Dear Parents,
Last night and today I worked on correcting two math tests from March, and two math test prep. packets from this last week. In addition to that, I corrected a language arts paper I gave the kids yesterday. I have a few more sets of papers to grade tomorrow, but after working for over an hour last night, and about four hours today, I'm finished for today!
A couple of observations about the math papers:
* a number of students are "looking and guessing" at the multiple choice answers rather than working out the problems and solving them correctly.
** multiple-step problems are very challenging for students who don't read the problems carefully and solve them step by step.
*** some students are not careful about filling in the answer circles ("bubbles") carefully. A few students put a slash through the answer circles; some students circle the answer circles; still others fill them in so lightly that it's difficult to see the answers and the scan-tron machines wouldn't pick up the answers if these papers were evaluated that way.
We start the California State Tests in two weeks. I'm trying very hard to make sure the students are as ready as possible for the state tests. Everything we're doing at school is with that goal in mind.
It's a gorgeous day today, and I hope the children have had time to go outside and play! I also hope they are taking time every day to read their AR book for at least a half hour and to work a little on their ABC State Report.
Sincerely,
Ruth Landmann
Another problem I see sometimes is not using the algorithm to complete the problem. I noticed in fifth grade that some students figure out "shortcuts". However, this must be discouraged. The shortcut doesnn't apply in upper math. They must learn the algorithm.
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