Prep for IOWA test?

[Anonymous]

Our DC is in 6th grade AAP and excels at math. The teacher told us that this test is coming up likely in January and that she would work to prepare those kids on time management, as that appears to be the one factor that causes kids to not do well. Is it worth practicing with a workbook as well at home just to familiarize DC with the format and content of the test? Ultimately if they don’t meet the threshold we’ll just live with it, but I don’t want to miss any opportunity to help if I can.

[Anonymous]

It seems like the big issue for many kids is that this is the first time test that they take and most don't know how to handle that. I would guess that there are ways to to practice for that but I am not sure what those are. DS participates in math competitions which are timed but I don't think the expectation is as demanding as the IOWA. The math comps seem to have 1-2 minutes per question while the IOWA sounds like it is about 45 seconds per question.

essentially, I am not sure if you can help a child adjust to doing computations that quickly in a month. It feels to me like you have to understand the question that is asked and be able to handle the computations quickly to have any success on the exam.

[Anonymous]

There’s really nothing you can do. You could have her do a few random math problems in the allotted time so she gets a feel for how quick it really is. The material is nothing new.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There’s really nothing you can do. You could have her do a few random math problems in the allotted time so she gets a feel for how quick it really is. The material is nothing new.

Also wanted to add that I can’t remember if my kid said you can use a calculator or not, but make sure your kid has math facts down. It is wasted time if you have to enter math facts into a calculator.

[Anonymous]

In this DCUM land, if you prepare, you are gaming the system, cheating, buying your way in etc.

[Anonymous]

Got couple of workbooks at the amazon so DS can get familiar with types of questions asked.
DS said test was much easier than the workbooks. He also got high score on SOL
He is in Algebra 1 HN now and doing well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In this DCUM land, if you prepare, you are gaming the system, cheating, buying your way in etc.

Not for IOWA, which is not an IQ test (nor proxy for IQ)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Got couple of workbooks at the amazon so DS can get familiar with types of questions asked.
DS said test was much easier than the workbooks. He also got high score on SOL
He is in Algebra 1 HN now and doing well.

Any recommended workbooks- many many results in general search and some seem overkill…. Any that folks used that worked well? Thx

[Anonymous]

If your kid excels in math she will be fine. I’d let her take it without prepping. This isn’t something you want to game the system on. My 7th grader has lots of friends struggling in Algebra right now and they all scored very high on the Iowa—they didn’t just barely pass. DS is doing great but he still thinks it is hard and he got 99th percentile on the Iowa (without prepping at home but an excellent 6th grade math teacher) and a perfect score on the 7th grade SOL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Got couple of workbooks at the amazon so DS can get familiar with types of questions asked.
DS said test was much easier than the workbooks. He also got high score on SOL
He is in Algebra 1 HN now and doing well.

Any recommended workbooks- many many results in general search and some seem overkill…. Any that folks used that worked well? Thx

Download the Virginia SOL 7 and 8 tests from previous years, and just give them those.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Got couple of workbooks at the amazon so DS can get familiar with types of questions asked.
DS said test was much easier than the workbooks. He also got high score on SOL
He is in Algebra 1 HN now and doing well.

Any recommended workbooks- many many results in general search and some seem overkill…. Any that folks used that worked well? Thx

Download the Virginia SOL 7 and 8 tests from previous years, and just give them those.

Great idea. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Got couple of workbooks at the amazon so DS can get familiar with types of questions asked.
DS said test was much easier than the workbooks. He also got high score on SOL
He is in Algebra 1 HN now and doing well.

Any recommended workbooks- many many results in general search and some seem overkill…. Any that folks used that worked well? Thx

Download the Virginia SOL 7 and 8 tests from previous years, and just give them those.

Great idea. Thanks!

Just as an FYI, don't use it for content, use it for timing. the old SOLs are considerably easier than the current one.

I'm the OP of the thread below, and posted it while I remembered stuff about the test, to help out others.
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1032382.page#21858281

FWIW, DD got a score in the 98th percentile, and has so far cruised through Algebra 1 HN, although she says the pacing is pretty quick. Her school allowed in lots of kids that were below threshold (either on the IAAT or SOL, or both, and at least in one case, by a wide margin), and near as I can tell, they're all doing fine - scores are in the A to B+ range.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Got couple of workbooks at the amazon so DS can get familiar with types of questions asked.
DS said test was much easier than the workbooks. He also got high score on SOL
He is in Algebra 1 HN now and doing well.

Any recommended workbooks- many many results in general search and some seem overkill…. Any that folks used that worked well? Thx

Download the Virginia SOL 7 and 8 tests from previous years, and just give them those.

Great idea. Thanks!

Just as an FYI, don't use it for content, use it for timing. the old SOLs are considerably easier than the current one.

I'm the OP of the thread below, and posted it while I remembered stuff about the test, to help out others.
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1032382.page#21858281

FWIW, DD got a score in the 98th percentile, and has so far cruised through Algebra 1 HN, although she says the pacing is pretty quick. Her school allowed in lots of kids that were below threshold (either on the IAAT or SOL, or both, and at least in one case, by a wide margin), and near as I can tell, they're all doing fine - scores are in the A to B+ range.

We're zoned for a not great middle school (we like it, but DCUM probably doesn't) and they bend rules and let in anyone with parental requests. If they didn't they wouldn't have enough kids taking algebra in 7th to make geometry viable in 8th

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Got couple of workbooks at the amazon so DS can get familiar with types of questions asked.
DS said test was much easier than the workbooks. He also got high score on SOL
He is in Algebra 1 HN now and doing well.

Any recommended workbooks- many many results in general search and some seem overkill…. Any that folks used that worked well? Thx

Download the Virginia SOL 7 and 8 tests from previous years, and just give them those.

Great idea. Thanks!

Just as an FYI, don't use it for content, use it for timing. the old SOLs are considerably easier than the current one.

I'm the OP of the thread below, and posted it while I remembered stuff about the test, to help out others.
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1032382.page#21858281

FWIW, DD got a score in the 98th percentile, and has so far cruised through Algebra 1 HN, although she says the pacing is pretty quick. Her school allowed in lots of kids that were below threshold (either on the IAAT or SOL, or both, and at least in one case, by a wide margin), and near as I can tell, they're all doing fine - scores are in the A to B+ range.

We're zoned for a not great middle school (we like it, but DCUM probably doesn't) and they bend rules and let in anyone with parental requests. If they didn't they wouldn't have enough kids taking algebra in 7th to make geometry viable in 8th

I'm the PP, and DD goes to a TJ feeder. The numbers couldn't possibly be the reason they were being flexible. Maybe their experience is that the kids do just fine anyway (DD's math teacher is apparently very good).

[Anonymous]

Our RSM branch is running zoom workshops to prepare current students, so we just signed up. I'm sure they will have something to offer to the non-students.