Testing Expectations: Homeschool Vs. Public School

As many of you know, I have a Master's in Education, am a certified teacher, and have taught both public school and homeschool. The combination has sometimes put me in a strange position. I'm in one right now. I'm sorta perplexed.

This year, I'm teaching a class of 5th grade math students. The students happen to be homeschooled, but I am teaching all of their math content. I am using new curriculum* that meets the new Common Core State Standards.  With Common Core, I've often felt like the bar has been raised; a lot of the 5th grade content has been brought down from 6th grade and some of it is pretty intense. Just ask my students.**

But,...

In my state, homeschool students still take nationally normed, standardized tests. (Honestly, it's like the tests that I took through elementary school back in the 70s.) It's not based on Common Core. And it's not the state test that public schools use.  I wrote to our local homeschool test center and asked for a list of math content that my 5th grade math students will be tested on. They provided me with a list of 21 items. I compared the 21 content items to the Common Core. Here's where the 5th grade test items fell on the Common Core. (Granted, many of the 21 items were vague, but I tried to match them as best I could.)

5th grade (homeschool) math test items found on:

2nd grade, Common Core: 4 items
3rd grade, Common Core: 6
4th grade, Common Core: 5
5th grade, Common Core: 3
6th grade, Common Core: 1
Not found on Common Core (or too vague to determine): 2

So 15/21 items, or 71% of the items on the homeschool test are below Common Core grade level.

To make it more clear, I'll give a specific example: fractions. With Common Core, 5th grade students learn to:

"...apply their understanding of fractions and fraction models to represent the addition and subtraction of fractions with unlike denominators as equivalent calculations with like denominators. They develop fluency in calculating sums and differences of fractions, and make reasonable estimates of them. Students also use the meaning of fractions, of multiplication and division, and the relationship between multiplication and division to understand and explain why the procedures for multiplying and dividing fractions make sense."

On the "homeschool" (older, nationally-normed) test, students are required to:

• Add fractions with the same denominator (which is 4th grade Common Core)
• Identify fractional parts (which is ~ 3rd grade Common Core, maybe 2nd, depending on the fractional part)

The discrepancy makes me squirm. It means that my homeschool students have curricular and testing expectations several grades below that of their public school peers.

Please don't shoot the messenger. I'm still sorta shocked and trying to figure out what this means.

What are the ramifications?

*It's from The Math Learning Center...a non-profit organization that I've worked with for many years because I love and respect their math teaching methods. Their visual models, inquiry-based problem solving, emphasis on strategies, and hands-on methods have changed me as a teacher and learner of math.

**A student said the cutest thing this week. He was working on some rather difficult fraction story problems and suddenly said, "Either these are getting easier, or I'm getting smarter!" 

A Ha! Brainteaser Kit...Problem Solving Perseverance!

It's no secret that I'm a fan of ThinkFun games and activities. So I was pretty excited to receive the A Ha! Brainteaser Kit for review. 

Description
The kit contains 8 colorful, plastic brainteasers designed to exercise problem-solving muscles. Each brainteaser comes with four cards; the first describes the objective and the next three provide clues on how to solve the problem.  

Uses: Individual & Classroom
The kit arrived right before my 11yo son and I left for our weekly allergy shots. We opened it in the office and alternated puzzles. My son started with "Starburst," handing it to me after a ten-minute attempt. I tried. Kept trying. Thought to myself...come on...this is designed for Grades 2-8...YOU...CAN...DO...THIS. Then, seriously, this phrase started going through my head (think Nagini to Harry Potter):

CCSS.Math.Practice.MP1 Make sssssense of problemsssss and persssssevere in ssssssolving them.

And like the little engine that could (or the middle age math teacher putting Ssssstandardsssss into Practiccccce), I DID IT! And, no, I didn't look at all the clues. Well, maybe one clue.

Starburst Puzzle with Cards

See! I did it!

