27 Jan 2006 - 00:30

R T F M

Tracy left this for Christopher:






also this


I'm printing them out.


-- CatherineJohnson - 27 Jan 2006

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The problem with this version is that it doesn't specify that you should read the entire test first (ideally, this should be "question" 1). Absent that instruction, there's no real reason that you shouldn't start at the beginning and finish each step before going to the next.

I should mention that I had this test administered to a class I was in (5th grade?). I didn't fall for it, but it still had strong effect on me, because it was all too easy to imagine myself making a fool of myself like the other students who hadn't read the entire test first.

-- DougSundseth - 27 Jan 2006

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right!

I noticed that.

I remember having one of these given to me one time, but I think I just read it — I don't think anyone actually gave it to me.

-- CatherineJohnson - 27 Jan 2006

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I didn't fall for it, but it still had strong effect on me, because it was all too easy to imagine myself making a fool of myself like the other students who hadn't read the entire test first.

That's cute!

-- CatherineJohnson - 27 Jan 2006

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They have Study Skills every single day.

I think it's every day.

It's at least every other day.

This is the kind of thing they could do in there.

It would make a HUGE impression on the kids.

-- CatherineJohnson - 27 Jan 2006

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But beyond that, they could give them DIRECT INSTRUCTION AND PRACTICE IN READING DIRECTIONS.

-- CatherineJohnson - 27 Jan 2006

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I told Christopher I want him to read directions on math tests the same way he does the problems — he should either underline or lightly cross off any direction he's already read.

That way he'll know he's read it.

How to Double Your Child's Grades in School says one of the reasons you need to underline & highlight your textbook is that underlining and highlighting force you to pay attention.

That's something I've been noticing in Direct Instruction-type programs — i.e. programs where the program holds itself accountable for the student learning.

So far the 3 I've looked at all had techniques for 'capturing' and 'holding' the student's attention.

They don't just rely on the student to 'pay' attention.

-- CatherineJohnson - 27 Jan 2006

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I was thinking about that......if you really were going to hold yourself accountable for someone else's learning, you'd definitely want to know every trick in the book for grabbing attention and hanging onto it.

-- CatherineJohnson - 27 Jan 2006

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Hoo boy.

I would have been one of the doofuses counting out loud to 3 with my fingers in my ears.

-- CarolynJohnston - 27 Jan 2006

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I would have been one of the doofuses counting out loud to 3 with my fingers in my ears.

you and me both, baby

-- CatherineJohnson - 27 Jan 2006

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I don't know why I EVER bother to resist the idea that I'm as ADHD as they come

-- CatherineJohnson - 27 Jan 2006

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I give up

-- CatherineJohnson - 27 Jan 2006

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Christopher's teacher last year, the brilliant you-know-who, announced to the class on the first day, I have ADHD, so DON'T DISTRACT ME

-- CatherineJohnson - 27 Jan 2006

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she made it stick, too

-- CatherineJohnson - 27 Jan 2006

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"...underlining and highlighting force you to pay attention."

This is pretty similar in concept to using a flashlight in a darkened room to search for something you've lost. (You'll sometimes see the same technique used on TV crime shows.)

I suspect a piece of paper with a hole in it would similarly focus attention and minimize distractions.

-- DougSundseth - 27 Jan 2006

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I'm beginning to think I have adult-onset ADHD, so Catherine's "admission" is starting to make me feel better.

When our Megan was in fourth grade, we started noticing that she was missing problems because she would leave them out or forget to do them. Our advice to her was to check her work. Great parental advice, right?? We assumed that she knew how to check her work, and that she just wasn't doing it! WHAT WE SOON DISCOVERED WAS THAT SHE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO CHECK HER WORK!! So, we devised a system using checkmarks to teach her how to check her work.

I think part of the problem had been that her third grade teacher, probably out of kindness, would give the paper back to her if she had left some problems out. The fourth grade teacher, on the other hand, thought that Megan needed to take responsibility.

As I think about it now, I think that what Megan needed was DIRECT INSTRUCTION on how to check her work and practice to mastery.

-- KarenA - 27 Jan 2006

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It would be better if it said:

"Read all questions before starting."

-- SteveH - 27 Jan 2006

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Karen

When our Megan was in fourth grade, we started noticing that she was missing problems because she would leave them out or forget to do them. Our advice to her was to check her work. Great parental advice, right?? We assumed that she knew how to check her work, and that she just wasn't doing it! WHAT WE SOON DISCOVERED WAS THAT SHE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO CHECK HER WORK!! So, we devised a system using checkmarks to teach her how to check her work.

I love it!

One thing about being a parent: IT IS A CONSTANTLY HUMBLING EXPERIENCE.

Still, it's EXTREMELY difficult to 'disaggregate' a skill once you've got it yourself. SAME THING WITH MATH.

Adding isn't just adding; it's all kinds of stuff. Counting, writing numbers in columns; lord-knows-what.

For us, 'check your work' is one thing. It's a SEAMLESS WHOLE, as Carolyn would say about math inside her math brain.

For kids, CHECK YOUR WORK is a novel concept.

To put it mildly.

- - -

Anne's comments on diagnosing 'gaps' are always riveting to me for that reason.

She's actually analyzing WHAT PIECE OF MATH KNOWLEDGE IS MISSING in kids having trouble.

-- CatherineJohnson - 27 Jan 2006

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Steve (and others) right!

The first version of this I encountered (about 35 years ago) had: "1. Read everything before you do anything." (Like the Wisconsin Job Center version that you linked.)

It appears that whoever put the .pdf version together *missed the point and subsituted the non-equivalent "Follow the instructions carefully."

Oops!

-- KtmGuest - 29 Jan 2006

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And oops for me - I found a few on google that didn't include the clearly obvious physical behaviour (putting both hands above your head and clapping twice), and consequently got fixated on looking for that and grabbed the first two I could find, without checking if the instructions were complete.

Still, I'm sure that a professional writer can do the necessary editing.

-- TracyW - 30 Jan 2006

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The other one you linked to had the correct instruction.

I put this one up because I like the way it looks.

-- CatherineJohnson - 30 Jan 2006

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I figured everyone would realize it should have started by telling everyone to read all the directions first.

-- CatherineJohnson - 30 Jan 2006