Worried about 3rd grader's test results - advice please
Hi Parents
We received our daughter's test results yesterday and I need some advice please.
She got "nearly met standard (2)" for language arts and "below standard" for math (1). We didn't expect her to be exceeding standard but we're very surprised by this. Mainly because we know her math is good, her knowledge of math facts is solid. She's a great reader. We've seen her school work and homework. We do however know that she struggles to decode and understand long story problems and know what the question is asking her.
We were so baffled that we decided to have her take a practice language arts s-bac test at home online. We saw that the questions were littered with words she doesn't know. words like infer and inference, she doesn't know what they mean and didn't know how to answer the questions. These words have never been taught, come up in conversation, been in her homework. She's only 9. I'm so confused.
I understand that she probably needs test practice but even so, it felt like she is being tested according to a standard that she wasn't taught at.
How do I support my daughter in 4th grade?We already hired a math tutor over the summer. Any advice, your experiences would be greatly appreciated!
Parent Replies
The first person to ask is her teacher.
Hello! I can relate! My 2 boys, now 12 and 14, frequently got those scores in elementary school. My older son had a 504 due to attention issues and he was allowed to take the test at a slower pace, but even then didnt score great, though he is very bright and interested in science and had no problem with math homework, etc. I personally took those results with a grain of salt. I found it more important that they enjoy school, read/be read to every night, give their best effort on homework, and practice their musical instruments. My younger son did receive some reading support at the school, which was fine. Many kids don't test all that well and i just feel like it is not the best measure. I never made a big deal out of the test, just encouraged them to do their best. That is great you have a math tutor, regardless of her score. I feel like test practice is what those tests should be, not making her do MORE tests! I would be more concerned if she acted out in school or was refusing to participate. Like you said, she is only 9! (those Story problems are just hard! Even for me sometimes!) Take care and you know what is best for your child. Sometimes maybe the schools are asking too much.
Hi! I've gotten my three kid through the school system (my baby is a senior this year), as well as tutored many kids. I think if your child is otherwise doing well in school, then those test results don't matter much. These kinds of tests are generally used to rate the school, and for purposes of funding and resource allocation. They don't affect your child's grades and are by no means a sign of their intelligence. They might be useful to gauge if a child is improving from one year to the next, but even that might not be an accurate measurement if your child isn't strong in this style of test. It seems like the most useful takeaway from the test might be to let last year's teacher know about the words that tripped your child up so she can better prepare her new class by teaching them those words. It sounds like you have a lucky girl to have such an attentive parent. Best of luck!