Is there anything immoral about teaching to the test a bit...?

[Tidbits of Learning]

No, it's not that, it's more that I'm a little worried that if he thinks her results should have shown something different, that he might use that (even if he is not supposed to) to start giving me a hard time about other things- trying to demand more out of the portfolios, "watching" our portfolios more closely, asking for more things he's not necessarily entitled to have and so on.

 

On at least two different occasions so far he's asked me for things that he has no business asking for pursuant to PA home ed. law.

 

It's not that I don't think my daughter is smart. It's not that I don't think she'll do at least pretty well on testing (she took a 4th grade CAT test 'just for fun' and scored right where she was supposed to, but I didn't have to submit those scores).

 

It's that I don't know what will be on the 5th grade test and as it is a required testing year, if there's anything on it that we haven't yet introduced, I want to know about it, so she doesn't get unfairly judged (and I don't get unfairly monitored by the superintendent) on something that's no fault of her own but just pertains to us using a different curriculum that might not introduce the same things at the same time or in the same way or whatever.

 

If we are learning A, B and C and then she gets the test and they care more about D and E and I'm going oh man, we didn't cover those yet while the public school has been focusing on D and E all year because they knew D and E would be on the test, that's going to unnecessarily stress my daughter out when she gets the test (maybe) and be something I don't necessarily want the Superintendent judging us for.

 

But if I get the test beforehand and go "Okay, they're going to ask her about D. I wasn't going to teach her that til next year, but we may as well work on it somewhat now"- that's where my thought process lies in all of this.

 

P.S. and by the same token, I don't want to start doing D, E, F, G and H sooner than I otherwise might have just in case some or all of those are on the test (without actually knowing that to be true)- because I don't want to spend more time worrying about standardized test prep than necessary, as I DEFINITELY don't want the focus of my child's education to be about test scores.

 

Anyway, it's been interesting hearing all of the responses and thought processes and there have been some good ideas and things to consider here, so thanks for all of the replies!

 

Are you taking your state test or the CAT test? The state test is totally different from the CAT test. If a public school child were to take the CAT at the same time as your child, then they would not have any advantage from the test prep for the state test. Yes, the state runs the state test and sets up the state mandated curriculum to follow the guidelines of the state test so they pretty much know what is going to be on the test as it follows their curriculum, but that does not mean that it would help that child on any other test. The CAT test isn't aligned to state specific standards. It is more a blanket standard of what should be covered in that grade. The set up is exactly the same for 3rd on up with the CAT. I gave my girls in 2 different grades the CAT at the same time last year reading the same examples and set up.

If you have a local superintendent that is harassing you or you feel unfairly asks things of you, then I wouldn't lean towards any activity that could be deemed as possibly unethical or might make it seem as if I didn't think I was doing a good enough job so I took a peek at a test. I am not saying that is how you feel, but that is what it would look like should you get questioned about the test if say your child were to score perfect after you proctored it and they questioned such a high score.

If I were in your shoes, I would look up local homeschooling support and legislature and possibly contact a group that could help me should the superintendent unfairly target you. I would not in any way, shape, or form give him any cause to question my ethics or that I wasn't above board in everything including testing.

[Sahamamama]

And I have no idea if or how my superintendent (who already thinks he can make up his own rules as he goes along in regard to what is required of me as a homeschooler and has more than once asked for things he had no right to ask for) is going to pick apart our test scores. But he'll certainly be examining them and making his little judgments.

 

The schools are familiar with the type of material that will be on that test for 5th grade. And they make sure they cover it with their students.

 

I am not familiar with the type of material that will be on a 5th grade test. So I have no chance to make sure I cover it with my student, unless I've seen the test first.

 

Unless you spend $10 for the test prep booklet. That would solve the dilemma.

 

FWIW, Pennsylvania's homeschool laws -- and their uneven application -- are the Number One Reason why my husband and I are SCARED to move across the river to PA. We could certainly save money in taxes, but I get heart palpitations just thinking about it. :svengo: To have to submit a Reading Log, telling the world what we read in our own home.... to have to submit all those records, all those test results, portfolios, evaluations... to have to submit our school to their "perusal," as you put it, I would feel violated.

 

Now THAT is what I think is unethical -- for the State, I mean Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to be that intrusive.

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

Sorry if I am repeating but...

