Is it normal for the kids to be told not to talk about the tests at home?

You don't want your child to be the one that doesn't pass. You don't. The tests are very important to the school's reputation, and to the teacher's reputation (not saying they should be)

My kids aren't subjected to nearly the amount of rote, useless memorization I was back in the '70s. I think there is much more conceptual and analytical work in elementary school now.

We also have to be careful to not apply adult learning standards to children. I'm learning piano as an adult, while my 7-year-old takes lessons with the same teacher. Just last night, the instructor was mentioning that he explains just about everything to me (mechanics of playing, etc.) but wouldn't think of doing the same to DD--she wants to know how, not why, at this point, and too much information would impede her playing. As she gets older, he'll introduce more background as she's ready.

I don't care how smart your kid is; some concepts are just not developmentally available to them before a certain age.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What grade are they studying Mali? Perhaps it came up in class discussion talking about current events.

In second grade they teach about Mali.

Mali comes up in any student of ancient civilizations. It's on the 9th grade World History I SOL, too. Just remember gold and salt and you'll be good.

This is the problem.
The SOLs are based on "all you need to know is" and unfortunately that strategy is what is dominating education in the US right now. We're jumping ship and headed to private next year.

here's some others you want to master:
1. economics: supply and demand
2. business: buy low and sell it for more
3. Spanish: Como esta usted? Muy bien gracias.

pretty much all you need to know

And was it really any different when we were kids? Kids take all sorts of tests to measure what they know - spelling tests, science quizzes, history tests, etc etc. To be successful on those tests, they have to retain/regurgitate material. I had to memorize explorers, learn spelling words, learn multiplication facts, and all sorts of other facts for my classes in elementary school. As for things like supply and demand, I never had to learn that until I took economics in college. I was amazed to see that our son had to know such a concept in 3rd grade (and I grew up attending a school system on par with the best around here). I read the whining on here and just laugh -- what do people want their kids learning that they're somehow not getting? And, really, does it matter? I attended top schools all the way through law school and work with super intelligent people who went to ordinary elementary and high schoools, and attended average universities/law schools.

I also have to laugh because you find plenty of complaints on this forum that kids shouldn't be wasting time learning, say, a foreign language in elementary school because it detracts from more language arts or math -- in other words, more basics of the type tested on SOLs.

same here, luckily. But around here you know, esp. with STEM and TJ - well let's be honest. Law is a fall back position for people with no real talent for doing anything else who couldn't get into med. school But more seriously, I can see school is much more competitive (esp. in this area) than when I was a kid. Not the way I would wish it, but just the way it is.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What grade are they studying Mali? Perhaps it came up in class discussion talking about current events.

In second grade they teach about Mali.

Mali comes up in any student of ancient civilizations. It's on the 9th grade World History I SOL, too. Just remember gold and salt and you'll be good.

This is the problem.
The SOLs are based on "all you need to know is" and unfortunately that strategy is what is dominating education in the US right now. We're jumping ship and headed to private next year.

here's some others you want to master:
1. economics: supply and demand
2. business: buy low and sell it for more
3. Spanish: Como esta usted? Muy bien gracias.

pretty much all you need to know

And was it really any different when we were kids? Kids take all sorts of tests to measure what they know - spelling tests, science quizzes, history tests, etc etc. To be successful on those tests, they have to retain/regurgitate material. I had to memorize explorers, learn spelling words, learn multiplication facts, and all sorts of other facts for my classes in elementary school. As for things like supply and demand, I never had to learn that until I took economics in college. I was amazed to see that our son had to know such a concept in 3rd grade (and I grew up attending a school system on par with the best around here). I read the whining on here and just laugh -- what do people want their kids learning that they're somehow not getting? And, really, does it matter? I attended top schools all the way through law school and work with super intelligent people who went to ordinary elementary and high schoools, and attended average universities/law schools.

I also have to laugh because you find plenty of complaints on this forum that kids shouldn't be wasting time learning, say, a foreign language in elementary school because it detracts from more language arts or math -- in other words, more basics of the type tested on SOLs.

Anonymous wrote:You never hear the asians complain. If they changed the method the asians would adapt and continue to win.

