AMC 10, 2013
AMC 10a, 2013 was taken on Feb. 5th 2013 evening at Luther Jackson Middle School with the help of FCAG.org. FCAG invited those who scored high on AMC 8 to take AMC 10 free. Most of them are young students in Elementary Schools and Middle Schools. Some High Schools like Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, has its own AMC 10 and AMC 12 test. Some schools like Haycock Elementary School, Longfellow Middle School, Rachel Carson Middle school, TJHSST registered their own AMC8, AMC10, AMC12 tests. The private tutoring academy – best academy ( http://mybestacademy.com/ ) also holds AMC 10b, AMC12b for a small fee. All these efforts make the AMC math contest available to lots of kids that their own daytime schools don’t register for the test. Thanks to them.
Thanks go to Jeff Steele, math director of FCAG. Grace Becker, president of FCAG. Andrea Austin, math chair at Luther Jackson Middle School.
AMC 8, 2012 sponsored by FCAG
2012 AMC 8 (http://amc.maa.org/e-exams/e4-amc08/amc8.shtml) was held on Nov. 13, 2012. It was Tuesday. My son took AMC 8 through FCAG sponsored free AMC 8 test. (FCAG is a non-profit organization helping gifted and talented kids and their parents in Fairfax county. Actually, they don’t limited themselves for helping people in other places. Some students from Maryland and other states took free AMC 8 – American Mathematics Contest 8. ) Mr. Jeff Steele, the math director of FCAG, is very active in making the AMC 8 avaible to those students whose schools don’t sponsor AMC 8. FCAG is running on the membership dues and parents volunteering to provide helps to those gifted and talented kids. Also, FCAG will prove free AMC 10 to those who score high on AMC 8 test. In 2012, FCAG helped 2000 students to take AMC 8 for free. Thanks to FCAG! Thanks to Jeff Steele! Thanks Andrea Austin, math chair at Luther Jackson Middle School who made the AMC8 available to so many young kids.
DRA – Developmental Reading Assess test
Fairfax Public School uses DRA 2nd Edition twice a year to assess children’s reading level. One is in the beginning of school year. (September and October) One is near the end of school year. ( from March to June depending on grades and schools).
So What is DRA?
The Developmental Reading Assessment or DRA identifies a child’s independent reading level. It is used by classroom teachers to evaluate student independent reading level. Mostly it is one on one casual test. The teacher will start from low level book first. Teacher will let your child to read a leveled book. Then will ask your child to retell the story. Teacher will mark and give score on accuracy, comprehension, fluency. Teacher will move to higher level if the student is doing very good at current level. The level starts from A for the easiest books. Then switches to numeric 1 to 80.
What level should my 1st grade daughter be?
Here is DRA Benchmarks for one Public Schools in Virginia
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Grade Assessment 1 (Aug.-Oct.) Assessment 2 (Jan.-Feb.) Assessment 3 (May-June)
1 2-4 10-12 16-18
2 16-18 20-24 28-30
3 28-30 34 38-40
4 38-40 40 44
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Just talked to my daughter’s teacher yesterday. My daughter is in 1st grade. She just passed level 10. Her teacher will continue to test her with higher level in following weeks to find out her final level.
If your 1st grader is in level 16 -18, he/she matches the benchmark of of 1st grader’s school end and 2nd grader’s school year beginning benchmark. Teacher may use the score as a reference to find the best books for your children to read at school/home. If your children’s reading level is far beyond his/her classmates, teacher may give her/him special materials/attentions to best fit his/her needs.
Back to School Night thought
Yesterday was my daughter’s school’s back to school night for K-3 grade. There are some new changes compared to my son’s 4 year back. More and more computers are used even in younger grades. My daughter is in 1st grade. My wife is doing volunteer work at the school computer lab. 1st graders begin to learn how to use the basic word processing software. More and more standarized tests are facing out the pencil and paper method. It is easier for school to collect, summarize, analyze and report the results.
So, parents, it might be a good idea to let your small ones to get familiar with mouse and keyboard at home. You can let them play with it and teach them the basic cut/ copy / paste Ctl+x / Ctl+c / Ctl+v.
It will make their feel easier when they have to use computer to finish school works. 🙂
The best running shoes for kids and parents
My kids’s shoes worn out very fast. Every 3 months I have to visit shoe stores. So I chosed payless shoes to save some money. But I found the shoes in Payless shoes are not comfortable for kids even they don’t complain. So do some research online and find that the better actually will save a lot and make your children suffer less from feet pain. Myself only benefits from my research. Right now, I am having the most comfortable shoes I ever wearn. I am a happy daddy, and my kids are happy running around without complaining about tired-ness. 🙂
There are many professional magazine for runners. They will release best running shoes list every year.
Every major sport shoes company will release new designs and styles every year. The shoes are getting more colorful, and looking nicer.
