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

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

I typed math problems "show your work" into the Google machine and found a number of sites, but not sure whether they're what you're looking for. Very interesting discussion of the matter at
http://liberationmath.org/2013/02/06/showing-work-in-mathematics/

[conuly]

Oh no, no, no.

What they want kids to do is first show their work, then write a paragraph explaining what they did and why. Ana spent two years writing things like "first I added. Then I checked my work" until I was able to get through to her that that's probably not what they want....

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

What?!? That's absurd! What if the true and honest explanation is "I looked at the problem and I knew what the answer had to be; it was obvious."? Would that be acceptable, or would the student be expected to make up a lie instead?

You could be a real pain in the butt, and ask the teacher to write out a sample explanation for the equation 1+1=2. Since that's the simplest equation there is, the explanation of what one does to solve it, and why, must also be the simplest, neh? If "I added, then I checked my work" is not an acceptable answer, then what is? "Show your work!"

I hope their school is actually better than you make it sound, because it sounds like such bullshit that I often wonder why you're not homeschooling instead.

[conuly]

It's not the schools' fault, it's pretty damn endemic in the curricula nowadays and also in the required tests - required for home schools as well. I checked.

And yes, it IS ridiculous. At lower levels where they aren't doing many word problems yet they are expected to draw a picture of how they added or multiplied. Way to discourage memorization there, guys!

[conuly]

You can actually take a gander at the state tests here:

http://www.nysedregents.org/elementary.html

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

Grr. I only looked at them a little, and already they're pissing me off.

[conuly]

Oh, but tell us how you really feel!

[eofs.livejournal.com]

I looked at the grade 5 one for maths and Book 2 seemed not unreasonable, but I was shocked that Book 1 was entirely multiple choice.

[conuly]

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

Which is stupid.

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

Um... torches and pitchforks? Viva La Resistance? Make all public-school teachers and administrators take the 12th-grade tests every year and post their scores on the State website? Universal Unschooling?

Why are we paying our tax dollars to inflict this kind of utter pap on our kids?

Hello, the Emperor's nakey again.

[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?