Timed math tests in kindergarten

[Anonymous]

My dd got timed tests in 3rd grade and I know that's when her math anxiety started. It went downhill from there . She struggled with math and hated it. She was diagnosed with adhd in 6th grade. A math assessment also showed that she was so far behind with her basic math skills past 3rd grade. Took us a year with private math tutoring outside of school to get her somewhat caught up but the aversion is still there now that she's in 9th grade. Times testing was the worst thing for her and she remembers feeling so stupid in 3rd grade when she couldn't do her multiplication table in under one minute. She only learned her multiplication table in 6th grade, and only through the more relaxed environment of a tutor.

[Anonymous]

I'm not undercutting anything that's been said here.
But I also find that one helpful tactic is to move away from the "test" concept. It's not like anything hinges on this "test", right? (E.g. Placement). I'd tell my kid that it's just a minute set aside in the day to practice math facts and there's no pressure to do any particular amount, and you don't care at all how many he does. If the teacher is goading then on or awarding prizes for speed, that's s bigger problem in my mind. It may just be that the teacher doesn't want them to spend too long practicing addition, but just wants them to do a few problems every day, so has set aside a minute or two to do that as a transition.
My kid gets very worked up about stuff that is meaningless (like her teacher marking her tardy when the bus is late) and I just keep repeating that I don't care about that, and she doesn't need to either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not appropriate for at all. Seriously. The research is against this.

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/07/03/36boaler.h31.html

From the article:
"In Beilock’s recent research conducted with children in 1st and 2nd grade, she found that levels of math anxiety did not correlate with grade level, reading level, or parental income. For the most capable students, the research confirms, stress impedes the functioning of their working memory and reduces achievement. Research conducted at Stanford revealed that math anxiety changes the structure and workings of the brain."

So much this. I'd be seriously concerned about a teacher who doesn't know how learning takes place. I would be mad, SN kid or not.

[Anonymous]

OP - It is entirely inappropriate in K and you need to address this teacher's style with the principal. Actually, can you just talk to other parents of the K students to see what their reactions are and make a group request of why this is being done. We have a grandchild in North Arlington top school in K and no way is such "testing" being done. We have other grandchildren on Maryland side now in second and never was this approach done K-2 of timed tests. I would wonder if this was a teacher moved down to K who is using methods more suited for an older class. You still have half the year ahead so I would get this addressed by the principal or the math team ASAP for the benefit of all the students.

[Anonymous]

Wow! Definitely NOT appropriate for ANY kindergartner let alone one who is SN. DEFINITELY get such things into his IEP -- maybe if he HAS to do these he can type the answer instead of writing it down??? UGH....these kinds of things are exactly why we homeschooled our 2 SN kids!

[Anonymous]

DS was in a top ranked school in MCPS. They never did this. We are FCPS and they still don't do this.