuously linked with constructivist programs like Everyday Math."
They do the same thing in our state. Teachers select the questions and set the proficiency cut-offs. You would think that the results would be better. They are not.
"...and it's incestuously linked with constructivist programs like Everyday Math."
Same here in our state. It will take years to untangle that web.
Susans
I think I've mentioned before that the primary reason why we're homeschooling our kids is because of math. This brings up a concern that's been dancing around in the back of my mind -- are my kids going to take a hit on standardized tests because we're doing "traditional" math? I was flipping through a second grade math book the other night and wondering what the heck they were teaching.
Am I going to have to teach my kid constructivist-speak in order for them to do well? Or just hope that they'll just figure out that a "number sentence" is an equation when they see it? An easy example, but you know what I mean. Am I going to have to add in statistics?
...And what is the deal with "doubles plus one"? Why there were so many pages in this textbook on that concept?
Homeschoolers have been pretty mad at Saxon for tarting up their K-3 math to, ahem, "meet math standards." You'll see people specifically asking around for older editions.
But, I kind of can't blame them. If the scores are dropping because you don't teach stem and leaf (or whatever it's called), you gotta cover it.
Terri,
For us afterschoolers, Saxon teaching the "standards" is great because they still do it better.
When my sons came home with all of that stuff, I had no idea what they were learning or how to re-teach it to them. When I found it in the homeschool Saxon, I knew it would be easy because Saxon would teach it correctly in an age appropriate way.
I know that still has to be annoying, though.
SusanS
".. are my kids going to take a hit on standardized tests because we're doing 'traditional' math?"
Our state provides sample test questions on their web site. Looking at these questions is much more efficient than lookiing at fuzzy math books. If you are using Saxon or Singapore Math, I wouldn't worry about these tests very much. In our state, the tests only have meaning for the schools, not the students. For high stakes tests, my understanding is that they are only used on a terribly low pass/fail basis. I can't imagine these tests being used for high school math track placement.
Does anyone know of a case where these tests affected high school math placement?
Actually, I have the reverse case where, back when C. was in 4th grade and place in "Phase 3" math, I asked the middle school guidance counselor whether he could be moved to Phase 4.
He said, "No, he's a 3."
I said, "But he's never gotten a 3 on the state test. He always gets 4s."
He said, "That's different."
Which happened to be true, unfortunately.
Of course, now that he's in Phase 4 math he only gets 3s on the state test....
High 3s, I feel compelled to add....
nicksmama,
Have you seen this?
http://www.pwcteachmathright.com/
--PaulaV
BTW, did anybody else was stumped by question 15 ? I was like, 'I don't know which units he used !', and then of course, I'm not sure whether Ben added right :)
Why can't they just ask 1.1 dollars equal ...
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