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Did you know, if you worry about how you will perform on a math test, it may actually contribute to a lower test grade. The feelings of fear or dread, can sap the brain's limited amount of working capacity. You need that working capacity because it helps you complete difficult math problems. Mark Ashcraft, a psychologist, says that "math anxiety occupies a person's working memory." However, worrying about the math task can take up a large chunk of the person's working memory as well. Also, he said "While easy math tasks such as addition requires only a small fraction of a person's working memory, harder computations require much more." Stress about a test can even make the smartest math student choke. Everyone gets nervous or stressed out about a test, so I think that everyone should think positive and believe that they are going to get a 100 on that test.
Every student, has to take a math test while their in school. Recently, nine states have decided to make a common high school math test for the first time. The states include, Arkansas, Kentucky, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. All of those nine states are trying to figure out which students to give the test to, but they know that the test will probably go to the students who are taking Algebra II. Also, the states are thinking that they are going to consider making the test scores available to collage placement offices. Students usually take Algebra II after taking algebra and geometry. Research has shown that students who complete Algebra II, are more likely to earn a collage degree. By knowing that, more states are requiring their high school students to take Algebra II. However many people are disagreeing with the decision to have a few states have to same high school math test, they feel that the states are setting there standards too low. Also, many more students are able to achieve proficiency on the state tests than on national math tests. In my opinion, states should make there own tests that are different from other states, because when the actual tests cames around then that will judge how much that student really knows on that subject.
More than 40 years ago, the country was introduced to a "new" math. But, slowly this "new" math in schools has been replaced with an even "newer" math. In some schools this "newer" math is being used with an effort to spice up the learning. Many students love that "newer" math because they do not have to memorize different tables and formulas. However, some experts disagree with the "newer" math. For example, they feel like the "newer" math has too much color, and too many examples. Also, they feel like the teachers are leaving out important information that the students need to know. To add emphasis, they feel like the parents of the students should ask questions about the teaching methods, and talk with school officials about the test scores of the students. In my opinion, we should stick with the "new" math because if the students aren't learning the right material then, that student could have difficulty the state test. Also, people feel that this "newer" math is not helping the students learn the right essentials. In conclusion, if the "new" math has helped people learn math in the past, then why would we change that math in the future.