Next, I introduced the kit to my 5th grade math class as a transition activity. The result? Kids frequently pick them up. Since all of our current Math Stations require partners, it's been nice for times when I have an odd number of students. Early finishers also challenge themselves with the kits.

Tips:
I've encouraged students to delay use of the hint cards (especially hints 2 & 3) as long as possible. When students work in pairs, they can discuss their problem solving strategies, thereby providing one another with hints of their own. Although I haven't done this yet, I may put out 2-3 kits on a rotating basis to use for transitions/Math Stations/early finishers and ONLY include the objective card.

Other Thoughts:
While the kit suggests use in Grades 2-8, I think it's most appropriate for gifted students in the lower grades. My 7yo first grader asked to participate along with me and my 11yo son. After about 30 minutes on a single puzzle, I began congratulating myself on my 7yos amazing attention span. Then he burst out crying. He was SO UPSET that he couldn't figure it out. (Bit of a perfectionist?) I put that puzzle away, but he immediately wanted to try another, so I guess it wasn't too traumatizing.

Conclusions:
I love this kit. I will use it with my own kids as well as my students.

Disclaimer: I was provided a free kit by ThinkFun for the purpose of review. This did not influence my opinion. Although I do appreciate the freebie!  If you order from Amazon, all commissions go toward foster care through Grace and Hope at no additional cost to you. THANK YOU!

Elapsed Time with Scaredy Squirrel

Have you read about poor Scaredy Squirrel? He never leaves his nut tree. He's too scared of the unknown. So his daily schedule consists of:

"Wake up. Eat a nut. Look at view. Eat a nut. Look at view. Eat a nut. Look at view. Go to sleep."

Not a whole lot of excitement for that furry critter.

Then one day, in the most hilarious way, Scaredy Squirrel is forced into the unknown. He makes some changes in his life:

"Wake up. Eat a nut. Look at view. Jump into the unknown. Play dead. Return home. Eat a nut. Look at view. Eat a nut. Look at view. Go to sleep."

My 6 & 9yo kids have read this book with me over and over and over. We all LOVE IT. It's one of those books that tickles the adult funny bone just as much (or more) than it tickles the kids'.

I've always thought this book would make a great tool for considering elapsed time. Today I asked my 9yo to figure out how much time Scaredy Squirrel used for each daily activity on the old and new schedule. He then did a little comparison of how time was spent in each chart. We noticed that some of the time Scaredy Squirrel spent observing the world in schedule #1 was now spent experiencing the world in schedule #2.

I wouldn't hesitate to use this with any age, but it's especially valuable for 3rd & 4th graders who are exploring the Common Core State Standards involving time:

3.MD.1. Tell and write time to the nearest minute and measure time intervals in minutes. Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of time intervals in minutes, e.g., by representing the problem on a number line diagram.
4.MD.2. Use the four operations to solve word problems involving distances, intervals of time, liquid volumes, masses of objects, and money, including problems involving simple fractions or decimals, and problems that require expressing measurements given in a larger unit in terms of a smaller unit. Represent measurement quantities using diagrams such as number line diagrams that feature a measurement scale.

Calculating elapsed time isn't scary. Try it!

Disclosure: If you purchase books through my Amazon links, all commissions go toward foster care through Grace and Hope at no additional cost to you. I do not keep any money myself; I am hoping to be able to sponsor an additional child in foster care through commissions on this site. Thank you!

Pattern Block Lessons K-5, Free (Meet CCSS!)

I can't believe this is free! Some of my favorite lessons from Bridges in Mathematics have been compiled as "Pattern Block Lessons." The combination of lessons are designed to help meet the Common Core State Standards in grade bands K-2 and 3-5. Download the pdfs here.

Lessons include games, activities, literature connections, and all the necessary instructions and blackline masters. All you need is pattern blocks. Perfect for classrooms and homeschools. Enjoy!

P.S. They also have tons of other items listed there! Check out the Bridges Breakouts!!