Should we get test from the teacher to have my son study off of?

Question

in school my son is having a hard time. his father and step mom have got the teacher to give them his test and let them study it with him so he does better on the test because he knows exactly what is on it. none of the other kids in class are getting this opportunity. is this fair to my son? is he really learning anything by being able to study the test?

Answer 1

I'd say no. Even with a learning problem he would do better with a study guide or a dummy test. This is usually a test which was given for the same subject, same topic in past years.

It should also be being given to the rest of the class as he is being given an advantage over them

Answer 2

Wow!  You have just learned the horrible truth of what federal law is forcing upon teachers--the dreaded "teach to the test."

I agree with you that this is not appropriate, and I too wonder what the child is learning.  Is he learning the material, or is he learning how to beat the test.  These two are not the same thing.  

I think finding out how your son learns and working on these skills would provide him with the greater benefit.  How do you do this?  If your child is classified talk to the school psychologist.  I he/she is not sure ask him/her to find out for you.  The teacher should be your best resource here, but sometimes they are unaware of how to best answer this question.  You may already know the answer.  Teach your son how to study now!  Teach him methods to remember things that will work with him.

Remember, what works for you may not work for him.

I have a friend with a child who can pass any test on a sub-topic with an A!  But, once you give him a test that puts a sub-topics together he needs twice the amount of time, because he can't process the material.  This young man needs to learn how to study by creating relationships in material.  

Looking for little tricks like this help.  Good luck to you!

Answer 3

That is not a reasonable accomodation.

What would be reasonable is if the teacher did a review for the whole class, then gave your son a written overview of what was covered.

I highly doubt that he will get the same opportunity in higher grades or college.

I reccommend either paying for a tutor to help break down the information or being a tutor yourself. That would be good for him because he learns how to learn.

Answer 4

meh, the teacher should be giving it to the whole class, but it seems fair to your son. He isnt learning much of anything because he just has to memerise the stuff on the test then forget it, knowing that the next test he can look at it again

Answer 5

I wouldn't give him the test, but provide him with different tools/strategies that will help him to prepare and actually learn the material. Does he need the material presented in a different way by the teacher? What study strategies work for him? Can the test be given in chunks (small), read or scribed to him? These are ideas that can assist him with this test and others in the long run. Giving him the actual test may seem like a temporary fix, but won't work.

Answer 6

Uh, that's called "cheating" - especially if none of the other students have the same opportunity; UNLESS it's written into his IEP (which I strongly doubt)

Answer 7

i would think a study guide would be more appropriate....