How much do grades and test scores matter to you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Test scores are a proxy for how good my kid's school is.

Grades are an indication of how hard my kid is trying.

Wut

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Test scores are a proxy for how good my kid's school is.

Grades are an indication of how hard my kid is trying.

Don’t be fooled. It doesn’t at all. It shows how much the parents are teaching their kid at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Veteran teacher here. Do not worry about test scores. They give so many standardized tests now that kids have trouble sustaining effort. Some of the test questions are poorly designed and I have trouble guessing what they want. Other kids can be distracting, your kid can be tired or hungry or rushing to get to recess. Sometimes kids hit answer online without meaning to and they can’t go back. It’s hard to sit at a computer desk and have room to use scratch paper, so kids just guess. I’ve seen it all.

Never stress kids about these scores. Teachers review them when they get them and don’t think about them again, unless the child is clearly struggling.

Worry instead about teaching your child to do their best and be a good human.

DP. Thank you for this.

[Anonymous]

I check them for consistency with what I know about my kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In elementary school, how much do grades and test scores matter to you? My DD's grades are usually good, but her test scores are more volatile. I'm a recovering perfectionist, so trying really hard not to project on her.

How are her grades good but her test scores volatile? Do you mean standardized tests? I would care more about her grades, which are generally more of a reflection of effort plus ability, than a standardized test like the CogAT or something, which is pure ability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In elementary school, how much do grades and test scores matter to you? My DD's grades are usually good, but her test scores are more volatile. I'm a recovering perfectionist, so trying really hard not to project on her.

You might be a perfectionist but you’re not perfect. You can’t expect her to get everything in her first try. Calm down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test scores are a proxy for how good my kid's school is.

Grades are an indication of how hard my kid is trying.

Don’t be fooled. It doesn’t at all. It shows how much the parents are teaching their kid at home.

Seems unlikely. I don't know how many parents have the time and energy and expertise to teach their kids much. I do know that DC schools, in general, have low standards and so standardized tests are a good way to know where you are compared to schools elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test scores are a proxy for how good my kid's school is.

Grades are an indication of how hard my kid is trying.

Don’t be fooled. It doesn’t at all. It shows how much the parents are teaching their kid at home.

Seems unlikely. I don't know how many parents have the time and energy and expertise to teach their kids much. I do know that DC schools, in general, have low standards and so standardized tests are a good way to know where you are compared to schools elsewhere.

You don’t need expertise to teach elementary material. Much of which can be taught through reading books together, museums, conversations, experiences. The kids that score high nearly all have college educated parents that value education and are not low income. It is because of what is happening at home, that they score high, not what is happening at school. When you look at a mediocre school, it’s very easy to see the pattern of who is scoring high and who isn’t. The kids that are scoring high would likely score high at any school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In elementary school, how much do grades and test scores matter to you? My DD's grades are usually good, but her test scores are more volatile. I'm a recovering perfectionist, so trying really hard not to project on her.

How are her grades good but her test scores volatile? Do you mean standardized tests? I would care more about her grades, which are generally more of a reflection of effort plus ability, than a standardized test like the CogAT or something, which is pure ability.

OP here, yes her standardized test scores are all over the place. She's usually high on reading, but even then will have an outlier score here and there. Math she scores average generally, which is not surprising, she has to work harder at it (she's also young for her grade), but she generally gets all As and maybe one B. Math and science being the grades that are more likely to be her lower grades. Sometimes I see her math standardized test scores and get worried, but then I see her grades and chill out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In elementary school, how much do grades and test scores matter to you? My DD's grades are usually good, but her test scores are more volatile. I'm a recovering perfectionist, so trying really hard not to project on her.

You might be a perfectionist but you’re not perfect. You can’t expect her to get everything in her first try. Calm down.

OP here. I don't expect her to be perfect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test scores are a proxy for how good my kid's school is.

Grades are an indication of how hard my kid is trying.

Don’t be fooled. It doesn’t at all. It shows how much the parents are teaching their kid at home.

Seems unlikely. I don't know how many parents have the time and energy and expertise to teach their kids much. I do know that DC schools, in general, have low standards and so standardized tests are a good way to know where you are compared to schools elsewhere.

You don’t need expertise to teach elementary material. Much of which can be taught through reading books together, museums, conversations, experiences. The kids that score high nearly all have college educated parents that value education and are not low income. It is because of what is happening at home, that they score high, not what is happening at school. When you look at a mediocre school, it’s very easy to see the pattern of who is scoring high and who isn’t. The kids that are scoring high would likely score high at any school.

Ok, but I'm not trying to compare my kid to children in difficult circumstances. I want to know how they compare the other kids in general. And I disagree on teaching elementary school. Teachers have skills that parents don't, at least the good ones do. They also know what's appropriate for an age, how to present the material and the order in which to tackle subjects. Math builds on itself, for example, and if there are holes in a child's education, it will be an ongoing problem. It's also not uncommon for my kid to learn stuff I don't remember or never learned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test scores are a proxy for how good my kid's school is.

Grades are an indication of how hard my kid is trying.

Don’t be fooled. It doesn’t at all. It shows how much the parents are teaching their kid at home.

Seems unlikely. I don't know how many parents have the time and energy and expertise to teach their kids much. I do know that DC schools, in general, have low standards and so standardized tests are a good way to know where you are compared to schools elsewhere.

