I feel the surge of pulling out in a different flying machine but still connected to my airplane of literary style (my favorite). I like the way it feels to do this because knowing the way to do it gives me confidence. Making connections to propel skills and knowledge from one content area to another, especially while taking standardized tests, is like being in a James Bond style flying machine. We travel equipped with technology for overcoming obstacles and solving problems as we keep moving forward, moving efficiently forward to ‘home’!
First, I ‘plugged in’ every obvious value I had from the problem itself.
Then, I had to pause to remember: What types of problems use these letters and look like this one? What is the ‘story’ of a function problem? When you finish a problem that gives you this type of pause, supplement the practice right away to reinforce your recollection of the procedure.
I have dozens of other practice books, but I was on the College Board site. I trust this site to coordinate between the question for the day and the adjoining practice questions. This style of practice will meet my first rule of practice: Have the solution available immediately.
I like to tutor with the student to look at the solution immediately after solving the problem or answering the question—as reinforcement for correct answers. Until the answer is in front of us in correct form, we do not ‘study’ it as a visual pattern of what to do with this type of problem.
As we work through to the solution, each step makes sense to us because we are affirming our steps with the corrected version. The solutions and explanations are what we want to keep in the ‘visual’ storage of our brains. We can then use this pattern to understand other questions.
When I went to the College Board site and finished the problem for the Question of the day, there was one step that I was able to do without ‘explaining’ it to myself. You want to ‘explain’ to the ‘inner you’ each step of answering the SAT questions. This is part of thinking the way to get more of the answers correct, especially the ones you know well. This steady stream of ‘explaining’ in your mind as you go through the questions that are familiar to you, as each of the language arts questions are to me, is the same stream of self-‘teaching’ to do as you go through the steps of less familiar questions.
So I went to the practice tests right away and clicked through to find a similar problem. The practice test problem number 5 is a function question that is easier to understand because it has the ‘story’ of how many CDs will sell if the price is $10 and how many will sell if the price is $20. It’s easy to see that $20 is two times $10. (Note: The question uses ‘cartridges’ instead of ‘CDs,’ but see what you know in your mind’s eye.)
This is the type of question (the practice question about the projected earnings difference on the sales from $10 each to $20 each) that definitely will appear on the SAT test. As you can imagine, if a little formula is used to figure projected sales comparing how many CDs will sell if they are $10 and how many will sell if they are $20, the seller is probably expecting to sell fewer at the higher price.
How about you? Would it matter to you if a CD is $10 or $20? If you wanted two copies, would you be as likely to buy two for $20 or two for $40?
Right away, though, you see that the answer is not a definite number but an ‘educated guess’ type of thing. Think about it. What if you and your band make a CD, and you promote it to sell at $10 each. You sell a hundred the first day (!) You decide to try selling them at $20 each. There is this formula to speculate about how many you are likely to sell the second day at $20 each.
You can eliminate a couple of the answers if the projected amount of tapes you sell is way more at the higher price. The actual amount of MONEY you take in may be more even if you sell fewer tapes because you are charging more for each one. You can even figure when you will be at the ‘break even ‘ point that you sold enough at $20 to reach the same total money amount when you were selling at $10.
Do you see why this kind of math is a projection and a guessing game? Notice that the figures projected are not just double even though the price is double. That is because you are not likely to sell the same number at the higher price. But your answer is not a guess! It is a specific amount because you are assumed to be using this equation that is taking these variables into consideration! (Are you thinking that some people may even want it more at $20? Maybe you and your band are famous now?
Well, this is the reason that you have to know what to do with a function question BEFORE the test. You do not have time for these soft, squishy feelings about the hard answer you need. When you get this answer, by plugging each number you do know into the correct spots and solving for what you do not know, you should be able to look down and pick out the answer. Before long, we will be glad to see more and more types of questions—as in: “Oh, here’s one I know! I’ve just been practicing this! No problem!”
I need to tell the students and parents why I am confident I can help students to realize how to pick up points in every area of the test. Some of the students may honestly think they are going to have to do as well as they can in a few areas to ‘make up’ for other areas--because they just don’t like other areas (maybe math or science—or even the literary parts, my favorite).
Do NOT think you can skip over studying in areas you do not like or feel a little lost. Every area of the Scholastic Aptitude Test has some predictable parts that you can focus upon. You may surprise yourself by scoring much higher than you imagine in a content area that has been difficult for you. Knowing what to watch for is liberating!
Why is this strategy really good for me to offer you? It is the way that I am able to answer questions correctly in every area of the test --when what I favor are the literary sections. Too, I have no real incentive to study or practice in science, mathematics, or even social studies because I am certified to teach English on every level, including ‘Gifted.’ But I have studied extensively in these other areas, and I have certifications related to each of them.
Why and how do I motivate myself to stay current about what will be demanded of my students in every other content area—including mathematics, science, and social studies? This may be my greatest offering as a teacher if I can convey to you why and how I do this.
