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Maximizing MAP Scores Ways to Work Smarter, Not Harder
Compiled by Linda M. CordesFor MAP MondayOctober 18, 2004
Use the Right Materials
1.Forget the textbook approach. You know, “Students, open up to page….” Thetextbook writers did not write the test your students will face. If you haveadministered the test YOU know what students have to know to perform well onthis test. Look for materials that teach this.2.Think in terms of units and big major concepts. Use the MAP Level Descriptorsas your guide. If you want to develop Level 4 and % students, teach what isdescribed in Level 4 and 5.3.Laminate the formulas sheet and refer to it at appropriate opportunities.4.Use manipulatives to introduce each concept. Move student understanding fromconcept, to connecting, to symbolic.
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At the concept level students use concrete materials to exploreconcepts. No symbolic representations of the concept is introduced.At this level, it is important that students interact with a concept in avariety of ways, using a variety of materials.
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At the connecting level, the concept, as concretely experienced by thestudent, is connected to the mathematical symbolization that representsthe concept. The teacher guides students through discussion,encouraging students to use their own language and then expandingtheir vocabulary and developing their ability to represent their verbalexpressions symbolically. But the students must already have a firmgrasp of the concept for this to be meaningful.
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At the symbolic level, the students themselves write the mathematicalsymbols to represent the concepts they have learned. They may still seconcrete materials; they will drop them when they are ready. Thesymbols are not the vehicle for teaching the concept or solving a problem. They are used for recording concepts that have already beeninternalized to understanding.5.Collect and use Sample MAP-like problems every day and as assessments. Havestudents create their own that are modeled after the ones they have encounteredon pretests and through daily classwork.
Require Students to THINK.
6.Practice accountable talk as a prelude to accountable problem solving.7.Start with problems designed for lower grade levels. Don’t tell students whatgrade level they were designed for this develops success and motivation.8.Use brainteasers. Lots of good books and websites are available for this.9.Model your thinking by “thinking out loud” during demo problems.10.Always ask students to explain why. These following should become part of your routine discussions:
 
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“Tell us why you think so.”
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“How do you know that is true?”
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“Who can explain why?”
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“Who disagrees?”
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“Who agrees?”
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“Will this always work?”
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“Who can explain this in another way?”
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“What is another way to approach this problem?”
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“Find someone who used another method.”11.You get the idea. Push further and dig deeper. Just because students can arrive ata correct answer doesn’t mean they understand the concept or process. They areoften guessing or using misinformation that coincidentally works. If they can’texplain it, don’t be satisfied that they have learned anything.12.Never explain or demonstrate anything that a student can explain. Never sayanything that a student can say.13.Encourage students to find multiple solutions and use multiple strategies on thesame problem.14.Always collect all the answers before deciding, “which one is right.”15.Make it a routine to identify where wrong answers came from.
Teacher Strategies
1.Reward creativity.2.Value alternative methods. Do not require problems only be done “your” way.3.Ask students to “show their thinking” and
“provide the work that shows howyou arrived at your answer.”
4.Give additional credit for working a problem in more than one way.5.Use calculators routinely in class. Teach them to use the calculator as a tool.Teach them how to use it, including all functions. Require them to look back andcheck that the answer is reasonable. Keep a class chart or poster of “calculator mistakes” to make a point that the calculator is only a tool that works as well asthe person who employs it.6.Use multiple-choice tests in this different way: Students are not allowed to work any problem.
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They get points for every answer they can eliminate with correct justification.
Tackle the Myths
1.Only certain kinds of people are “good at math.”2.You have to be taught how. This is learned helplessness.3.When in doubt, ask the teacher. More helplessness.4.Math is mostly knowing how to calculate.5.If you don’t know “the basics,” you can’t do anything else.6.The calculator is smarter than a fifth grader.7.The most important thing in math is “getting the right answer.”
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