Hi Gang!!
Welcome to Ms. Small's blog. It was made especially for students because, it seems to me that students are very rareyl listened to. This is my way of keeping the lines of academic communication open for my students when we are not in school.
This blog is only for the topic listed in the title portion of the page, so please do not ask about anything we did in class. Use the in-class parking lot for that.
Our first topic will be about State exams. Do you, as a student, think they help or harm you? Why? I will respond to your posts and we will see where that gets us. Also, in one of your posts, please let me know how you like this forum for communication.
Talk with you soon,
Ms. Small
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18 comments:
Hi, it's me Fahim. I think these is a great idea you did, Ms.Small.
So about the state tests...
I think they help you alot. This way people know how smart you are and if you need help with anything. I like taking these tests. There is one problem,though.
I think that teachers and schools put too much pressure on kids when the tests are coming. It's always study, study, and Kaplan and other stupid books. It stresses us out.
Well, that's what I think.
Hi this is sharjeel, I agree with fahim partly. The state tests are for people to check your knowledge and that all the practice is useless. But the tests don't actually help you. It,s sort of a review based on what you know.
why doesn't anyone put anymore comments
Hello Mrs. Small! This is Rehana. In my opinion, the state exams are very stressful. Everyone thinks that the results of a state exam depend on your whole life! It's really just like a regular test that you take in class. So, I don't understand why so much emphasis is put on these tests. Instead of having one giant test, why don't we just have a few smaller tests that test the same skills? I am not a test person, I have bad test anxiety!
Hi Ms.Small! This is Maggie. I think the tests do help you since they challenge you but sometimes there may be questions that are ridiculous like " What is v in the equation 2v+11=41. I just want the test to challenge the students of what they should have learned in 7th grade so the students could be learning things that they learned before. Sometimes in the state math test there would be questions that would take longer than i expected to solve. I think the test is a useful resource for the students to challenge there brain and see if they have been listening to the teacher for the past months. In my opinion, i think test encourage the students to see what they are good at and what they are not. They can always see from their mistakes.
(I know this is pretty long.)
Hey Ms. Small it's me Devyani. I think that state tests both harm and help students. First of all they harm because every 7th or 6th or whatever grader takes the same test fr their grade. So if the ARP are taking the test and the SPs are taking the exact same test and the rest of the other students are taking it, it's not fair according to the person's academic level. so if all of ARP passes but some of the other students in other classes don't it's techinally not their fault. Because of what the test is based on. Also you state tests can help you pass or fail but I really don't think it's fair because of the academic levels. Also when tests come there's too much pressure, the closer the test is the more pressure the teachers push on you. and then after all that hard studying on the day of the test, you completely forget what are the formulas or methods.
hey ms.small its zobaida! what i think is that these tests should not be so important. some students freak out on the day of the test and totally mess up. its not fair that these test matter so much. I disagree with fahim. i think these test don't help at all. and also what do they prove?? to me i say nothing! what if someone passes and gets a four on this test but they cheated and then what if someone worked so hard all year but freaked out but still tried their best and also got a four. would it mean that the kid is also smart just like the one that worked so hard all year. my mom she freaks out about these tests tells me to study and all, don't tell her this but i think its a serious waste of time. i think kaplan is boring. it doesn't, never has and never will, help at all. i learn more with out kaplan. srry for writing so much but i really needed to tell a teacher about how i felt about these tests. thnx for telling us about this site i'll go on more and comment.
zobaida
~~zoey~~
Hey Ms. Small,this is Sultana . Well as suprising as it is to admit, I completely agree with Fahim's comment. It actually makes sense. The entire educational department makes these tests seem like such a big deal. But in reality its not that big a deal. It is nothing different than test prep or the regular things we do in class. It is useful in some ways such as it helps decide the strengths and weaknesses of a student. But the downside of this is that even though majority of the students undersatnd the material, they freak out and their minds go blank on the day of the test due to test anxiety. I think it would help if it wasn't such a big deal.
- =D
Hey Ms. Small good topic.This is Jaipaul
This state tests...
It is not a good thing at all. Some people are smart in theit own ways. Why should some test hold you back a grade.
If you don't do no work in class you can still fail the test and sometimes that is why some kids are left back.
Just cause of some test. the questions are crazy. FAhim is somewhat correct. About that stupid old Kaplan. It makes students nervous and discourages them when they here how hard it is going to be.
So state tests...
THEY SUCK!!!!!
Hey Ms. Small, it's Melissa from 792. I really like this topic because for once as a student I can express how I feel. I am sick of hearing the words "state test."I think that the state test is important but the pressue students get from teachers, principles, the school and even our own parents makes it difficult to consentrate. Kaplan is very boring and many teachers have even pointed that out. Since it's boring the students lose more and more interest in learning. It is stupid and stressing, but thanks to you kaplan and learning is funner. THANKS MS.SMALL! ~M3LISSA~
Melissa:
I agree with you. I try to do what is in the best interest of my students and most times that mean not doing as I am told. I want math to be fun for you guys but I have to teach you the content on the test so that you will pass it.
I figured, if I taught the content first, Kaplan would be useful if used as review of stuff you know. Unfortunately, you will have to take Kaplan home over the break, depending on where we get to.
I am also thinking of changing how we do Kaplan so that you can study topics we have not done yet.
So, when come back we can review and make up games to review for the test so you guys do not completely lose your minds.
Log onto my wikispace and get a treat: http://mssmallsmathlounge.wikispaces.com
Thanks for logging on,
Ms. Small
P.S. Is there a topic you want to discuss on the blog, let me know and I will post it.
h3y Ms. Small this is Amanda from 794. This topic that you have picked was amazing. But my opinion is that the state tests are not harmful to children. All it does is see where you are at in a level to tell you if you are capable of being in the same place as another student. But the state test still get the children nervous and they tend to get the children stressed out. When the child gets stressed out they tend to get blocked out and when they get to a question they get nervous and forget how to answer the question.
Well that it that is all i had to say about this topic.
Hi ms.small iam really like the graphs.that is the easest to me to do so far.iam reallly like working on graphs
Hi Ms.Small. Hows it going? This is Chad. In my personal opinion about state test I think that they harm students. For example what if you do good all year and get good grades in every class, but on the days of the test you get confused and nervous and bomb the test. Also I dont think it is fair that they only give math and language arts test. Why dont they give social studies or science test. That is becaude if you do realy good in those 2 subject and 0k in math and language arts you will get a better grade. But I digress. The state test arent that grate for students with Test-Fobia. Untill next time- see you in class.
Sheyshey94
Hi! this is shelly from class 794. I think that Fahim is right. Teachers do put too much pressure on us. And the Kaplan books are absolutly useless with all this "Guess and Check" and the "5 step method". I know the test check your knowledge and all that, but what's with these 20lb books. It's as if they're are teachers. If Kaplan helps us for the tests, the teachers are thier little puppets with the teacher's manual. In conlusion, state tests are stressfull and Kaplan is our teacher from 3rd greade to college!!
hi ms.small haven't talked to you in a long time. what is you classroom number?
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