<p>So how many of your kids were not permitted to take home their graded math tests? The policy at our kids' high school is that tests are not allowed out of the classroom, because the teachers re-use the exams from year to year. Laziness? I think expecting a teacher to compose new tests is NOT unreasonable. My DS sees a tutor for math, and having the test to go over and study from would be priceless. As it stands right now, we have to rely on his memory for what went wrong. For a kid who struggles in math, this is a huge stumbling block. </p>
<p>Test questions and answers will leak out anyway, so the policy will not prevent cheating by the students. In reality, it is the teachers who are cheating.</p>
<p>Ours doesn’t allow the test out, but the study guides have been very helpful.</p>
<p>We have an ‘econ’ class (it’s really like a life finance/budgeting class) who constantly is accusing the kids of cheating on the big ‘budget project’. Well, change it from semester to semester! Change the rules, change the dollar amounts, change what they are required to buy (insurance, cell phone, tv’s). Oh, then he’d have to change his power point that he’s been using for FIVE years. Because the economy hasn’t changed in FIVE years?</p>
<p>Why isn’t the tutor creating his/her own tests to better diagnose what your son does and doesn’t know? Seems to me that’s a more productive path forward. </p>
<p>I think a lot of teachers are just using canned tests provided by the textbook vendors. There probably aren’t too many different versions of those. Neither of my kids is actually taking school math this year but my recollection from past years is that they did have graded tests, and they certainly did have quizzes. But I agree, it shouldn’t be too much to ask a teacher to return graded exams. It’s not that hard to find math exam problems; there are plenty of other texts out there they could pull questions from if they run out of the ones from the text they are using. </p>
<p>Would it be nice to get to keep the graded tests - yes.
Would it be nice if the teacher came up with a new test every time - yes.
Is the teacher required to provide students with the test - no.</p>
<p>While inconvenient, it is not an unreasonable policy. You need to work with it since it isn’t likely to change. The math teacher should allow your son to review his test. You son should be able to write down examples of the types of problems that he missed. </p>
<p>Good thought, blossom. We do pay a pretty penny for tutoring, but since it is 45 min a session, I don’t know if we could afford to pay for the tutor to develop more testing. We just started with a new tutor, so I will ask. In a perfect world, access to the test would quickly show the tutor and student (and parents) where the trouble stems from. We are spoiled by the AP teachers who allow students to see the testing, and make test corrections. While it’s not quite like taking the tests home, they allow students access to tests before/after school, and encourage them to come in and take a second shot at the missed questions. They actually learn what they did incorrectly, and hence do very well on the AP exams at the end of the year. The math teachers seem to think that allowing students to see their tests on multiple occasions, and reworking the problems is not acceptable policy. I don’t get it…kids who want to learn, and improve their performance and understanding should not have stumbling blocks thrown in their path. My non-math kid had one math teacher in HS who understood that some kids just need a second pass at understanding a concept, and she did allow for test corrections on a few of the tests, and offered to be available for kids/parents to come in to view the tests. She was transferred after 2 years, as the math chair seemed to not appreciate her methods. We miss her.</p>
<p>Sundaypunch-no pencils allowed when reviewing the test. Craziness, right??</p>
<p>Shellz- there is nothing holy about the tests your son is taking in school. The tutor can xerox a test out of any level appropriate math text and in ten minutes see that your son is struggling multiplying fractions or can’t calculate the area of a circle, or what-not. A decent math tutor will probably have stacks of diagnostic tests in his or her glove compartment.</p>
<p>You are making a big deal out of a stupid class policy. Yes- it’s stupid. But there are an unlimited number of math problems in the world- it’s not like we’re about to run out of “if a train is going 80 miles per hour between Chicago and St. Louis”. Not a scarce resource! The important thing is NOT that your son drills on questions that he’s already gotten wrong until he gets them right. The important thing is that your son fills in the blanks on his conceptual knowledge so he can get any question dealing with that concept right next time he sees it- so old tests are only one (and not critical) ingredient to his success.</p>