 

I don't think it is immoral to teach to the test. In theory that would be teaching the standards that are expected for that grade. I am of the opinion that "teaching to the test" becomes a problem, particularly in schools, when a teacher spends all their time teaching what is needed to pass the test and not actually teaching needed skills, subjects, etc. to the students. When they sacrifice learning in order to increase a pass rate on the test.

 

If my child had to take a test and I knew that they would have to do long division-my child would learn long division but I wouldn't sacrifice history, science, English grammar or reading.

[NanceXToo]

Unless you spend $10 for the test prep booklet. That would solve the dilemma.

 

At this point, I would, but someone else told me: "Spectrum test prep books will give a general sense of standardized testing, but are generally not test-specific." ...When I asked if buying the prep booklet would help with CONTENT as opposed to just test formatting. If that's the case, it won't solve my dilemma, unfortunately.

 

FWIW, Pennsylvania's homeschool laws -- and their uneven application -- are the Number One Reason why my husband and I are SCARED to move across the river to PA. We could certainly save money in taxes, but I get heart palpitations just thinking about it. :svengo: To have to submit a Reading Log, telling the world what we read in our own home.... to have to submit all those records, all those test results, portfolios, evaluations... to have to submit our school to their "perusal," as you put it, I would feel violated.

 

Now THAT is what I think is unethical -- for the State, I mean Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to be that intrusive.

 

I know, it does sound like a lot and especially if you come from a place where they are much more laid back about what they ask for! I have no experience homeschooling anywhere BUT PA so this is just the way it's always been.

 

With that said, I was scared to death too of all of these things when I first started- but I have to admit that overall it hasn't been that bad- once you really familiarize yourself with the law and break down what you have to do into small steps and then actually do it one time, you're like 'Okay, that wasn't so horrible.' The affidavits, the logs, the evaluations, the portfolios, those are all a breeze for me now.

 

But the required standardized testing is new for me as this is the first year it's come up for us- so I guess I'm just making myself nervous about the unknown again.

 

Other than my superintendent trying to ask me for things he shouldn't (the first time I gave in but with a note that said "I'm providing what you asked for in the interest of maintaining a good, working relationship, but FYI here's a letter from the PDE stating I didn't have to." The second time I held my ground and absolutely refused what he was asking- and they backed off. Yay!) Other than that- things have gone very smoothly for us here in PA.

 

Of course, the problem is, homeschoolers can be treated pretty differently from district to district. Some get away with not even submitting a portfolio (the district will tell them not to) or have no problem submitting really minimalist portfolios, and some really get nitpicked to death so I guess it depends on WHERE in PA you end up, too.

[NanceXToo]

To those of you who think it IS immoral:

 

Would it be LESS immoral to you if I bought the test a few weeks in advance of when she was going to take it, and asked somebody ELSE (like say my mom or somebody) to look over it and inform me of the content they are doing for math?

 

Like, she looks at it and goes "okay they're doing word problems, long division and fractions" and I go "okay, I think she'll do fine on fractions, but we'd better spend some more time working on long division then!"

 

Would that work and not be considered 'cheating' if I'm generally aware of the content but not looking at the specific individual problems....?

[stripe]

I think it's a bit weird to look at the actual test and then devise questions so she'll know how to answer what is actually on the test. It would be better to get a test prep booklet or obtain a previous year's test. It will be difficult, I think, knowing what is actually ON the test. You may find yourself saying or thinking something like, "Don't worry about commas! You need to get these semi-colons figured out!"

 

Public schools do not teach to the actual test that is given. They prep for the types of questions and the format.

 

And if she's never taken a test before, be sure she knows general stuff like how to bubble in answers and the like, and any other test taking strategies (such as if it's smart to guess).

[saja1029]

Unless you spend $10 for the test prep booklet. That would solve the dilemma.

 

FWIW, Pennsylvania's homeschool laws -- and their uneven application -- are the Number One Reason why my husband and I are SCARED to move across the river to PA. We could certainly save money in taxes, but I get heart palpitations just thinking about it. :svengo: To have to submit a Reading Log, telling the world what we read in our own home.... to have to submit all those records, all those test results, portfolios, evaluations... to have to submit our school to their "perusal," as you put it, I would feel violated.

 

Now THAT is what I think is unethical -- for the State, I mean Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to be that intrusive.

 

:iagree:

I am soooooo glad to be homeschooling in N.J.!

