probe

Original：🇺🇸 English

Translated

Map the edge of the learner's understanding with a short graded quiz. Start broad, then binary-search every strand a lesson will need. Use when the user runs /probe or /skill:probe, or says quiz me, pretest, what do I already know, diagnose my understanding, probe me, or find the edge before teaching.

5installs

Sourcevasanthsreeram/alvarmethod

Added on2026-08-17

NPX Install

npx skill4agent add vasanthsreeram/alvarmethod probe

SKILL.md Content

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Probe

Measure first. Do not teach during a probe except a one-line correction after they answer.

Quiz UI is mandatory. Read ../teach/references/quiz-ui.md and call that tool. Never print A/B/C/D in the chat.

Goal

Produce

.alvar/maps/<slug>.md

that labels every dependency strand:

known

|

edge

|

unknown

|

blocked

blocked

= they said they don't know, or the question needs a tool you don't have.

How to ask

1–3 multiple-choice questions per turn. Wait.
Always include D. I don't know (or an extra "I don't know" option).
Start wide (what kind of object is this? what does this operator measure?). Then split the strand that the answer leaves ambiguous.
If they already listed solid ground, skip those strands.
Invite a talk-through: a wrong reason + right letter is
```
edge
```
, not
```
known
```
.

One right answer. No trick options that hinge on wording. Put I don't know as an option. Do not mark the correct choice recommended.

Scoring

result	status move
correct + sound reason	`known`
correct, thin reason	`edge`
wrong, near-miss	`edge`
wrong, foundation missing	`unknown`
I don't know	`blocked` or `unknown`

After each batch, update the map. Stop when the upcoming lesson's dependencies are all labeled — not when you have asked "enough questions."

Map file

markdown

# Map — <goal>

Updated: <ISO date>
Goal: <one sentence>

## Strands
| strand | status | evidence |
|--------|--------|----------|
| … | known | Q2 + reason |

## Quiz log
- Q1 [strand] <letter> — correct|wrong|idk — <five words>

End

Show the table. Say which strands a teacher should start from. Do not start the lesson unless they ask.