Value of Pop Quizzes

My son, a high-school sophomore, is getting a D in Government because he does so poorly when his teacher gives pop quizzes. He gets A's on every homework assignment and does well on big tests. What is the value of these quizzes that are just sprung on him? -- Quizzical
Answer: Quizzes are typically used by teachers to identify whether students understand the material as it is being presented. While we are not enthusiastic about pop quizzes, given on the spur of the moment, frequent quizzing does have certain advantages. These quizzes have been shown to enhance student learning as well as performance on tests. They are most effective when the quizzes are reviewed and discussed in class.
It certainly sounds like this teacher is giving a lot of pop quizzes for them to lower your son's grade so much. Obviously, he is going to need to do more daily preparation for this class. He should tell himself that that there will be a quiz every day. Then before each class, he needs to make sure that he has read the assignment, done his homework and reviewed it, and read over any recent class notes.