My kid brought home a test today 20/24, 84%. Can I just say my kid is 7. Can I just say she only missed 4 questions.
OK. Next year, third grade is a big deal test in New York City.
We are supposed to go over with our child the questions that they missed.
First question:
3. Charles Blondin was a brave man.
In 1859, He crossed Niagra Falls of a tightrope. Then he put on a blindfold and crossed the rushing water again. But, that wasn’t all he did. He walked the rope with stilts. As his last trick, he walked halfway across the tightrope. There he stopped for breakfast! He cooked some eggs and ate them. Then he made his way to the other side.
From this story you can tell: A. Blondin was a poor swimmer. B. Blondin was comfortable on the tightrope. C. Blondin was not afraid of water.
My kid chose C. which MUST BE TRUE but NOT AS TRUE as B.
The next question my kid missed:
1. Yin-May was was driving on the road. She saw an airplane over her car. It was a warm day and her windows were rolled down. Yin-May heard the plane’s engine go off and then on. This happened many times. The plane turned and came in low over the road. The plane turned again. Yin-May pulled off the road.
Which of these sentences is probably true? A. Yin-May was waiting for her mother. B. The plane had problems and needed to land. C. The pilot was counting the cars on the road.
My kid picked A. Misreading waiting for wanting. OF COURSE SHE WANTED HER MOTHER. SHE WAS A KID DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND A PLANE WAS GOING TO LAND ON HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Next Question:
In the 1800’s , a man from France wanted people all over the world to know that America stood for freedom. He asked an artist friend to help him. First the artist drew a picture of a woman wearing a long robe. He showed the woman holding a torch and wearing a crown. The statue was finished in 1886. Now it stands on Liberty Island. It has greeted many people who have come to America.
Which of these sentences is probably true? A. The man’s statue was never finished. B. The statue is the Statue of Liberty. C. The statue stands for all artists.
OK so My Kid visited the Statue of Liberty just a couple of months ago when her cousins were in town. FYI, on the island, at the museum of the Statue of Liberty MUCH IS MADE OF the delay, of the completed statue not making it to the US by the 1876 Centennial Celebration and of Joseph Pulitzers penny campaign for school children to help fund the pedestal for the statue because they didn’t have one ready when the statue arrived and they needed to complete the unfinished project, of the statue being in storage…
SO MY KID, WHO SEE’S THE STATUE OF LIBERTY FROM THE BROOKLYN PROMENADE ON A REGULAR BASIS, (and therefore knows it was completed) –because of all the delays she learned about… Plus, the Twin Towers that went down when she was 14 months old–the “Freedom Tower” is an unfinished project she’s heard about for as long as she can remember (freedom – liberty…What’s the difference?) My Kid chose A.
And finally:
3. Even though she didn’t speak, I knew Mom was mad. Her face was red. Her arms were crossed. She was standing in the doorway tapping her foot. I was late again. I tried to run to my room fast.
Which of these sentences is probably true?
A. Mom was pleased with me. B. People can say things without using words. C. Mom shouted, and I knew she was mad.
OK My Kid picked A which must mean she doesn’t pay any attention to anything I say or do, which according to the other mommies on the playground is what the other 7 and 8-year-olds are doing as well. (As in What part of; “Pick up your backpack we’re leaving now!” don’t you understand???)
I don’t know what to think of this except to think that “teaching to the test is teaching a child to STOP THINKING!”
I would like my child to know how to think.
Enough said.