Math Pre-Tests

When students earn an Outstanding grade (91% - 100%) on a math test, I give them the opportunity to take a pre-test on the next chapter. Only the required questions are used to determine the percentage and grade for this purpose. The extra credit questions do not factor into this because they are not part of the material that I have taught. The extra credit points count in the grade book, but not for this purpose of determining who is eligible to take a pre-test on the next chapter.

(Students do not have to take the pre-test. On the first math test, 25 out of 35 students earned an Outstanding grade, which qualified them to take the Chapter 2 pre-test. While the majority of students opted to take the pre-test, three students did not.)

I grade the pre-tests and determine which students already know the material so well that I can accelerate them through the chapter, and then give them some more challenging math materials. My policy has been that any student who earns an Outstanding grade (91% - 100%) on a pre-test clearly knows that information well enough that they do not need to stay in the classroom with me and have me teach it to them. If a student falls right at 90%, which is an Excellent grade, then I have the students choose. They can keep that grade, and do the accelerated assignment and the challenge math worksheets, or they can stay with the class and then take the test again for a better grade.

I have found this practice really beneficial to my students. It allows me to accomodate GATE-identified and other high-performing students, and give them more challenging math problems to work on. It also allows me to focus on the students who really need my help in mastering the fifth-grade math concepts that they need to learn. And, frankly, the students like it.

The group of students who I lovingly call my "math geniuses" changes all the time. It is not a static group, nor is it limited to GATE-identified students. Any student who demonstrates to me that they already know the information and concepts in any given chapter, earn the opportunity to work in the hallway while I'm teaching math to the rest of the class.

(While 22 students took the pre-test for chapter two, only four students earned a score high enough for me to accelerate them through the chapter and then give them some challenge math.)