Ask teacher to clarify or just let it go (wrongly graded test)?

Question

My kid's grade has tests every other week, and these are actual formal tests, timed, etc, and the teacher sends out a formal looking Progress Report every 2 weeks, to be signed by parent.
In one such test, there was a question:

Write 3 numbers that are greater than 199.
The expected answer is 200,201, 202.
My kid wrote something like: 356, 1092, 999 (basically, correct, but not the expected).

If it was regular school work, I wouldn't care. This was a test, and not a regular test, but one that is recorded towards grades.

There were no verbal directions given that would indicate to the student only numbers "just greater than" are to be written.

Would you let it pass, or send in a nice note asking for clarification, and suggestion that future tests be more explicit in directions.

My kid cares more about his grades than I do.
Would you let it go or send in a note?

Asking my kid if he would like to ask the teacher himself is not a useful option.
She will just gloss it over, and might even tell him to not worry about just 1 wrong... he did a super job...
He does not have the concept of "correct answer versus the expected answer".

sevenofus,
having my kid get a clarification is not an option. he is already figuring out how to write the "expected" answer.
and, I don't want to invite the teacher to further dumb him down, which is what would happen if he asks for the clarification.

I do have him stand up for himself in lot of other situations in school and elsewhere.

Answer 1

I'm one of those parents teachers seem to hate... You know the type: involved with their kid's lives, caring about their education, and understanding that teachers are usually no smarter than the rest of middle class America.

So yeah, I'd send a note. If it doesn't work, I'd schedule a meeting with the teacher. Then on to the principal... Whoever it takes. If we have teachers than don't know what number are larger than 199 then we need to take some action.

Unless you want to have a brainwashed sheeple for a kid.

Answer 2

Send a polite note. Going by the fact that you have cared to post a question here, I am fairly sure you've double-checked with you kid that there were no verbal instructions that would make 200,201,202 the only correct answers.

I would not suggest having your kid ask about it himself.
If he/she is like the average teacher in my kid's school, the teacher will just tell the kid, "I gave a verbal instruction, that the next 3 greater numbers should be written". That is the easiest for the teacher. What happens next ? Do you expect your child to reply to the teacher and say "No, you didn't".
It will be teacher's word against your kid's.

And, even if verbal instruction was given, that should be also part of the written question. What if the student goes back and reviews his answers? Is he expected to remember the verbal instruction? No, if it is a written test with written questions, the whole question should be on the paper.

I've been through many such wrongly graded papers over the years with my kids. And many a teacher have covered it up via the old "verbal instructions, students need to pay attention" excuse.

Answer 3

The grade on your son's record is neither here nor there at this point.

The fact that the teacher has effectively told him that 356 is not greater than 199 is huge!

I would write a note saying that you presume that your son misread the question, and asking what the exact wording on it was so you can explain to him why the answer was wrong.

And if an explanation other than "they were told verbally, he missed it" or "I'm sorry, I misread the requirement myself, he got it right" comes home, I would go absolutely ballistic. If it was a standard test with that being the required answer then I would go ballistic towards whoever writes the standard tests. It is totally unacceptable for a child who has grasped the real meaning of "greater than" i.e. that it is ANY number bigger, not necessarily the next one up, to be slapped back into sheep mode just because the rest of his classmates haven't got it yet.

Answer 4

If this is a standardized test than your child's teacher has no control over content and "correct" answers since they are designed by an independent agency. If your child's teacher has created the tests, then she will have greater control over content. Calling her attention to confusion in how a question is worded or making her aware several possible answers could be counted correct should be welcomed by her as a way to improve the quality of the test. If this is a question that is bothering your child than by all means he should be the one who speaks to his teacher first before you do anything. This will give him a greater sense of ownership for his own education. Because it is a less intimidating environment in elementary school than it is in middle school, high school, and college, any time he can be encouraged and supported now to speak up with his concerns will benefit him in the long run. Help him practice how he will word the question so it comes across as a desire for clarification and not a question specifically about his grade. In the grand scheme of grades, one wrong question is not likely to affect his final grade adversely unless he is right on the cut off. If it were me, I would encourage my child to first speak with the teacher for clarification and if that didn't satisfy my child, then I would send a note asking for clarification. Elementary and middle school grades do not affect a student's official transcripts necessary for college admittance, but are used to familiarize students with the grading system they will have in high school when those grades will follow them for the rest of their lives.

Answer 5

Can you email her? Perhaps you misread the test. IF the expected answer was to be as you say then I would assume that it should've been read like this: Write 3 numbers that are greater than 199 and don't exceed 203. Look into this before you pounce. However why not just ask the teacher...no harm in asking is there. Ask her why it was wrong. IF you don't ask her, then you'll never know. Don't just let this go. Your gut is right to want to ask. Kudos to you for actually being on top of this.

Answer 6

I'd write a note asking about the question. Your son obviously gave a correct response. Perhaps the teacher had someone other than herself grade the work, and that person misread the answer key (it happens). It's probably just an oversight, and your son deserves credit for the answer. As a teacher, I recognize that I may make mistakes when grading. I'm often trying to grade papers while being interrupted by students, other staff members, the phone, etc. Mistakes happen, and I'm never irritated w/a parent who brings one to my attention (as long as it's not done w/a rude tone).

Answer 7

I'm not sure why you don't want your son to handle this, but that would be far more useful than your doing so. It shouldn't be about grades, but about learning. Have him go to the teacher and say he doesn't understand why his answer was wrong and could she explain it so he doesn't make the same mistake another time. Then she can discuss it with him and he can understand what he needs to do (if he misunderstood the directions), or the teacher can realize if she goofed in providing the directions.

Fight the urge to be a helicopter parent. Any kid old enough to be answering math questions is old enough to ask about a question they were marked wrong on and don't understand why. That's part of their education, and if you do that stuff for them, you're robbing them of something. Of course, if your child is continually being told correct answers are wrong or vice versa, then you will want to raise the issue. For one problem on one test, who cares? Give your son practice in fighting his own battles, and make sure his focus is on learning and not grades.

Answer 8

Your child answered the question correctly. 356, 1092 and 999 are greater than 199. You should ask the teacher to clarify.

Answer 9

I would say yes, contact the teacher. The child shouldn't be reguarded as "wrong" simply because it wasn't within the frame of common thinking. Unless the teacher specified "between 199 and 210" or something like that, the child answered correctly. I'm not one to generally encourage the concept of removing scores from games and reguarding a splatter on the wall as "high art" merely for the sake of not squashing various "qualities" in a child, but something like that squashes their way of thinking. This child thinks outside the box and that should be encouraged, not discouraged.

Answer 10

Your son is a creative thinker, a great attribute that some teachers find annoying. I'd let him try talking to her himself. If that doesn't work then by all means go to bat for him. Just make sure the question didn't say "Write the next three numbers greater than 199.".