The following are the shoes are top choices for serious runners and have been tested. Even if you are not professional runner, it is a good reference if you are looking/searching a pair of good shoes to let your daily walking comfortable, you will benefit from this list. Any of them will be good. You can pick your favorate color, style, design. Enjoy it: (My favorate one is ASICS GEL series. 🙂 )
ASICS Men’s GEL-Kayano 18 Running Shoe
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 9
Nike Pegasus running shoes
GEL-Nimbus 9 from Asics
Asics Gel Nimbus 12
Brooks Glycerin 8
Asics GT-2160
Asics Gel Evolution 5
ASICS Men’s GEL-Nimbus 13 Running Shoe
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 11
Saucony Men’s ProGrid Triumph 4 Running Shoe
ASICS Men’s Nimbus 14 Running Shoe
Brooks Glycerin 10
Inov-8 Trailroc 245
K-Swiss Kwicky QT2
New Balance 1600
Adidas Adizero Feather 2.0
Nike LunarGlide+3
New Balance 895
ASICS Gel Resolution 4
New Balance 860
Brooks Trance 10
Ahnu Rockridge II
Saucony Bullet
Asics Gel-Tech Walker Neo 2
Ecco BIOM Walk
Hush Puppies Veracity
Merrell Mezame Ballet Flat
Scarpa Caipirinha
Fairfax Abilities Test (FxAT)
What is the Fairfax Abilities Test (FxAT)?
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) will be introducing a new Fairfax Abilities Test (FxAT) to 2nd Graders this fall. This new test is replacing the previously used Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). The FxAT is a customized form of the CogAT specifically designed for use in FCPS. This assessment is used as a part of the screening process for advanced academic services
What is the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)?
The Cognitive Abilities Test is a group ability test that measures general intellectual ability. The test consists of three batteries: Verbal, Quantitative, and Nonverbal. Each battery is designed to assess a group of general abstract reasoning skills that research suggests are related to learning and problem solving. The Verbal and Quantitative Batteries require the student to use verbal and mathematical concepts that are acquired from experiences both in and out of school. The Nonverbal Battery uses geometric shapes and figures that have little direct relationship to formal school instruction.
What are the similarities and differences between the two tests?
All tests use a multiple choice format. The FxAT and CogAT are timed and have three sections which yield three sub scores, one for each section. The NNAT is also timed and has one section and one score. The highest possible score for each sub test of the FxAT, CogAT and the NNAT is 160. The average score for each test is 100. The tests are given according to a child’s grade level and the score is based on his/her age. In Fairfax County Public Schools, the tests are administered by classroom teachers, usually in multiple settings. Occasionally, other staff, such as the counselor, administrator, or testing coordinator may administer the tests.
scored 700+ on math section of SAT when 8 year old
My son has followed Terence Tao and Lanhard Ng that became only three children
in the history of the Johns Hopkins’ Study of Exceptional Talent program to have achieved a score of 700 or greater on the SAT math section while just 8 years old. He became a SET member when he just turn 9 year old.
He also became state champion in Math League 2012 competition for 6 grade when he was only 9 year old.
He was the state 6th grade Math League competition 9th place in 2011 when he was only 8 year old.
He received invitation to attend the first Math League National Final at Stanford University in August 2012.
Johns Hopkins CTY SET program Eligibility
Students qualify for SET by taking the SAT before age 13 and scoring at least 700 on either the Math or Verbal (Critical Reading) test. Students who take the SAT after their 13th birthday may qualify for SET by scoring an additional 10 points above 700 for each month after their 13th birthday.
Students who qualify for SET are invited to join SET once CTY receives official notification of their SAT scores.
Terence Tao
Fields Medal is the highest award in Math field. It is considered the Nobel Prize in math. Terence Tao is one of the youngest to receive this prize – 31 year old.
In August 2006, at the 25th International Congress of Mathematicians in Madrid, he became one of the youngest, the first Australian, and the first UCLA faculty member ever to be awarded a Fields Medal.[15][16] An article by New Scientist[17] writes of his ability:
“ Such is Tao’s reputation that mathematicians now compete to interest him in their problems, and he is becoming a kind of Mr Fix-it for frustrated researchers. “If you’re stuck on a problem, then one way out is to interest Terence Tao,” says Charles Fefferman [professor of mathematics at Princeton University].
http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2007-04-02/172312676403.shtml
How to get into CSULA’s EEP program?
Every year, about 750 takes the screening Test WCPT, about 100 gifted students , who scored at least 1100 of Verbal and math, from all over the United States apply to EEP. However, each fall, only 25-40 applicants are admitted. These applicants are qualified through the Washington Pre-College Test.
The first step of applying to the Early Entrance Program (after passing the Washington Pre-College Test) is scheduling an interview with the Early Entrance Program Director. At this interview, prospective candidates are informed briefly about the application process and the Pre-Summer Orientation.
Every prospective student (usually referred to as “Provisionals” or “Provies”) is required to attend an orientation with every other candidate for the program, as well as parents. This orientation usually occurs in late May and is coordinated by the EEP Director. Students at this orientation receive information about the various aspects of the summer application process.
The Provisional Summer Quarter is both an evaluation process and a taste of what EEP life is like for all Provisional students. Provies must select 2 academic classes at CSULA and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA for the summer quarter (which spans approximately 11 weeks). Provisionals also are encouraged to spend time in the EEP Lounge (Fine Arts 218-219) interacting with other provisionals and regular students.
There are three Provisional Freshmen Orientations that take place during the summer quarter. Unlike the Pre-Summer Orientation, these orientations are for provisional students without their parents. At the beginning of the summer during these meetings, every provisional selects a Mentor Group. Mentors are regular students in the program that volunteer to help Provies with the summer application process.
Around eighth week of the Provisional Summer, students who are strong candidates for the program are notified and are Advanced to Candidacy. These students would be accepted into EEP at the end of CSULA Summer Quarter. However, certain reasons, such as if an applicant do not have a 3.0 G.P.A. for the Provisional Summer, the student will not be accepted into EEP.