Preparing Students for Tests

My years of tutoring have taught me how to prepare students for tests. The process I use is a repeatable three step process. This method works for any test in any content area. I usually use this in the math classes I teach and I used this method in my Japanese classes in college.

1) Do something that is as similar to the test as possible in conditions that are as similar to those experienced on the test. For example on the TAKS test, there are released TAKS tests online that I would give to my students and have them work on the problems. For chapter tests I give them a review that is similar to the test. I encourage them to do as much as they can on their own, and then ask me for help when they are stuck or confused.

2) Correct the assignment.

3) Go back and help the students understand the questions they missed. I also asked my students to do "corrections" meaning, they worked out the problems that they missed. If they missed a problem twice, I would talk to them about it and help them understand what the question is asking.

I then repeat the process with another test or something similar to the test.

Through repetition, the students should improve each time and this increased preparation will often lower test anxiety because the students feel that they have seen similar questions. This also helps me as a teacher know which students are still struggling with enough time to help them improve their scores.

This isn't the only way that I prepare my students for tests. Students will get tired of doing the same thing every day. I switch back and forth between this process and review games that again use questions like those they will see on the test. My students enjoy the games because they are fun. I feel like using this process will help them improve their weaknesses, so we use both.

If you have other ideas on how to help students prepare for exams, I am interested to hear.

Think of things both ways

From my tutoring and teaching in a small school I have the opportunity of frequently working one on one with students. I have developed an awareness of noticing foundational misconceptions that students have. There are two that are very common, negatives and fractions. I was thinking about these a few days ago and realized that you can think of each in two very different ways.

Almost all students can see a number like -5 and know that it is negative. But sometimes we use the - as a negative and sometime we use it as a minus sign. For example when we are simplifying 8-2(x+1) is it 8 minus 2(x+1) or is it 8 plus -2(x+1). They are mathematically equivalent but sometimes we use - as a negative and times we use it as a minus sign. This can be confusing to students.

Fractions can be thought of as part of a whole and as another way to write division. For example 3/5 is three out of five equal parts and it is three divided by five. I know that these two ways of seeing fractions is mathematically equivalent but seeing it both ways can be confusing to students.

I am wondering if math teachers go back and forth between seeing things both ways without realizing it and as a result confusing our students. I will try to be more explicit about seeing things both ways and I hope this will help my students through these two very foundational and important concepts.