help please - 1st grade teachers or parents of 1st graders...

[carpediem]

RE: SAT test

My daughter who just finished the 1st grade received her SAT test results with her end of year report card. Her results were all 98 or 99 or 96 except the math procedures section on which she scored a 67, she got 96 on the math problem solving section.

I am trying to determine what specifically the procedures section of the test is testing for. I want to be able to help her with this over the summer.

Thanks for any info you can give me.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Procedures

sounds like knowing terms such as equal, less than, greater than, etc, etc. It could also mean addition, subtraction, etc. Check and see exactly how the test was written. Were the subtraction problems written this way:

12
-6
__

or this way: 12 - 6 =

Find out which way she was taught. Some kids have problems switching from vertical to horizontal formats.

That's my guess, anyway.

[carpediem]

3. that is what I would think it is too

The thing is, she is very good at that part of math. Every math test that came home throughout the year she would do great on. So I am confused because of the result and am wondering if there is anything else to the procedures section than that.

Re: question format - good theory, I hadn't thought of that. I don't think that is the issue though, because they did a ton of math sheets written in both formats. But maybe she prefers one format to the other and the test was in her unpreferred format. I'll have to ask her, hopefully she can remember what her test questions looked like in early April.

[liarliartieonfire]

5. Yep..thats good advice and

just for the record..your child will be bringing these test scores home for many years.
Along with other testing scores. Although they are a good source for measuring abilities, you cannot get really obsessed with them. Caution yes, interest yes, but unless one suddenly show up absurdly out of order with the rest, I wouldn't put my child in summer school classes. I do know parents who have freaked out and done this.
The child was a great and as average as the next, but spent his summer in daily classes because his parents told him he needed a little help. ?? And that's what this little kid then repeated to all his friends.
So of course he was therefore labelled. He would have profited as much from a summer with his friends, learning "play" and the cool field trips. Or just being a kid. Growth occurs in different ways.

Good idea to perhaps question the way your daughter was taught as pointed out in the previous post.
It could be something that simple.

[carpediem]

9. I agree 100% with what you said about having fun over the

summer. I am actually a very low key parent. I just found it curious that she would do so well on everything else and "ok" on this part.

She isn't signed up for any tutoring or summer school at all, in fact, she wants to learn tennis this summer. And as for play, we live on a street of approx 25 houses and there are 25 kids under 12 on the street...playtime abounds, as it should.

(I guess I should have not sounded so panicked in my first post. I am not. She is an awesome kid with a great heart and a fantastic student. I just want to be sure I don't let her down if she does need extra help - and I would never put it to her that way of course!)

[burned]

2. I googled 1st grade math procedures

http://www.schoolwisepress.com/expert/archives/test/test_arch26.html

Jeez did you write this? :)

Your daughter sounds pretty well off to me.

[carpediem]

6. how did you find that?! I have been googling for the last hour!

All that kept coming up were individual or state results on the tests. It does sound like I could have written that question. Thanks.

[H2O Man]

4. a suggestion.....

is to just have some fun with math over the summer. If you notice there is any single area where your child needs "extra" help, you'll be able to focus a little more there. If she seems to be doing well in all areas, then perhaps it was the specofic test. I think it's great that you are looking to help your daughter. I think it's even greater she did so well in most areas of the testing. Good reason to let that beautiful little girl concentrate on having fun this summer!

[carpediem]

10. She will be having fun this summer! Lots of it.

In fact this morning we washed the car together, then went to see Shrek 2 and now she is swimming.

I like your idea of trying to figure it out by having fun with math. What is odd is there wasn't any math she had trouble with during the year - which is why the test got my attention.

[H2O Man]

12. Good.

That's the way to do it. It doesn't sound like your daughter has any problems with math. Children that age (and all ages) can have a single test that gives them a problem for a wide variety of unimportant reasons. Unless there is a pattern, don't mention it to her. It's pretty clear that the pattern with your daughter is passing with great grades. Keep up the great parenting!

[Champ]

7. Can a 1st grader chime in here?

:)

[Vladimir]

8. I think Bush would get banned n/t

[carpediem]

11. Thanks to everyone who has replied.

As I've said in a couple of posts now, I am not worried so much as curious. And unfortunately the last day of school was also the day the results were sent home, so I haven't had an opportunity to ask for more details. I'm just trying to be a good mom for her and that one area just stood out from the others.

[cally]

13. I got my first graders scores

and she did horribly. I was surprised and asked the teachers about it. Turns out that scores at this age don't indicate much. The teachers told me that my daughter got very interested in the red bird outside the window and the wind in the trees and didn't finish the test. That's what 6 year olds are supposed to do. (She now does very well.) My daughter's school allowed me to see the questions so I understood what was asked. My advice is just to ignore it and see what happens next year.