standardized testing s/o..why do you do this?

[I.Dup.]

I saw several of you mention that you don't really care about standardized tests, you just do them for the school district.

 

Since the WTM/classical way is so intensive and focused, I am wondering what many of your reasons are for doing school this way. I love the classical method, though I am no expert, and the main reason I would and do teach my children this way is to give them the best head start I possibly can, and because I truly feel that this way to educate is best.

 

I don't want them to get to be 18 and be unable to get into college if they want to. I would love for them to be able to easily get full-ride scholarships to wherever they want to go.

 

Honestly, in the back of my mind that is my main motivation. I am terribly afraid that I will cripple them if I don't teach them well enough, and ALL they need to know, if not more. I would love for them all to have good, solid careers someday. Obviously we have more than a couple kids, and this is a struggle for me to balance everything.

 

The only way I know to measure that we are on the right track is by doing standardized testing since, when they are applying to colleges, they WILL be compared to their peers. So I am suddenly intensely focused on standardized testing since it seems to be the only way to make sure I am on the right track here...if she scores really well, I can take a deep breath....if not, yikes.

 

Am I way off base? Can anyone else relate?

[Mrs Mungo]

People say they don't care about test scores in the elementary grades. Those scores are not going to follow them to college.

[I.Dup.]

People say they don't care about test scores in the elementary grades. Those scores are not going to follow them to college.

 

Welllll, I know that :blushing: :tongue_smilie:but if I don't know where we're at now...what if we get all the way to 8th grade and she's not ready for Algebra and I come to find out she's way behind in writing or whatever and that sets us a year or two behind and then we're in a downward spiral which hinders her progress in high school and, and ...sorry I know I'm being neurotic which is why I'm asking.

[MariannNOVA]

My children are being homeschooled after being in a classical, Christian private school. I have a few years of 'base line' standardized Stanford test scores filed away. I was hands-on regarding their education before I began homeschooling them, and homeschooling has added another dimension to that.

 

I am testing to comply with a homeschooling requirement for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

 

At this point (and I am certain that this is true for other homeschooling families who have been at it for awhile) I have an excellent idea of their capabilities and I am testing merely to comply.

 

 

As they get older, the standardized test scores will have 'weight' if you will. But right now, not so much.

[MariannNOVA]

Welllll, I know that :blushing: :tongue_smilie:but if I don't know where we're at now...what if we get all the way to 8th grade and she's not ready for Algebra and I come to find out she's way behind in writing or whatever and that sets us a year or two behind and then we're in a downward spiral which hinders her progress in high school and, and ...sorry I know I'm being neurotic which is why I'm asking.

 

Wouldn't you know if the child was 'behind' based on your daily lessons, interactions, test grades, etc? If an 8th grader isn't ready for Algebra, I would imagine that there might have been hints before 8th grade.

 

But, I do hear what you are saying -- you will become comfortable at determining these things as you observe and become comfortable with the learning style of your children.

 

HTH - and........relax.:)

[4besitos]

I don't care for standardized testing because of the bias of the test and the false feeling of confidence (or feeling of stupidity) the score can create. I have an education/social work background and standardized testing is a whole can or worms. I believe that by educating my children at home (and we do a Charlotte Mason classical thing) will give them a factual advantage; this does not mean that they will neccesarily test well. A lot of people don't test well for a variety of reasons, this doesn't mean they aren't as smart.

 

My children take them because in our state, it is required annually from 3rd grade on. And my children so far test exactly how they are as "students". My child that naturally struggles with spelling/punctuation scored lower on that section but 2+ grades higher for vocab/comprehension. My child that rushes through math and doesn't double-check answers scored lower for computation but 2 grades higher for ability to apply math concepts. I don't get them higher grade books. I just file the scores in the "permanent file". My husband likes to see the scores. I think it makes him feel confident in the homeschooling as their average grade level tests higher than where they are.

 

I do not use the test to plan their education. I have my plan. My drive is to raise well-rounded children who are strong in their faith. My hope is that my children would find what they are truly passionate for and find a way to work in a field they like. College is one of the life options....but it isn't the only one.

