I hope you don't mind if I vent here. I'm feeling so frustrated with ds12's school for a variety of reasons which I won't go into here. This is about math.
Some background: ds's processing speed is low average. There is over 4 standard deviations between that and his VCI. He has always hated timed tests. He basically freezes up when the pressure's on.
Because of the speed factor, he's never felt confident in math despite getting As in previous years. I've been trying to teach him that fast in math doesn't necessary mean good, and conversely, slow in math doesn't mean bad.
Since both class tests and standardized tests are timed, speed is important. To do algebra quickly you need to know your math facts cold. If 7th graders don't know their addition and multiplication tables, I think it is appropriate for the teacher to quiz them.