[lamamaloca]

This is generally not how these tests are meant to be used, it may be forbidden by whichever test you are using, and it invalidates much of the test results. These standardized tests are meant to be testing bits and pieces of the child's overall knowledge and skill, and "teaching to the test," whether done by a school or done by an individual, invalidates the results. A child can learn how to answer specific questions and learn to do well on a test without learning the underlying skills and information that the test is supposed to be measuring.

[lamamaloca]

Would it be LESS immoral to you if I bought the test a few weeks in advance of when she was going to take it, and asked somebody ELSE (like say my mom or somebody) to look over it and inform me of the content they are doing for math?

 

Is this a state test? You should be able to get an idea of what your state expects you to cover by looking at your state's standards. As the test really only tests a fraction of what is supposed to be covered each year, "teaching to the test" might boost your daughter's test results but wouldn't ensure that she is learning the skills that she is supposed to know.

 

If it is not a state test, looking at state standards may still help you consider what would be good to cover and review, as it would give you an idea of what is considered "grade level" learning in the public schools.

[angela in ohio]

To those of you who think it IS immoral:

 

Would it be LESS immoral to you if I bought the test a few weeks in advance of when she was going to take it, and asked somebody ELSE (like say my mom or somebody) to look over it and inform me of the content they are doing for math?

 

Like, she looks at it and goes "okay they're doing word problems, long division and fractions" and I go "okay, I think she'll do fine on fractions, but we'd better spend some more time working on long division then!"

 

Would that work and not be considered 'cheating' if I'm generally aware of the content but not looking at the specific individual problems....?

 

No, it wouldn't. I'll compare it to a test we had in high school. There was x amount of material that had been covered, and the test would contain y (a smaller amount,) but we didn't know ahead of time which portion of x would be tested. If we had peeked at the test, we would have been able to just focus on learning y and skipped the rest of x. (I know some teachers now give exact lists of what will be on the test, but pretend we are talking about good teachers. :D)

 

There are many things that could be on the test, but not all of them will be. It is an advantage to know which items this particular test will cover and study only those. Out of all the fifth grade curriculum, the 5th grade Stanford (or whichever test) only tests a portion of it each year, and it will be a somewhat different portion each year.

 

Also, if you are giving a standardized test (ITBS, SAT, etc.) your child isn't supposed to know every item on the test. They put some material on there that is above grade level or more difficult, so that they can get accurate scores across many levels of ability.

 

It really doesn't even matter if the schools do it (teachers don't look at the exact test, but even if they did.) What matter is that the test companies are trusting homeschool parents to not peek or help when they are giving the test to their own child. It is an individual decision as to whether you stand by that or not. We can give you our opinions of whether we think it is ethical, based on our own standards, but ultimately, only you will know whether you do it or not and whether you are okay with it or not.

 

I also think of it from the child's perspective: The odds that your child, taught something only quickly before she needs it for the test and not having truly learned it, will be able to even answer that question right on the test is low. I think it would be more stressful to a child to have been hastily taught something and expected to get it right than to be told that there will be things she hasn't seen before and that she doesn't have to wrry about them.

[Terabith]

Honestly, I think it IS immoral to order and look at the actual test before you administer it. However, I think it would be wise to do a practice test or a Spectrum type workbook.

[Terabith]

Maybe it would be more helpful if we knew what test you were giving? A Pennsylvania test, Stanford, Iowa, CAT, etc?

[Sahamamama]

At this point, I would, but someone else told me: "Spectrum test prep books will give a general sense of standardized testing, but are generally not test-specific." ...When I asked if buying the prep booklet would help with CONTENT as opposed to just test formatting. If that's the case, it won't solve my dilemma, unfortunately.

 

 

 

I know, it does sound like a lot and especially if you come from a place where they are much more laid back about what they ask for! I have no experience homeschooling anywhere BUT PA so this is just the way it's always been.

 

With that said, I was scared to death too of all of these things when I first started- but I have to admit that overall it hasn't been that bad- once you really familiarize yourself with the law and break down what you have to do into small steps and then actually do it one time, you're like 'Okay, that wasn't so horrible.' The affidavits, the logs, the evaluations, the portfolios, those are all a breeze for me now.

 

But the required standardized testing is new for me as this is the first year it's come up for us- so I guess I'm just making myself nervous about the unknown again.

 

Other than my superintendent trying to ask me for things he shouldn't (the first time I gave in but with a note that said "I'm providing what you asked for in the interest of maintaining a good, working relationship, but FYI here's a letter from the PDE stating I didn't have to." The second time I held my ground and absolutely refused what he was asking- and they backed off. Yay!) Other than that- things have gone very smoothly for us here in PA.

