STATE TEST PREP

GRADES 3 - 8

It’s the night before the test. You help your child cram until 11:00 p.m. Will she score as high as a student that has been studying at home for months?  

Actually, you may be surprised to find out that they could perform similarly.  Without proper training, hours studying independently are often wasted time. But what if you want your child to test their absolute best?

Test-taking is a skill that requires proper instruction and practice.  Students must develop test-taking skills early in their academic career, so that they have the skills to prepare for more difficult tests later on.  But sometimes students who study longer, and have a deeper understanding of the topics, actually score lower on tests than students who don’t study at all.  

Remember: tests do not accurately show how well a student understands the topic being tested.  More accurately, they show how well a student understands what they’re being asked. Further, each test is different, compounding the confusion for students who are untrained in testing.

Observe the following data on 2019 New York State Test results in NYC:

• Only 45% of students scored proficiently in English (3 or higher)

• Only 47% of students scored proficiently in Math (3 or higher)

What do these percentages truly?  On both Math and English, the average NYC student scored a 2. This shows a lack of proficiency in the subject, but it also shows something more interesting: no familiarity with the test format.

Unfortunately, the Board of Education has not created curriculum to align with standardized tests.  Children who seamlessly test well during the school year do not necessarily test well on the State Tests.  At Sanidas Academy, we offer State Test Prep, where we focus on mastery of material as well as fundamental testing techniques that students will use on the State Test, SHSAT, SAT, and throughout college.

In our State Test Prep course, we focus on test format and test-taking strategies, so that students are prepared to perform their best.

What we cover:

• Mastering all necessary ELA and Mathematics techniques at each grade level

• Understanding the dynamics of a question

• Understanding choice creation (a test-creator’s perspective)

• Mastering choice manipulation

• Timing and scantron techniques

• 2:2 vs 1:3 answer choice ratios

• The Difficult Question Answering Algorithm

• The Checking Answers Algorithm

In our class, students will take multiple practice tests, focusing on challenging and tricky questions.  They will practice identification of answer choice ratios, and will use deletion techniques to drive towards correct answers.  

Test-taking is a lifelong skill.  Our job market is changing rapidly, and the best jobs require extensive credentials.  Your child will likely spend more years in school, which means more time to either stress over tests, or enjoy acing them.  

Assure your child faces every test with confidence, and with tricks up their sleeve! Ask about our State Test Prep today.