Promoting Success: February 2011

Test.

It's a loaded word. Important...something to care about...something that can mean so much we get apprehensive thinking about it.

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Tests are important, especially to school children. A test may measure a basic skill. It can affect a year's grade. Or, if it measures the ability to learn, it can affect a child's placement in school. So it's important to do well on tests.

Besides, the ability to do well on tests can help throughout life in such things as getting a driver's license, trying out for sports, or getting a job. Without this ability, a person can be severely handicapped.

Your child can develop this ability, and you can help the child do it. Just try the simple techniques described in this report.

Why Test?

It's helpful for a child to understand why schools give tests, and to know the different kinds of tests.

Tests are yardsticks. Schools use them to measure, and then improve education. Some tell schools that they need to strengthen courses or change teaching techniques. Other tests compare students by schools, school districts, or cities. All tests determine how well "your child" is doing. And that's very important.

Most of the tests your child will take are "teacher-made." That is, teachers design them. These tests are associated with the grades on report cards. They help measure a student's progress--telling the teacher and the student whether he or she is keeping up with the class, needs extra help, or, perhaps, is far ahead of other students.

Now and then your child will take "standardized" tests. These use the same standards to measure student performance across the country. Everyone takes the same test according to the same rules. This makes it possible to measure each student's performance against that of others. The group with whom a student's performance is compared is a "norm group" and consists of many students of the same age or grade who took the same test.

Ask the School

It could be useful for you to know the school's policies and practices on giving standardized tests and the use of test scores. Ask your child's teacher or guidance counselor about the kinds of tests your child will take during the year--and the schedule for testing.

One other thing: some schools give students practice in taking tests. This helps to make sure that they are familiar with directions and test format. Find out whether your child's school gives "test-taking practice" on a regular basis or will provide such practice if your child needs it.

Avoid Test Anxiety

It's good to be concerned about taking a test. It's not good to get "test anxiety." This is excessive worry about doing well on a test and it can mean disaster for a student.
Students who suffer from test anxiety tend to worry about success in school, especially doing well on tests. They worry about the future, and are extremely self-critical. Instead of feeling challenged by the prospect of success, they become afraid of failure. This makes them anxious about tests and their own abilities. Ultimately, they become so worked up that they feel incompetent about the subject matter or the test.

Improve Test Scores!

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You may also like these resources from our Amazon Associate store:

Test Success: Test-Taking and Study Strategies for All Students, Including Those with ADD and LD

Teaching Test-Taking Skills: Proven Techniques to Boost Your Student's Scores

Saunders 2014-2015 Strategies for Test Success: Passing Nursing School and the NCLEX Exam, 3e (Saunders Strategies for Success for the Nclex Examination)

Learning Outside The Lines: Two Ivy League Students with Learning Disabilities and ADHD Give You the Tools for Academic Success and Educational Revolution

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Shelly Anton is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. ** This means there are Amazon affiliate links in these blog posts. This does not mean you pay a dime more when you purchase a product through the link. It just means I am trying to save you valuable teacher time by making it easier for you to find valuable resources for your students, and I earn a few cents for my research and time. Thank you for all you do for kids!

The Ultimate Math Trick: How to Instantly Tell the Day of the Week for Any Date

$Math Magic Tricks for Kids$

For 5 cool and printable math magic tricks for kids, please click HERE.

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Hey there, math teachers!

Have you ever wanted a fun, mind-blowing trick to share with your students? Or maybe you're just looking for something that’ll make them think math is pure magic. Well, let me introduce you to one of my favorite math party tricks: the Doomsday Rule!

Now, before you imagine yourself pulling out a giant calendar or needing an advanced degree in calculus, let me stop you right there. This trick is so simple once you get the hang of it that you can mentally calculate the day of the week for any date in history. I love how it combines logic and a touch of number sense—and it's a cool way to keep students engaged while sharpening their mental math skills.

What is the Doomsday Rule?

The Doomsday Rule was invented by mathematician John Horton Conway, and it works by anchoring specific dates each year that always fall on the same day of the week. We call these dates Doomsdays—dates like 4/4 (April 4th), 6/6 (June 6th), 12/12 (December 12th), and even the last day of February. With a few calculations, you can figure out the Doomsday for any year and then use it to determine the weekday for any specific date.

Trust me—it’s easier than it sounds, and it can turn you into a human calendar!

Let’s Break It Down

Here’s how you can tell the day of the week for any date in just a few steps:

Find the century’s Doomsday. The Doomsday for the 2000s is Tuesday. For the 1900s, it’s Wednesday. (It doesn’t hurt to memorize these for different centuries, but let’s stick with the 2000s for now.)
Calculate the year’s specific Doomsday.
- Take the last two digits of the year.
- Divide that number by 12 and write down the quotient.
- Write down the remainder, and then divide that by 4. Add the results together.
- Finally, add this total to the century’s Doomsday (Tuesday for 2000s).
Use the year’s Doomsday to figure out the weekday. Let’s say you're trying to figure out the day of the week for July 20, 1969 (the moon landing—so cool, right?). Here’s how we do it:
- We already know the century’s Doomsday for 1900s is Wednesday.
- The last two digits of 1969 are 69. Divide that by 12: you get a quotient of 5 and a remainder of 9.
- Divide the remainder by 4: you get 2 with a remainder of 1.
- Add 5 (quotient) + 2 (from remainder ÷ 4) = 7.
- Now add 7 to the century’s Doomsday, Wednesday. That lands you on Wednesday, so the Doomsday for 1969 is Wednesday!
Now, let’s find the weekday for July 20th. We know that July 11, 1969 is a Doomsday (7/11!), and it’s a Wednesday. So counting forward 9 days lands you on a Sunday!

Pretty awesome, right? 🎉

How to Use It in the Classroom

This trick is perfect for engaging students who might not normally be into math. It's like a puzzle they get to solve, but with a real-world payoff. Here’s how you can use it:

Warm-up activity: Have students try it out on significant dates (birthdays, holidays, historical events).
Mental math practice: It strengthens their division and number sense skills.
Critical thinking: Students get to practice logical steps, which is an essential part of math fluency.

Plus, you get the benefit of showing your students that math isn’t just about solving equations—it’s about discovering cool patterns and finding shortcuts in the world around them.

Ready to Try It?

Take a few minutes to play with the Doomsday Rule yourself. Pick a date and see how quickly you can figure out the weekday. Once you get comfortable with the steps, this trick will be second nature to you—and your students will think you’re a math wizard. 🧙‍♀️✨

I’d love to hear how this goes in your classroom! Do you have any other math tricks or mental shortcuts you like to teach? Let’s share some fun ideas in the comments.

Until next time—happy teaching!

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For 5 cool and printable math magic tricks for kids, please click HERE.

$cool math magic tricks and hacks for kids$