Here we go again I was happy about the new separate AAP forum and was hoping the never ending Asian side show was going with it. I guess no such luck.

You never hear the asians complain. If they changed the method the asians would adapt and continue to win.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What grade are they studying Mali? Perhaps it came up in class discussion talking about current events.

In second grade they teach about Mali.

Mali comes up in any student of ancient civilizations. It's on the 9th grade World History I SOL, too. Just remember gold and salt and you'll be good.

This is the problem.
The SOLs are based on "all you need to know is" and unfortunately that strategy is what is dominating education in the US right now. We're jumping ship and headed to private next year.

here's some others you want to master:
1. economics: supply and demand
2. business: buy low and sell it for more
3. Spanish: Como esta usted? Muy bien gracias.

pretty much all you need to know

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What grade are they studying Mali? Perhaps it came up in class discussion talking about current events.

In second grade they teach about Mali.

Mali comes up in any student of ancient civilizations. It's on the 9th grade World History I SOL, too. Just remember gold and salt and you'll be good.

This is the problem.
The SOLs are based on "all you need to know is" and unfortunately that strategy is what is dominating education in the US right now. We're jumping ship and headed to private next year.

I don't blame you as a lot of people have this view. But the politicians and policy-makers aren't hearing this. Is it that this is the opinion of a silent majority or does the majority of the populace not feel this way?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What grade are they studying Mali? Perhaps it came up in class discussion talking about current events.

In second grade they teach about Mali.

Mali comes up in any student of ancient civilizations. It's on the 9th grade World History I SOL, too. Just remember gold and salt and you'll be good.

This is the problem.
The SOLs are based on "all you need to know is" and unfortunately that strategy is what is dominating education in the US right now. We're jumping ship and headed to private next year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Moved to VA recently from NJ. Must agree that there is too much emphasis on VA state history at the expense of other great history lessons. My kids are even complaining about it. They know that other states played an important role in US history, but it is not covered. And forget about WWI/II, reconstruction, and world history...

I grew up in Illinois and we studied Illinois history in elementary school. Live in NoVA, not a fan of most of the state but a great deal of US history happened in VA and there's no harm to learning it

We moved here from New Jersey (something I'm not proud of), and my kids loved VA history. There is so many things to do in VA that are rich in history and we spent most of our free time soaking it all in.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP had a valid point. As a parent, SOLs are meaningless.

I understand.
As a teacher, I know that we are transitioning to an evaluation system in which 40% of our evaluation will be based upon student progress. While I don't agree with the new system, SOL scores will be used as a measure. As long as that is in place, I hope there won't be many parents who convey this to their students.

This is not necessarily true. In my FCPS high school, we have been allowed to choose what we are evaluated on as far as student progress - so it could be a reading test, a writing assessment, oral presentations given throughout the year, or an SOL test.

For now we could do that for our SMART goals, but that is going to change. From the training I went to last summer all other districts in the state are using an SOL formula index. We are headed there too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just told my 4th Grader I care only about the grades she gets from her teachers and not to worry about the SOLs.

I hate "No Child Left Behind" and "Teaching the test." And while I realize good scores are good for our school, is there any reason whatsoever that I should worry about what dd actually scores on her SOLs?

I have a good mind to keep her out on test days and take her to a museum or the movies or something.

What am I missing?

I am kind of agreed with you that SOLs are just making teachers and schools look good. However, If your kid wants to go to TJ or AOS, your kid needs a teacher recommendation. If your kid got 300 in his or her SOLs in Math or Science, do you think their Math and Science teachers will write him or her a good recommendation?

Do the teachers know what each individual student got on the SOL?

Yes. In my kids school, school even took the picture of the students and posted in school hallway if students got perfect score.

Anonymous wrote:I don't mind the SOL's. I just don't like that the kids spend so much time on the pre-tests. It is almost a form of cheating.

I think some of the pre-test practice is to cover stuff on the SOLs that was covered in prior years that the kids might not remember. I might be wrong, but I think third grade SOLs cover topics from K-3, so the review of old stuff sounds helpful.

I don't mind the SOL's. I just don't like that the kids spend so much time on the pre-tests. It is almost a form of cheating.