Why are MoCo kids failing math exams?
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Anonymous
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The kids aren't failing because the tests don't count against the students. If this were true you would see very low test scores for MSA, HSA and other tests that don't impact a student's grade. A student with A or B in math doesn't fail a test because they didn't study. This is too far a drop, they may score a C but a drop that big isn't because of lack of review.
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Anonymous
| My DD learned about solving for x and isolating the numbers in second grade (though it was 4th grade math). They used a picture of a scale and manipulatives to move things back and forth. It as a great teaching tool and she totally got it. I was pleasantly surprised. |
Anonymous
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I just remembered part 2 of the story. X-100=120. What is X? This is math magic: Hey kids, if you see an X at the beginning with a minus after it, just add the numbers you see and you will magically find out what X is. X+117=145: Hey kids, if you see a plus just take the bigger number from wherever you see it in the equation and subtract the smaller number. You will magically find out what X is.
This is math: Hey kids, did you know that if you add the same amount to both sides of the equation, you aren't changing the equivalency? Same with subtracting. If we want to find out what X is, we need to do something to that side of the equation so that we get X by itself...hmm...I wonder what we could do...etc. etc. No magic. Just math. These magic math lessons completely confused my child's excellent number sense. |
Anonymous
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x-6=4
10-x=4 Math magic? I don't think so. And my 5-year-old was able to figure it out. And yes, obviously, you can do formal algebra to find the answer. Go right ahead, if that's what you want to do. |
Anonymous
Sorry, if your child needs to be given formal procedures ("Add the same thing to each side of the equation to maintain equality") in order to understand what is going on, they don't have "excellent number sense". |
Anonymous
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Just found an old practice test:
"Solve for the unknown in each equation (Hint: You can use the opposite operation to help you.) m - 53=154 m=? 75 + x = 389 x=? " This is exactly how it was written, including the hint. curriculum - proper understanding = magic math |
Anonymous
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"If a number minus 53 is 154, than 154 plus 53 is that number."
"If a number plus 75 is 389, then 389 minus 75 is that number." Please explain why this is not proper understanding. |
Anonymous
| I think it's a little different when you're using numbers that are simple to compute like 2, 4, or 120, 140. The figure it out method is harder to apply when there are more complicated number complications. That leaves the guessing till you get it right method, which is really tiring when you have a whole bunch of these to do. |
Anonymous
I have a degree in mathematics. Nothing on that test is "magic math" to me. |
Anonymous
This may be proper teaching. Encouraging kids to think of the number line is proper teaching. Telling kids, just take the bigger number minus the smaller number, or, whatever sign you see, do the opposite to whatever numbers you see, that's magic and just as much a memorized procedure as teaching the proper algebraic procedure except it is arbitrary to the set up of the equation and won't always work, unlike algebraic procedure which you can build on and is true always. Moving on here. This is one of my frustrations with MCPS math. Doesn't have to be yours. |
Anonymous
Me too. Let's agree to disagree. Peace out. |
Anonymous
| p.s. it's not the test that's magic, it's the explanation of how to solve that I disagree with. I would prefer they save algebra until they can teach it correctly--I learned it in 7th grade when I had a good foundation in arithmetic to be able to delve in and be successful. |
Anonymous
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I have one kid in private and 2 at public in MCPS. The biggest difference I see is that in private, the tests are brought back home to be signed and EVERY problem that was wrong has to be brought back correct. It gives the parents, child and teacher a common place to see where the weaknesses are. Practice websites and worksheets are given to be turned in for extra credit to get them back to speed if the whole class had to move on to the next lesson. The teachers follow up with students. There is a planned game plan on course pages, guidebooks, websites, and even a textbook.
In MCPS they give you a test grade, never let you see the test unless you leave work early to have a conference and they still don't EVER EVER make sure kids can master something before moving on. No corrections, no extra work given in sections they have trouble with. No teachers reaching out to parents. It is such a stale, sad, robotic environment. The tests have depth and the teachers don't teach for it. And I am not 100% for textbooks (I see pros and cons) but there should be SOMETHING. Not just a copied worksheet here or there. A packet for each quarter to show where the next 2-3 months will go. Easy to look back on, easy to see where this is leading. Easier to study. Loose leaf worksheets is just a poor way of running a class and expect learning, memorization, understanding and recollection. |
Anonymous
Very informative comparison, thank you PP |
Anonymous
| When do they begin administering tests under C2.0? My fourth grade in 4th grade math doesn't have any tests. |