The two of them can be so different!

[conuly]

It took Ana *ages* to get the hang of two step word problems. Even now, I often have to start her off with "okay, so what do we need to find out FIRST? No, that's what we ultimately need to discover, but what are we figuring out first so we can get to that part?", though she continues to improve.

Evangeline started them this week, looked at the two problems I gave her (I tell them that if they clearly grasp the concept I don't see the need to belabor the point, so if they can get a sample couple of problems done without assistance they don't need to finish the page), brushed off any attempt to explain the process of figuring out what we find out first, and quickly whipped out the correct answers. All that was left was to explain why I, at least, think it is better to clearly label each step and sub-answer before continuing and to talk through what they seem to mean when they ask you to "explain your thinking". (They ask this, but judging how very bad Ana was at it before I'm not entirely sure they do a good job at teaching it. It is impossible to find examples of correct explanations online, too, let me tell you!)

Comments

[conuly]

And in order to get them used to multiple choice, ALL the tests they take in math are multiple choice.

Which is stupid.

[eofs.livejournal.com]

But... but...

This is a really radical idea, but maybe it would be better if, in order to get them used to maths, all the tests they take in maths actually test their maths? I know, I know, it's a strange idea.

(And how much getting-used-to does multiple choice require!?)

I thought we were bad in this country for "teaching to the test", but that's just absurd.

The second paper looked much more like I remember our tests being at that age. (Not that I remember my KS2 SATs particularly clearly, which would have been the equivalent.) I only looked briefly at the English one which was also largely multiple choice, but for reading comprehension that's not so absurd. I was surprised by how much of the test was comprehension though and how little was writing, but perhaps there's another component to the test which I missed.

[conuly]

They also don't send the tests back in anything like a reasonable timeframe, or at all. How are we supposed to help Ana with the type of problem she flubbed if we don't know what that type is?