 

Of course, the problem is, homeschoolers can be treated pretty differently from district to district. Some get away with not even submitting a portfolio (the district will tell them not to) or have no problem submitting really minimalist portfolios, and some really get nitpicked to death so I guess it depends on WHERE in PA you end up, too.

 

Do you know what it's like around Bethlehem-Allentown? Harrisburg? Pottsville? Those are places we have considered (we want to be farther "out" than we are in the Trenton-area, KWIM?), but I do feel the PA HS laws are intrusive. Grrrrrrr. I'd go into it with a stinky attitude. :tongue_smilie: Sorry, I'm just spoiled here in New Jersey. We don't do anything but TEACH.

[Pretty in Pink]

Nevermind...I did a bit more reading after I posted that question.

Edited October 17, 2010 by Pretty in Pink

[Elizabeth in WA]

Do you know what it's like around Bethlehem-Allentown? Harrisburg? Pottsville? Those are places we have considered (we want to be farther "out" than we are in the Trenton-area, KWIM?), but I do feel the PA HS laws are intrusive. Grrrrrrr. I'd go into it with a stinky attitude. :tongue_smilie: Sorry, I'm just spoiled here in New Jersey. We don't do anything but TEACH.

 

When I lived in the Easton school district more than five years ago, all my interactions with the school district were friendly and professional. I submitted my required paperwork on time, and while not in the bare minimalist fashion some advocate, not excessive either, just what I was comfortable with in my own reading of the law. My kids received special ed services (speech therapy) and gifted services (participation in the pull out program and associated field trips) through their local school when we lived there. Testing for gifted services was even completed while we were homeschooling, although it's not clear that that was required. I heard that Carbondale was bad, but that is much further north. I don't remember hearing anythign in particular about Bethlehem or Allentown, so I don't think they were overly unfriendly to homeschoolers either at that time at least. I didn't really find the record-keeping all that onerous and enjoyed the validation that came from our evaluator. You could find any kind of evaluator you wanted from rubber stamp to more thorough through the homeschool grapevine. I keep better records now that I have one in high school in a state with much less regulation than I did then. :p I don't really think PA's laws are that scary. Excessive and unnecessary perhaps, and a waste of time at the pre high school ages, but not really scary.

[lovetobehome]

I think it is unethical to look at the test beforehand, or to have someone you know give you info about it. If you want to know what they are testing on, do your homework ahead of time and ask the schools, and then teach accordingly. Or, decide to thumb your nose at it and teach what you want and decide not to worry about it. :-) I am torn between which I want to do!

I think it is completely legit to do practice tests, though! We are doing them right now.

 

It is like any test. Think college. Oftentimes my profs would give us old tests to look at. But to see the ACTUAL test IS cheating. The practice test gives you an idea of the types of things that may be on it.

if you go to http://www.pahomeschoolers.com, you can order the practice test put out by ITBS. It is $8 I think.

I think it is valuable to have a practice test that matches the actual test your child is taking.

[justasque]

I Googled a bit more and found this site, which has test-specific materials for a variety of the tests typically used by home educators in PA. However, you'll end up paying more for the prep materials than you will for an inexpensive CAT.

 

Honestly, having watched this play out for many years, if your kiddo is doing a WTM-type program, and is reading and doing math at more-or-less grade level, you very likely have *no worries* when it comes to test scores. In the worst-case scenario, if your child does much worse than you'd like to see, you can toss the scores and re-test.

[lovetobehome]

Pauline (or others), is there anywhere that you know of, that has the ITBS old tests available to look at online? I haven't had luck looking around, but keep hearing people say that states usu have this stuff online. For ITBS, since it is given everywhere, I would think SOMEWHERE online there is a place to see an old test!

[justasque]

Pauline (or others), is there anywhere that you know of, that has the ITBS old tests available to look at online? I haven't had luck looking around, but keep hearing people say that states usu have this stuff online. For ITBS, since it is given everywhere, I would think SOMEWHERE online there is a place to see an old test!

 

Not that I know of, but I've never done a serious search, mostly because my own kids have usually done the WRAT or the Terra Nova, though they did the Iowa once or twice. I used Terra Nova-specific materials for my first kid's first (Terra Nova) test, but after that I stuck with the Spectrum stuff because it was cheap and easy to find, and because the whole testing thing had been demystified for me. The Iowas *are* a bit harder than the Terra Novas, and frankly give more useful results (if you are looking at testing that way, rather than just to fulfill the law), but my kids didn't take them until they were older and more used to testing, so we didn't prep specifically for them. (Plus some of my kids have the "good at testing" gene, so we didn't worry too much about it.)