[Wildiris]

I choose to have my children take standardized test for a number of reasons.

 

1. Our charter school needs students to participate to keep its charter
   
2. The test gives me an idea of where my child is when measured against a standard other than my own. Over the years these test reveal certain categories of learning I'd missed or assumed my child had a better understanding of than was reflected in her score.
   
3. There is the simple fact of learning the skill of taking a test without Mom hovering.
   
4. I do not "teach to the test," but I do spend a few weeks preparing. I figure a test is shows both what a student knows and does not 3/4 of the way through a school year.
   
5. Standardized test scores are useful when filling out scholarship forms.
   
   

 

[....]

I don't want them to get to be 18 and be unable to get into college if they want to. I would love for them to be able to easily get full-ride scholarships to wherever they want to go.

 

Honestly, in the back of my mind that is my main motivation. I am terribly afraid that I will cripple them if I don't teach them well enough, and ALL they need to know, if not more.

 

Am I way off base? Can anyone else relate?

 

I know. I feel the exact same way. :sad: It's not been that long since I was playing the "college application game" for grad school. What a pain in the :auto:.

 

I don't know what kind of curriculum you use, or what approach...but, do you check the ps grade level expectations for your kids around the middle/end of the year....to see if there's something you need to cover?

 

I do this and it's made me feel more confident that we're not missing something.

 

Oh, and we also use a lot of CLE. :D If CLE isn't up to grade level, then nothing is!! :lol:

[Saille]

My children take them because in our state, it is required annually from 3rd grade on. And my children so far test exactly how they are as "students". My child that naturally struggles with spelling/punctuation scored lower on that section but 2+ grades higher for vocab/comprehension. My child that rushes through math and doesn't double-check answers scored lower for computation but 2 grades higher for ability to apply math concepts.

 

My ds's test scores are very similar. And I knew that they would be this way, b/c I know what my expectations and priorities are, and what his strengths are weaknesses are. When spelling, punct. and computational speed come up, they're going to come up fast, but they aren't my foundational priorities. He also scored well above level on Social Studies and Science on the ITBS, which we took this year. Lots of folks in other educational models wouldn't care about those yet, but I do. However, I wouldn't have been testing him at all if I hadn't been trying to familiarize him with the timed test experience prior to taking a test we'd have to submit to the district.

[iquilt]

As the primary teacher as well as being in a one-on-one situation with each grade level, I already know exactly how well each of my children is doing. I know exactly how well my youngest can read, I know how well my middle child can spell, I know that math is the subject that requires the most effort for my oldest. I don't need a standardized test from some company to tell me that. Now, we are also dealing with elementary school and while it's nice to practice test taking, the real deal doesn't happen until high school. We will take a more comprehensive test once in middle school for practice; then high school will be for real for the outside world. We have plenty of evidence of where each child is right now through school work, the testing is just a hoop. This is no way lowers our standards to provide our children with the best education possible. HTH

[Guest Cheryl in SoCal]

My ISP offers them starting in 1st grade and requires them annually starting in 6th grade. They are a large ISP and it's one way they keep track of their families and their students. My kids didn't start taking the SAT until it was mandatory. My oldest didn't test well at first because the timed test really panicked him. The next couple of years he took it in the untimed room and then went back to the timed room and does very well because he has gotten over the "timed test" panic. It has been really good for him because he had time to get over it. It would have been horrible for him if his first experience with SAT type testing wasn't until high school and it really counted!! My other son has always done extremely well. We don't teach to the test and have never done any kind of SAT review but will for the PSAT and SAT/ACT (haven't decided yet which one).

[MamaofTwo]

We test every year because I am curious. :tongue_smilie: The test has never shown anything I didn't already know. It tends to confirm the areas that I know to be weak or strong.

 

I also do it so the kiddos can get some exprience with how to take a test. We are blessed to homeschool, but if I ever had to put them into public or private school they would need to be tested. I wouldn't want their scores to be weak simply because they were inexperienced with the test format.