You can do what I do, on a mini-basis, and raise your scores—significantly!
There is one huge reason that I can get just about every language arts question correct right away. I teach English on all levels, including Gifted and Exceptional Education. I love to read, and I write. (You should be able to tell me about some errors I make, however, as I write several articles a day sometimes. I really could use a proofreader!)
My first of six reasons I can answer many—perhaps, most--of the questions on different standardized tests –is that the test writers often think of their ‘audience’ in the same way I do. I make up test questions. I am on the test writer’s ‘channel’ in expecting the questions they write for each kind of standardized test. (I often even think I could do better)
So strategy number one, a corollary (or subsection) to the strategy: ‘Know the Purpose of the Test’ is to remember from whom the ‘voice’ and ‘viewpoint’ of the test is coming and to whom (you, the student) the test question is speaking. You try this. Make up questions yourself and put them in the same format of every style you encounter in the practice questions. Even if you do only a few you will start noticing what I mean. This is an empowering exercise!
Let’s look at my top six ways to do well on a standardized test. I repeat these strategies; add to them in subparts; and state them in different ways, but they still boil down to:
1. Learn about the reason for the test. The questions and areas of coverage will follow this reasoning.
For example, the Scholastic Aptitude Test is used by colleges to ‘screen in’ and to ‘screen out’ students for their colleges. Each type of college will have different ways of weighing in the scores.
Each college will have other ways to decide about applicants—including grade point averages in high school, community service or part time work while in high school, and essays. They consider more than the SAT.
Think about this reason and the other uses of the scores, your own reasons for taking the test, and consider this: The College Board will not design such a test so that it will be easy for any one student to make excellent scores.
This is not a test designed for all students to do extremely well. Focus on knowing this for one reason only: Do the parts of the test that you know extremely efficiently and handle the parts that you do not know with a consistent strategy.
Let the knowledge that there will be questions unfamiliar to you be a comfort and not a deterrent. Also: REMEMBER TO GO OVER THE ENTIRE QUESTION AND THE ANSWERS EVEN IF THE DIAGRAM OR DRAWINGS INITIALLY LOOK UNFAMILIAR.
Did you do the question that asked how many sides of the cube were not presented in the two views of the cube?
Look at that question again. That was an easy one. How many times have you seen a question like this in class? I will bet that you have NEVER seen a question like it in class.
Still, when you look at the two drawings of a cube and read that each side of the cube has a different symbol on it, you can realize right away that you are seeing the same side twice for only one side.
All you have to do is to read the question carefully, and then you glance up and count—one, two, three, four, five different symbols. How many sides does a cube have? It is in front of you there, even if a cube IS three dimensional.
It is just a box. Rotate the box around in your head: one, two, three, four sides, five (top), and six (bottom). A cube has six sides! (You don’t even really have to count, but do it quickly on the test to check yourself and to keep your brain comforted. This is part of how to keep a clear path of thinking.
Now, you have seen five sides. You count the five different symbols. You do NOT count the symbol you see twice. What IS that one? It is the same side you have already seen in the picture of the cube to the left. The cube has six sides. You see five different symbols. How many sides are missing in your scenario?
That’s right. You have not seen ONE symbol.
This is the type of question to glance down the list looking for the number one.
Notice that this discussion of the solution is much longer, written down, than the series of thoughts going through your mind to solve this one.
Solve (verb, action), Solution (noun, subject), Strategy (noun)
LATER-Back to the Questions for the Day for this week AND the other FIVE of the ongoing reasons I can solve the different types of questions and so can you!
Hint: We know what the style will be. We know how the writers think. (You know how those detectives say that you have to think like the criminal in order to catch one? Sometimes they even pretend to be one! Well, you have to think like a writer and like a teacher to get all the benefits of why these questions are not daunting to you—ever again if ever before.
But you do not have to promise to be a teacher or a writer—just to learn to think in these particular ways to solve the puzzles before you.
Come back soon. We haven’t finished about the math function question or my easy (easy) tips to learn to figure mode, median, and mean questions without loads of study. You KNOW they will be on the test.
What else do you KNOW will be on the test? When you see a question that asks about ratio and probability, you will just smile and think: I told you so! I knew it! Well, let me just get these points and move on!
By the way, I do teach environmental science, middle grade science, Algebra, and a variety of social studies courses (economics and U.S. History) for individual students. I have Exceptional Ed certification, so I design ways to work with other teachers to get around learning challenges. Guess what helps for students with dyslexia, autism, attention deficit, and behavioral challenges …and many other issues?
Reading, reading, and more reading--including non-fiction, poetry, novels, biographies, art books, drama, sports, animal stories--will raise your score. Writing comes in a close second place. Reading and writing on the computer both count!
Tomorrow: We finish going over this week’s questions and the solutions and move into the second of the six reasons I can solve these SAT questions, and you can, too!
