Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Different Explore Question

How necessary are calculators for the Explore test?

And if calculators are needed, is it pretty obvious on which questions students would be wise to use them or is that one of the things that the kids need to learn? What kind of guidance, if any, did people give their kids on this issue before the test?

I would think all the kids are using calculators and the score would be at a disadvantage without one. Why are you asking this question? Has DC used a calculator?

It says right on the sample test that the child will experience questions that they would be better of doing without a calculator. I just told my DD to use her judgement, she is used to not using a calculator. She didn't have any trouble finishing the math questions in the time allowed.

She thought it was entertaining that the kid with the biggest most elaborate calculator was the only child not to finish that section. She claims it was almost 12 inches by 6 inches, she's never seen one so big. I just gave her a calculator a few days before and let her play around with it.

I imagine it was Dottie! I'm sure her perspective is a little off She just went on and on about this calculator, it was very entertaining. I just gave her a plain jane one, as long as it has a square root you are fine NJMom. I'm thinking we will have to introduce the big guns before she starts taking ACT...

We have a similar problem with dd#2. She insists that her paper has to be neat and freaks out about leaving her work. She erases it over and over. I told her not to erase her work on her scratch paper & that she wasn't being judged on how neat the paper is.

My big test-prep calculator guidance amounted to "STOP PICKING UP THE CALCULATOR!! Just use it on the desk for Pete's sake!"

DS had never used a calculator before his first Explore, so we did a tiny bit of math each day with one so he'd know where all the buttons were. And so he could remember to just leave it on the desk please. I don't think he would have finished any of the sections with or without a calculator (it wasn't just math that he didn't finish) but he was very young for the test, and even without finishing he did well. He did much better the second year when it wasn't all new. That year I think he did finish most sections.

My favorite calculator for this is the TI-30X IIS. They're cheap, and they have two lines of display so you can see what you entered with the results. Also, when you do switch to a graphing calculator, all the buttons are in the same place as they were on the TI-30. For the Explore there wouldn't be any particular benefit to a graphing calculator, but last year that's what he used, because that's what he had been using all year. The most important thing is that they not be trying to figure out the calculator while they're working on the test.

Thanks for the input, everyone!

KAR: that calculator sounds perfect for DD. Might help her to catch careless mistakes.

Cricket: my DD is exactly like that! It drives me crazy. She erases and rewrites stuff on her scratch paper all the time.