[Crimson Wife]

We are not required to test here in CA but my DH insisted. I knew that she was a strong student but she has the annoying tendency of playing dumb when DH quizzes her. :banghead: So before he would agree to homeschooling for this upcoming year, he insisted she take a standardized test. Long story short, she ended up taking 2 of them (2nd grade CAT-E, then 3rd grade ITBS) to reassure him.

 

I'm hoping to avoid testing every single year as I don't think the benefits of doing it more frequently outweigh the drawbacks (expense & hassle).

[I.Dup.]

Thank you all! :)

[Lolly]

I use standardized tests simply because they give my children practice in taking them. I don't want the ACT or SAT to be their first experience with this format. Hopefully, by taking the IOWA, they will go in more relaxed and having some idea of what is to come when they hit high school.

 

Plus, my kids think it is fun. We pretty much have a carefree, easy week during testing.:D

[AmeliaBinMO]

I am not required to standardize test my kids in our state, but I do.

 

Certainly no standardized test will give you all the answers regarding a child's education. It is simply a helpful diagnostic tool which may raise some questions for further investigation.

 

I never "teach to the test" or prepare for them in any way.

 

The simple reason that I standardize test is:

 

It won't hurt (in my opinion), and it just might help.

 

More specifically (in no specific order):

 

1. The test may point out specific areas of factual information that have not been learned. It would then be my job to figure out:

 

a) if the information has not yet been covered (not a problem -- we'll get to it before the end of high school), or

 

b) if the information been covered a great deal and has been forgotten (which may require further investigation as to why it was forgotten)

 

2. The test may point out (or more likely, help confirm) areas of learning challenges. For example, perhaps I have begun to wonder about reading comprehension (or listening ability) for one of my kids. If the test also hints at confirmation of this, it might prompt me to get moving and see what I need to do to check it out further and then provide any additional help needed.

 

3. If something happens and we know we will no longer homeschool, the standardize test (in addition to daily work and syllabi) would be something that I could show a school to help with placement, or possibly acceptance in a private school.

 

4. I feel the practice of taking these tests in a class setting is invaluable. Although I have administered them a couple of times at home, the classroom setting is by far my most preferred choice. I want my kids to have as much practice as possible in taking standardize tests before they have to sit for the college SAT or other college entrance exams. I feel that they need to learn how to handle their anxiety, classroom distractions, etc. in a standardized test setting. I don't want them having to practice dealing with that for the first time when taking college entrance exams.

 

Since we are not required by the state to administer standardized tests, I have had to think about my reasons for doing it. Although I have found it helpful for all the ways which I listed above, for my kids' unique personalities, I think that reason #4 will give them the most benefit.

 

Since all kids are different, certainly each will be different in the usefulness of standardized testing. These reasons are why I have my kids do it, though.

 

AmeliaBinMO

[catz]

Our state requires we test, but they don't require we supply the results to the state. I test for many of the reasons mentioned here. I personally never tested until I got to the PSAT level, and even though I was an honor student, I tended to panic in testing situations. So I consider it another skill that I want my kids to learn.

 

We use a test called the Peabody (PIAT) and I also did talent search testing this year as well. The PIAT is oral and not timed. It's pretty low pressure and conversational in tone. It also is open ended. You can start a K level and go through 12th grade level in each area. So the information gleaned from it can be very helpful in terms of planning. Mostly, I see what I expect to see, but have had a few surprises. My oldest attended 2 years of PS and has never done beyond 1st grade spelling. But somehow manages to test almost to the ceiling of the open ended test on spelling. I had thought about starting some spelling with him in the fall again, but I'll save that money and put it to something else! My oldest tests at least 3 grade levels and up to 7 ahead in every area so it would be quite useless to do a grade level test with him. The Peabody was $50, someone came to my home, we didn't prep at all, and I got the results as soon as he was done. It is quite hassle free.

 

I also want to keep the option open for my kids to be able to go to school.