 

The ITBS people seem pretty careful about test security, so I don't know how easy it would be to find even an old version. Honestly, I don't know if it would be to their benefit to have people able to critique the details of the actual test, even an old one. If you find anything, let me know and I'll add it to my site. I already added the Mari link from my previous post.

[justasque]

From a cached version of the Riverside site:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:6MaapdPZIhgJ:www.riverpub.com/products/itbs/support.html+old+copy+of+the+ITBS+Iowa+test&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a

 

(Sorry about the weird formatting.)

Q: Can I purchase older versions of the tests so we can get a better idea of what the ITBS measures and have my child practice on the old test to improve his/her scores?

A: Using old tests to improve scores is not a recommended practice. It will not help your child handle some new skills measured on the new forms of the test. Your school or home-school provider may be able to supply you with information that is available in one of the current manuals about the kinds of skills measured by the current test. The Message to Parents and/or Practice Tests provide additional information about the tests and the format of the test items. The main purpose of the Practice Tests is to provide information to students about the item formats and the marking procedures. Consequently, they do not provide examples of the full array of skills measured, especially the higher-order skills.

 

 

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Q: What test preparation booklets can help improve my child's test scores the most?

A: There are some test-preparation products, such as Test for Success which focus students' test-taking strategies on developing a wide range of skills. These are probably most useful as supplements to the regular instructional program and the overall preparation for testing. Several years ago an article by W. A. Mehrens and J. Kaminski ("Methods for Improving Standardized Test Scores: Fruitful, Fruitless, or Fraudulent?" Educational Measurement: Issues and Practices, 8 (1), 14-22, Spring, 1989), reviewed test preparation practices used in some schools. The broad-based, generic test preparation practices were deemed acceptable. Practices such as using old forms or products developed to "raise scores" in specific achievement tests were deemed less acceptable or inappropriate.

[lovetobehome]

Thanks! I accidentally ordered the test prep book for the ITBS. I now see my daughter is actually taking the Terra Nova. UGH! Wish I had gotten the right book! What is the difference?

[justasque]

Thanks! I accidentally ordered the test prep book for the ITBS. I now see my daughter is actually taking the Terra Nova. UGH! Wish I had gotten the right book! What is the difference?

 

My impression, though it's been a while, is that the Terra Nova was shorter and easier. So if you prep for ITBS, you'll be in good shape! I don't know if there are any parts of the TN that aren't in the ITBS.

[kwg]

It's wrong to look at the test before you give it.

 

No, the teachers don't see the actual test before it is given to the students. The testing companies and schools hire companies to test for that, even. They run statistical analysis on the test results to check for teachers who are peeking.

 

Public schools do not give the same test over and over. If you order the CAT from places that sell to homeschoolers, they just keep using the same test every year. That is why I don't use the CAT.

 

IMHO, things like this give homeschoolers a bad name. It wasn't so long ago that we couldn't give our own dc the Stanford and ITBS, and this is exactly why the testing companies were hesitant. It is a trust issue.

 

There is nothing wrong with general test prep; it's the act of looking at the specific test ahead of time that is wrong.

 

 

When I taught we gave the same exact test each year. That was 9 years ago (!!) so things may have changed but it was the same test each year.

[angela in ohio]

When I taught we gave the same exact test each year. That was 9 years ago (!!) so things may have changed but it was the same test each year.

 

Which test was that? I've never encountered that with the SAT or the ITBS, which are the tests commonly given in schools here.

[lovetobehome]

I just found this. For $30 you can prepare your child for the actual test you are using, unlimited practice testing online. And this way you can KNOW you are doing it legitimately.

http://brighted.funeducation.com/Products/PracticeTests/

[NanceXToo]

I Googled a bit more and found this site, which has test-specific materials for a variety of the tests typically used by home educators in PA. However, you'll end up paying more for the prep materials than you will for an inexpensive CAT.

 

Honestly, having watched this play out for many years, if your kiddo is doing a WTM-type program, and is reading and doing math at more-or-less grade level, you very likely have *no worries* when it comes to test scores. In the worst-case scenario, if your child does much worse than you'd like to see, you can toss the scores and re-test.

 

Thanks, Pauline!

