This is the question not even the state of Minnesota seems to be able to answer correctly. It seems state educators felt the math exam juniors had to pass to graduate was too difficult. The solution? How about we have them not take it.
In a country that seems to lag behind others in the world in terms of math proficiency, this seems to be sending the wrong message to our students. The test itself did not even need to be passed to graduate. As long as you were up to par in all other areas of academia, you could fail the math test three times and then be allowed to graduate.
The world economy is currently shrinking while our population continues to increase rapidly. What this means is our students will face even more competition for jobs. Not only will they face competition from people within our own country but people throughout the world. Math is a subject based on building blocks. If students can't pass a basic proficiency test after the 11th grade, how do they expect to make it through college and have the necessary math skills to compete in the global economy.
Very few of us have our careers mapped out in high school. At the time, we may see no need for math or any other subject at the time. However, math is not just important in the work force, we use it every day. Understanding math may have helped some people who are currently in trouble with mortgage problems. I want to build a deck for my house, math helps me figure out how much materials I need. Math helps us understand how interest compounds on credit cards, hopefully before we are in credit card debt. In the grocery store, math helps us understand which size cereal box is the best value for our money. While these are simple examples, I feel they are relevant to us understanding how important math is.
In conclusion, putting this test off is sending the wrong message to our students. We should be challenging teachers to come up with better methods for teaching math to their students. We should be challenging students to score higher on math exams. If we don't push ourselves to find out how good we can become at something, we will never know. By the way, how hard is this exam? Find out here!
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I heard this story on the radio in my car and just about drove off of the road. You are absolutely right about the message being sent - we will not expect you to succeed, we will not hold you to any standards of quality. If it appears you will fail, we simply won't let you by calling the entire thing off. What is almost worse is as I understand it, they have set in place a policy that students either have to pass it once or fail it three times. Then I assume from the language of the story that they simply get a pass. Imaging what is going through the mind of every single struggling or non-motivated student. It is like giving them a golden invitation to fail. Why try? Why listen? Why attempt to comprehend what is being taught? If I'm doing poorly, they just won't have the test and if they go through with it, all I have to do is fail 3 times! Fantastic!
ReplyDeleteNo wonder our test scores are going down. No wonder we fall farhter behind other countries every time there is a comparison of academic achievement. No wonder our educational system is loaded with problems. We think poorly conceived monstrosities like NCLB will solve our problems and when we can do something simple that could actually help - like hold students to an actual standard of performance that is realistic - we drop the whole thing because of potential failure. Minnesota should be embarrassed and ashamed of this. I find it terribly sad myself.
The first step to recovery is admitting it, so here it goes…I am a math phobic!
ReplyDeleteI don’t know how I came to be so afraid I can do it. Math tests just scare me.
I totally agree that math is important to every facet of living, but did Minnesota have to set one exam as a marker for graduating? We’ve said it before, “Aren’t there enough tests?”
Should one test determine if you graduate? I might not have failed the exam, but my last semester of school would have been traumatic. I probably wouldn’t have learned much else because I would have been too worried about the test. Do we really want to do that to our students?
I agree with you in that telling students they do not have to pass a math test in eleventh grade is not a good thing. Students probably study less and concentrate on this subject less. They probably feel they do not need to worry about math but other subjects that they need to pass on the test are more important. They put more time into those subjects. I myself always hated math and did not see a reason for learning it because I knew I was going to become a music teacher. However, I now know music and math go hand in hand. I also was amazed at how many times we need math in everyday life. You brought up some really good points about even using math in a grocery store.
ReplyDeleteCanceling the math test sends the wrong message to our students. Unfortunately, this is a problem that is currently going on in our education system. Children are a less reluctant to put effort into activities that require sustained effort. It is a sad day in education when teachers’ condone this attitude by dropping requirements or inflating grades. Students need to be taught not to be so apathetic towards their education. It is up to the teachers to try to intrinsically motivate the students to want to learn. If need be, a teacher needs to force these ideals on the students by not lowering expectations and making them earn their grades. Unfortunately, the math test issue in Minnesota will not be first or last evidence of lowered expectations in education. Students can no longer be satisfied with the status quo, and schools need to foster high levels of achievement and not settle second best.
ReplyDeleteSign me up! I'm another math-a-phobic person. I know where my problem begins. In second grade my teacher gave us timed math tests - you know the ones - "how many problems on a sheet of paper can you finish in one minute" type tests. I became ill every time we had one of these tests. My parents talked to the teacher but she would not change her method of testing. Evidently you can only do math correctly if you do it quickly. But back to the point of the test; students should be responsible for learning "outcomes" I'll call it for lack of a better word. I seem to recall some years ago, reading about a test in Florida that was required before students could graduate. They found the so many students were failing the test that they modified their requirements. I don't think we should modify our requirements, only start them earlier. It is hard to "teach an old dog new tricks". Start the tests in lower elementary. Students should show they can meet certain guidelines at the end of certain grades. If they can't, they are retained until the material is learned. Many subjects other than math are also building block subjects. Think of the time English teachers could save if, instead of reteaching a certain amount of grammar every year, they could just build on what was taught the year before. Let's stop socially promoting students. Maybe this would help with getting students to attend school as well. Just a thought!
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