Thursday and Friday, all math students will be taking a school-wide test by grade level which will help your child’s teacher monitor their progress and mastery of the math skills they are expected to learn this year. There are 30 questions total on this test.
Please make sure your child gets plenty of sleep Wednesday and Thursday evenings, and a good breakfast. They will need sharpened pencils for the test.
This was a last minute change of plans. We will resume working on fractions on Monday. There will be questions on the skills test that we have not gone over yet, but we will be learning much of the material during the second nine weeks.
On a different, but similar note:
The results of the pre-test benchmark which your child took at the beginning of the year were given to me today. These test scores are always low-year after year. They can not be fully judged without knowing what the district average was. This year, I have not been given that information yet. However, I will calculate the team average, and that should give you a strong indicator of how well your child did in comparison to other children who took the same test on the Talons team. This information will be placed on page 26 of your child’s planner. Give that page and the surrounding page a look, and revisit it throughout the year.
The Pre-Test Benchmark test given by the district to all students in 6th grade had 30 questions total. I can tell you that on our team, the highest score was an 80% in math. Two students achieved that score. This means, adding 20% onto your child’s score will give a more true indicator of their performance on the pre-test. Also, remember, that test is used to measure a beginning point before the material has been taught throughout the year, with the goal that your child will achieve a higher test score on the SAME test at the end of the year-which will then be called a post-test. Do NOT punish your child or be disappointed in your child for their performance on this test. The results do not appear on any report card ever. The test results do NOT help your child, nor do they hurt your child’s grade point average. I do have a lot of concerns about that particular test, which cause me to question its validity. That’s why I personally believe the district administered benchmark tests’ main value is in showing you how your child’s progress compares to other district sixth graders who have also taken the same test.
The test your child will take Thursday and Friday are in math only, during the math period, in the math classroom, and are school-wide only. They are not district-wide tests.
Correction: They will also be taking a reading test in reading class.