Alexa is not doing a WTM type program- we're using Oak Meadow which is Waldorf-inspired in the early years and more age/grade appropriate by now, but still more creative/hands on than classical, for sure (not a lot of busywork, no work sheets, not textbookish, done in three hours a day or less).

 

Yet, when she took a CAT test last year ("for fun" and because I was really curious to see how it would go after more than a year of relaxed homeschooling with a curriculum like OM, she did fine and scored right where she was supposed to). So maybe that will be the case this year too.

 

She's a good reader and I think she'll do fine on the language arts portion. She's not what I'd call overly strong with math but not horrible either- we switched to TT this year which so many people say is a year or so behind other curricula so not sure what's going to happen with the math portion of things, if things will be on it that we just didn't cover yet this year, but we'll see how it goes. I was probably worrying too much. I don't think she'll do awful or anything. I think I'll just get the test, let her take it, and like you said, I always have the option of re-testing. But I probably won't need to!

 

And thank you everyone else for your continued input, feedback and suggestions! I appreciate them!

[justasque]

I just found this. For $30 you can prepare your child for the actual test you are using, unlimited practice testing online. And this way you can KNOW you are doing it legitimately.

http://brighted.funeducation.com/Products/PracticeTests/

 

OTOH, the cost is as much as the test. If money's not an issue, then have at it. If money *is* an issue, then talk to a few moms whose kiddos have done the testing to see whether they feel test prep is worth it at that price.

 

If you're testing just for the state requirements, you don't need to ace the test - folks who are "doing school" in a WTM kind of way should be appropriately prepared already. A bit of exposure to multiple choice questions and filling in bubbles might be worthwhile; you can get that cheaper from the Spectrum books.

 

If you're testing to see what your kiddo knows, then test prep kind of defeats the purpose. (I'm assuming, here, that we're talking about for-the-portfolio testing for younger kids. SAT prep and so on is a whole 'nother thread.)

[kwg]

Which test was that? I've never encountered that with the SAT or the ITBS, which are the tests commonly given in schools here.

 

 

CAT- this was for elementary. I was in SC. I am not sure all schools used it. I thought it odd (and still do!) bc of obvious issues.

[Laurie4b]

It is unethical to look at the specific version of the test you will be giving and prep directly from that.

 

It is ethical to prep from previously released versions of the test and/or test prep booklets since those will not have the exact same questions.

 

It's a fine line but we homeschoolers need to follow the rules if we want to have the privilege of administering standardized tests to our children at home rather than having to pay an outsider to do it.

 

:iagree: exactly

[Crimson Wife]

Oh yes, ps teach the EXACT questions that will be on the test. I can remember having to waste an afternoon with my spec ed kids watching Mary Poppins because there were THREE questions on the IQ portion of the test my kids were about to take. This was MANDATED by my boss! I can remember having to go over regattas and hot air balloons because it was on the Metropolitan with these kids and I can remember having to discuss department stores (which my kids had never seen) because there was a question about where do you buy furniture and my kids always picked the yard sale picture!

 

What your administrator had you do was unethical and cases like that have led to principals getting fired and the entire school having to re-test with outside proctors.

[EthiopianFood]

I have given the ITBS for grades 1-10 and have never found the year that ancient history was covered. Must be in either K or 11/12.

 

:glare:

[Hikin' Mama]

unless you are purposefully studying from the test to help increase their scores. However, when I tested I did not look at the test at all, because I didn't want it to influence me in any way. The reason I gave the test (Iowa Basics, in my case) was to see if there were any gaps in what I was doing. Specifically, in their reading, language mechanics, and math. For science and social studies, I figured that if there were gaps it was because we were not studying subjects in the same order as other kids their age. As it turned out, they always did very well in science and social studies, so it didn't matter if we were studying the same subjects at the same time. :D

 

However, if they missed problems in punctuation or capitalization, for example, I knew we needed to do more work on those. If I had been doing test prep, I don't know if I would have gotten an accurate assessment.

 

Just my two coppers!

[southcarolinamom]

Any year my kids take the Stanford Achievement test, we ALWAYS buy a test prep book (I think from McGraw Hill) and practice for the 2 weeks leading up to the test.

 

My kids have always thanked me - some need more work in math, some need more work in grammar, etc.

 

However, if I were giving them the actual test, I would not practice anything out of the test booklet b/c that would be unethical. I have to sign a document and send it to the issuing company (BJUP) stating that I will not divulge any of the questions to a student ....