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Family Involvement Articles

These articles are written especially for parents by our Buddy Project staff.

 

Test Scores: A Piece of the Puzzle

A huge puzzle has just been dumped into your lap. One with what seems like a thousand pieces. Lifting up the lid of the puzzle box, you find yourself looking at the face of your child. Throughout the years of educating your child, a myriad of information is dumped in your lap: health, personality traits, interests, abilities, grades, and now, test scores. And just like a huge puzzle, it’s hard to figure out which pieces need to be worked with first and which way you should turn them to see how they fit.

Standardized tests are one piece of the puzzle that some would call an all-important corner piece. Others would say it’s from a different puzzle and just rather throw it out. No matter what your opinion of these tests, they’re here, and probably here to stay. In order to take advantage of this piece of the puzzle, you need to keep it in perspective.

So, before you panic or celebrate your child’s test scores, try to keep in mind that these scores only represent a snapshot of your child’s academic achievement. They are a reflection of a single day in the life of your child. They are only one piece of the puzzle.

Maybe, it was an amazingly great day. Your Susie went to bed a half-hour earlier the night before and dined on waffles, bacon and orange juice for breakfast. She sat by her best friend on the bus and didn’t fight with anyone on the playground. She wasn’t at all nervous about taking the test and could read all the questions.

Or, perhaps, your Susie’s grandpa had a stroke the night before and she was up very late at the hospital. You both had a fight about what she was going to wear and consequently, she missed breakfast and the bus. Just as she sat down to take her test, her best “enemy” commented on how ugly her outfit was. Maybe, it was an amazingly awful day.

Many other elements will influence those scores. Did your child guess? Were directions given clearly and also followed carefully? Did your child take the test too seriously, or not seriously enough?

Okay, now that you understand some of the factors that may influence your child’s scores, take a closer look at those scores. Do you really understand what the numbers mean? Do you understand the skills that were measured? Look how close your child’s score was to the Pass line. If it was close, remember it could go either way next time.

Take the time to really discuss your concerns and questions with your child’s teacher. Remember that both you and her teacher have different pieces of the puzzle to add to the total picture of your child. Work cooperatively to start piecing them together, to better understand your child’s strengths and weaknesses.
Don’t forget to include your child in on putting together this puzzle. He or she may hold several pieces you’ve never seen before. Stay positive and relaxed about testing and test results and help your child keep a balanced perspective.

Topics of discussion with your child’s teacher:

• How much time was devoted to test preparation and practice?
• How does this test influence your curriculum?
• Could my child read the questions?
• Did he or she understand the directions?
• Do these test scores seem to be in line with my child’s classroom achievement? If they are different, why?
• Do the results have an impact on my child’s educational program?
• What goals would you like to set for my child?
• What can I do at home to help my child strengthen weaker skills?

Topics of discussion with your child:

• Were you nervous taking this test?
• Could you read the questions?
• Did you understand the directions?
• What seemed the easiest on the test? The hardest?
• How do you feel about these test scores?
• What are you the most proud of?
• What goal would you like to set?

Your child is like a puzzle and if one piece is missing, you'll never see the whole picture.

Learn More

• ISTEP+ Holistic Assessment
• The Indiana Academic Standard
• ISTEP
• Standardized Testing

Online Skill Helpers for Students:

• Homework Helper
• Dositey
• AAA Math
• I Know That!
• Book Adventure
• Alfy
• Math.Com