<p>If you want an assessment, maybe you could get another text for the same topic and have your son do the chapter test or review problems as a diagnostic to go over with the tutor</p>
<p>I think Khan Academy (free online) has assessment programs that he could take to pinpoint where he has difficulty and share those with tutor. </p>
<p>Good ideas here. Thx all. Just so beyond frustrated that my son is struggling and this seemingly simple solution is not on the table. The chapter tests in the textbook are a good start. I think son will need to verify with his teacher that indeed the tests will resemble them as she does seem to hop around the text book somewhat. I don’t know if that is normal at this level, (calc) but since some kids are doing fine, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was.</p>
<p>I am ready for this year to be over. Tutoring over the summer may help address some of the holes in his learning so that next year will be less painful. </p>
<p>Khan Academy sounds like a good idea. Will check into. Thx!</p>
<p>The complaint would apply equally to SAT, ACT, GMAT, LSAT, etc., no? Those companies can afford to make up new test questions. But there’s no law that requires them to publish their exam questions.</p>
<p>The typical teacher does re-use some exam questions – not just in math classes. The typical teacher also gives study questions or practice questions. Unless the test is a multiple-choice test, the teachers also usually allow the students take their graded papers and exams home to review the grades and their own performance. But I don’t think teachers should have to release all the questions from their multiple choice exams any more than ETS and other test companies do. It’s not as easy as some may assume to develop a reliable multi-item test instrument.</p>
<p>BTW/ as a university teacher in the social sciences, I have never used multiple-choice exams. I was fortunate that when I was in college (undergrad and grad) I had just one such exam ever. And that was a clever exam in a sociology course in which the correct answer to any given question could be True or False, but it was up to the student to explain why. Example: True or False, “In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.” (Many of you will catch the reference, or can look it up in Wikipedia.)</p>
<p>I think it is VERY useful to take tests home to review, especially when it comes to proofs. Sometimes a teacher will take points off if a student doesn’t show step by step on how to solve a problem, so it would be good for the tutor to see are the teacher’s requirements. It is also helpful for tutor to review the test to see where the student is consistently making the mistake. When D1 was a tutor, she even took upon herself to meet with her student’s teacher(s) in school. When she was helping student to prepare for their finals, the best way was to review their tests.</p>
<p>As a math major, I have seen different teachers (professors) grade differently based on what they want to emphasize. Some teachers care more about the correct answer (doesn’t matter how you get there), some teachers care more if you got the concept. Some teachers allow you to assume certain things, but others don’t. I assume OP is getting a tutor for her kid because she wants her kid to do well in class. Part of doing well in class is to know how a teacher grades.</p>
<p>Can the tutor look at the test with him in the classroom before or after school?</p>
<p>In my opinion, it is ridiculous that students can’t take their tests home. I personally would raise it with the administration.</p>
<p>Mackinaw, interesting thoughts. Thank you for taking the time to reply. </p>
<p>For me, difference between SAT/ACT, and a math (or any, really) class, is that one takes the class not just for a grade/score, but to learn the material. Taking the SAT/ACT is solely to produce a numerical score of ones mastery of certain subjects–subjects one has studied and been graded on. I assume that most teachers actually want their students to learn the material and if there was a way to help a student do better, they would consider it. The makers of the SAT/ACT have no relationship with their clients. It’s just a business. </p>
<p>I’m not stating my point very eloquently. Sorry. I do hear all sides here, and will take steps to help my kid get what he needs, with or without the teacher’s help.</p>
<p>Oh, it is calc? What about old AP problems? If it’s an AP class, that will be the gold standard anyhow.</p>
<p>I do feel your frustration. When my kids tell me their test scores, I always ask, do you understand now what you got wrong? I think that’s very important, and that going over tests taken is an important study aid. </p>
<p>Prefect: tutor is a teacher working at another school during regular hours. Husband has taken the day off work to go in and review tests. </p>
<p>Is it June yet? :-t </p>
<p>So sorry you are going through this. I don’t like that kids can’t take tests home either. </p>
<p>Another resource besides Khan Academy for advanced math is patrickjmt.com.</p>