Homeschool Math Blog

I know it's time when many families are choosing curriculum for the next school year, and I also know how important it is for people to use PLACEMENT TESTS prior to starting Math Mammoth. So here it is, finally (I do wish I had gotten this video done a bit sooner!) ...  some basic principles about how to use Math Mammoth placement tests, in video format. (And, these tests also work as generic math assessment tests -- you can use them even if you don't use Math Mammoth.) Brief summary: - Choose a test you THINK your student will pass. - 80% is a passing score; students scoring 50-79% probably just need to study the areas where they have gaps - Based on the results, you may need to administer the next lower or higher level test also... or in some cases, even three tests... to get a good grasp of what your student knows and doesn't know. - If a student does well overall, except in one particular area (such as geometry), consider administering parts of the low...

You might already know that the placement tests on my site work equally well as generic math assessment tests . I also evaluate the test results for free. Now you can see an example of one student's test results and my evaluation here . Many students need to take two or even more tests in order to get a full picture of the gaps they have in their skills and knowledge. That was the case with this student also: she actually took three tests, grade 6, 5, and 4. I posted two of the tests and my evaluation at MathMammoth.com site. I hope it's helpful!

This is an idea for those of you who teach a group--whether in a school or a homeschool co-op etc. The video explains it all... from Terrance Banks . He uses sticky notes for a quick formative assessment during instruction:

My daughter just completed the end-of-year math test for 4th grade. She scored 82%. She missed doing one question (just forgot), made a few careless mistakes, and then missed several in the measuring unit section because she didn't remember how many ounces are in a pound or how many grams in a kilogram. So we need to review some of that. But overall, I am happy with the results, because (and I knew this beforehand too) she understands the concepts well! That is the most important thing. It's always easy to review some forgotten facts (such as measuring units), but when child has not understood the main concepts, the "patch-up" work is more tedious. I have provided these Math Mammoth end-of-year tests on my site as free downloads so that people can use them as placement tests or for general math assessment. I often have people email me about their kids' results, and based on that, I feel those tests are working fine. I have also collected a few other math as...