You don’t need expertise to teach elementary material. Much of which can be taught through reading books together, museums, conversations, experiences. The kids that score high nearly all have college educated parents that value education and are not low income. It is because of what is happening at home, that they score high, not what is happening at school. When you look at a mediocre school, it’s very easy to see the pattern of who is scoring high and who isn’t. The kids that are scoring high would likely score high at any school.

Ok, but I'm not trying to compare my kid to children in difficult circumstances. I want to know how they compare the other kids in general. And I disagree on teaching elementary school. Teachers have skills that parents don't, at least the good ones do. They also know what's appropriate for an age, how to present the material and the order in which to tackle subjects. Math builds on itself, for example, and if there are holes in a child's education, it will be an ongoing problem. It's also not uncommon for my kid to learn stuff I don't remember or never learned.

Dp. It's easier to teach your own children than it is an entire class. Many in the DMV buy Beast or Singapore Math/Dimensions and guide their kids as needed. I've literally seen kids working on these at our rec center while waiting for a sibling's class to end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test scores are a proxy for how good my kid's school is.

Grades are an indication of how hard my kid is trying.

Don’t be fooled. It doesn’t at all. It shows how much the parents are teaching their kid at home.

Seems unlikely. I don't know how many parents have the time and energy and expertise to teach their kids much. I do know that DC schools, in general, have low standards and so standardized tests are a good way to know where you are compared to schools elsewhere.

You don’t need expertise to teach elementary material. Much of which can be taught through reading books together, museums, conversations, experiences. The kids that score high nearly all have college educated parents that value education and are not low income. It is because of what is happening at home, that they score high, not what is happening at school. When you look at a mediocre school, it’s very easy to see the pattern of who is scoring high and who isn’t. The kids that are scoring high would likely score high at any school.

Ok, but I'm not trying to compare my kid to children in difficult circumstances. I want to know how they compare the other kids in general. And I disagree on teaching elementary school. Teachers have skills that parents don't, at least the good ones do. They also know what's appropriate for an age, how to present the material and the order in which to tackle subjects. Math builds on itself, for example, and if there are holes in a child's education, it will be an ongoing problem. It's also not uncommon for my kid to learn stuff I don't remember or never learned.

Dp. It's easier to teach your own children than it is an entire class. Many in the DMV buy Beast or Singapore Math/Dimensions and guide their kids as needed. I've literally seen kids working on these at our rec center while waiting for a sibling's class to end.

Beast is mostly just a video game. Not a lot of learning going on there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test scores are a proxy for how good my kid's school is.

Grades are an indication of how hard my kid is trying.

Don’t be fooled. It doesn’t at all. It shows how much the parents are teaching their kid at home.

Seems unlikely. I don't know how many parents have the time and energy and expertise to teach their kids much. I do know that DC schools, in general, have low standards and so standardized tests are a good way to know where you are compared to schools elsewhere.

You don’t need expertise to teach elementary material. Much of which can be taught through reading books together, museums, conversations, experiences. The kids that score high nearly all have college educated parents that value education and are not low income. It is because of what is happening at home, that they score high, not what is happening at school. When you look at a mediocre school, it’s very easy to see the pattern of who is scoring high and who isn’t. The kids that are scoring high would likely score high at any school.

Ok, but I'm not trying to compare my kid to children in difficult circumstances. I want to know how they compare the other kids in general. And I disagree on teaching elementary school. Teachers have skills that parents don't, at least the good ones do. They also know what's appropriate for an age, how to present the material and the order in which to tackle subjects. Math builds on itself, for example, and if there are holes in a child's education, it will be an ongoing problem. It's also not uncommon for my kid to learn stuff I don't remember or never learned.

That’s the point. Good schools look good because of family demographics- not because of amazing teaching happening. Teachers aren’t directly teaching like you think they are. You can absolutely do a more thorough job yourself at home-for any subject. I’m not saying you need to homeschool, but spend 20-30 min most days on math and she will benefit greatly. Transfer that to any subject she may need help or acceleration in: reading, writing, grammar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Test scores are a proxy for how good my kid's school is.

Grades are an indication of how hard my kid is trying.

Don’t be fooled. It doesn’t at all. It shows how much the parents are teaching their kid at home.

Seems unlikely. I don't know how many parents have the time and energy and expertise to teach their kids much. I do know that DC schools, in general, have low standards and so standardized tests are a good way to know where you are compared to schools elsewhere.

You don’t need expertise to teach elementary material. Much of which can be taught through reading books together, museums, conversations, experiences. The kids that score high nearly all have college educated parents that value education and are not low income. It is because of what is happening at home, that they score high, not what is happening at school. When you look at a mediocre school, it’s very easy to see the pattern of who is scoring high and who isn’t. The kids that are scoring high would likely score high at any school.

Ok, but I'm not trying to compare my kid to children in difficult circumstances. I want to know how they compare the other kids in general. And I disagree on teaching elementary school. Teachers have skills that parents don't, at least the good ones do. They also know what's appropriate for an age, how to present the material and the order in which to tackle subjects. Math builds on itself, for example, and if there are holes in a child's education, it will be an ongoing problem. It's also not uncommon for my kid to learn stuff I don't remember or never learned.

Dp. It's easier to teach your own children than it is an entire class. Many in the DMV buy Beast or Singapore Math/Dimensions and guide their kids as needed. I've literally seen kids working on these at our rec center while waiting for a sibling's class to end.

Beast is mostly just a video game. Not a lot of learning going on there.

Beast Academy has a workbook series. Your child might find it more engaging, or they might not be at the right level, if they feel that there is little learning happening.