| One half of the students at Booker Elementary School | | | | focus. Mike is always terrified; on testing day we email |
| went to the soccer game. 1/3 of the students wore | | | | family and friends for prayer support. |
| blue. 1/2 of the students who wore blue were boys. | | | | Here are some of the strategies that have helped our |
| Forty boys wore blue. How many students were in the | | | | guys. I hope they will give you some ideas as you |
| school? | | | | work with your child. |
| A. 120 | | | | 1. Ask your child's teacher for old copies of "test prep" |
| B. 240 | | | | books, or buy books designed to prepare your child for |
| C. 480 | | | | testing. Let your child do a little bit of the test each |
| D. 560 | | | | night. |
| Please hurry and solve this problem, because you | | | | 2. Look for any gaps in basic understanding. |
| have 37 more like it, and only 90 minutes to finish them | | | | 3. Standardized tests demand proficiency in word |
| all...And you're in the third grade. (A variation of this | | | | problems; some state tests have no 'straight' math |
| problem appeared on a standardized test for 3rd | | | | problems at all. Help your child decode the math words |
| graders.) | | | | in a problem. Get a good math vocabulary list that will |
| Whatever your opinion about the necessity and validity | | | | help turn a sentence into an equation. |
| of testing, you cannot change the fact that your child | | | | 4. Find out where careless errors occur. Misaligned |
| will soon be handed a bubble sheet and asked to | | | | numbers, incorrectly copied problems or answers, |
| remember material from an entire year. In A Bubble of | | | | misread operation signs, and sloppy handwriting cause |
| Confidence, I addressed ways to boost your child's | | | | children to miss problems they understand. When a |
| test taking confidence. Comprehending Comprehension | | | | careless error is made, make a notation of why, and |
| has strategies for the reading portion of the test. This | | | | work out a strategy to minimize these mistakes. |
| article lists several ways to help prepare for the math | | | | 5. Since most standardized tests have an entire |
| portion of standardized tests. I must emphasize, | | | | section that requires use of a calculator, make sure |
| however, that it is important to approach test taking | | | | your child is proficient on the type your school uses for |
| with balance. Don't add to the inherent stressfulness of | | | | testing. Purchase one for home use. Use it for regular |
| the situation by loading your child down with extra | | | | homework, test preparation, and for games. |
| study and work. Your goal is not to add to your child's | | | | 6. Familiarize your child with the various types of |
| knowledge, but to help him or her effectively use and | | | | measurement tools. Rulers are notorious for creating |
| retrieve what they already know. | | | | confusion, as some have leading edges, and some do |
| We have four boys, three of whom have ADHD | | | | not. Schools use a variety of compasses and |
| Inattentive Type. Each one approaches a standardized | | | | protractors that are not available at Wal-Mart. Check |
| test differently. Our youngest son Ash loves the event, | | | | with your school to see what they use. |
| although his scores are no higher than his brothers'. Joe | | | | 7. There are several ways to approach math |
| has a 504 plan and has special modifications. In the | | | | problems. Help your child find the ways that work best |
| past, Ron has relied on medication to concentrate | | | | for her. |
| during his exams, and now he drinks caffeine to help | | | | |