Spy Car Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 Oh dear, I wasn't reading carefully. I thought 1 was high, ten low. I'd give us a 9 instead of a 1-2. That will teach me to talk on the phone and read the board at the same time. And, of course, it's purely subjective. I based my opinion on test scores (very high), and what my sons are studying in comparison to our ps friends in the same grades. My boys seem to be working about 1-2 grade levels above their ps friends and also seem to be getting a broader and deeper education in their subjects. Cat :lol: :lol: :lol: I've been wondering about those 1-2s. I figured "very honest" or "very confused" :D Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Well, my dd is only in first grade and hasn't done standardized tests yet, so take my score with a grain of salt. But I do give her pop quizzes (she loves them :001_huh: ) and the Singapore tests. Since her A status might not last, I'm taking my 10 while I can. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dani3boys Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Hmmm, more like an 8.5, I think. This will be my 17th year of homeschooling this fall, and we've managed to get two of my three into college with academic and performance scholarships (the youngest is 10, so it remains to be seen if he'll mess up my "batting average" ;)), so I'd say we're doing well. A couple of things I have learned through the years: You cannot blow off school 2-3 times per week and have your child learn all they need to learn. Your academics need to be thorough and rigorous. Just "living life" and being "out in the community" is NOT the same as doing your schoolwork. Having your children learn things like "how to help run a family" and how to deal with a new baby is not the same as academics. Not saying those things aren't important, but I've had friends piddle through an entire year with the excuse of a new baby. I've BTDT and it's hard. But you can't let academics slide. My oldest son (now 20) had to make up A TON of work to catch up from my falling into the "less is more" trap. It wasn't fair for me to have done that to him and I sincerely regret it. Please know that NONE of my comments are directed towards anybody on this board. I don't know you well enough to know what any of your school days are like. I'm just speaking generally. I guess my point is we need to expect our kids to do hard things....and schoolwork is a hard thing. Our kids deserve the chance to live up to whatever their full potential might be (and every child is different), but as home school parents....we're it. We're the ones they're counting on to provide their education. We need to make sure we're stepping up to the plate everyday. And, now you've just heard the pep talk I give to myself every morning when I'd rather sit outside and read a good book instead of do 4th grade math. :lol: I appreciate you sharing your experience and wisdom with us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kchara Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I gave myself a 10. :D We don't test yet, so I have no reference point for that, but I do know that my kids are learning more, retaining more, and are able to communicate more than I was able to at their age, and I was in gifted and talented classes and considered top of my class. :tongue_smilie: Now, I'm relearning EVERYTHING, because I'm finding that my own education was pretty much junk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I gave us a 7. I know we do really well but I always feel that there is more I could be doing. They both test great (ITBS) but I don't really think that is too important. I guess I just feel no matter what we do there is room for improvement but I also know that what they're getting at home is better than the school down the street because we've tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Well, all our standardized testing has ranked pretty high... except ds's spelling :glare: So, I'll have to give us an 8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 About an 8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyz Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 (edited) I voted 9. I feel good about the curricula we use. I think we're doing enough but not too much. I feel that we're getting good socialization and outside stimulation. My son is a happy guy and today proclaimed, "I LOVE lessons!", and "I'm good with numbers!" I'm very consistent with the lessons and don't let much of anything get in the way of our school time, and sincerely enjoy spending time with and teaching my son each day. My husband is supportive, involved, participates and teaches certain subjects (or all subject on days when I have to work in the mornings). My son tested in late first grade/early second grade back in October when he was beginning Kindergarten and we had been homeschooling for about 5 months at the time. It would be very difficult to rate it a 10 because I always feel that there is room for improvement somewhere. There are a couple of subjects that I'm worried about in the future because I feel that there are some areas that are really lacking for secular home schoolers (good reading programs - not phonics, and science). I also worry about writing in the future. I've looked at all of the homeschool writing programs that I'm aware of and nothing really seems to fit or be what I'm looking for. So in the future I worry that I may have to give it a lower rating, but for now, I'll give it a 9. Edited February 25, 2011 by Cindyz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen in PA Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I could give us a 10 based on dd's test scores, but I really see us as more of an 8 and dd as a natural at taking tests. I also don't think that the true strengths of the education I am giving them are even measured in those tests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 My kids have not ever taken standardized tests, so I voted based on their average scores on the tests in our homeschool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I give myself and my "school" a 10. My kids work hard and I work hard. We do standarized tests every year (just because) and my kids do fine. My daughter just got accepted to several competitive boarding schools so I must be doing something right. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4Hisglory Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I gave our school an 8. We are very consistent academically but I believe we could add some greater quality studies on a more regular basis. Always room for broader academics and knowledge. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Robyn Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I gave us a 7 for now. Nobody here has tested yet, so I don't have scores to go off of. I'm basing it off of how many things I can think of that haven't gone right this year. I haven't done enough crafts with the youngest. We are behind in history and science and will be doing them all summer. My oldest is behind in WWE and will be doing it all summer. We don't play enough games. We haven't done enough in the way of picture studies or composer studies. For money and time reasons we are skipping history crafts this year. My dh is looking for work and I really can't afford to go buy felt, glitter, paint, craft sticks, fabric, clay, etc. For huge portions of every school year I forget we have Discovery Education streaming and don't use it. At the end of the summer, assuming everything is caught up, I would raise us up to an 8 or 9. Everyone here is doing very well with the three Rs and some "extras" like Latin and poetry memorization which I know wouldn't happen in the public schools. Also, I wouldn't call thorough grammar instruction extra, but that doesn't happen in the local public schools either, not even the ones with good ratings. The same goes for teaching literature using entire books. The local public schools use short stories (which I include, as it is an important format IMO) and excerpts from books. I don't think I could ever give us a 10 based on my idea of an ideal homeschool because I think there will always be things I think are important that we don't find time for. If I'm rating based on test scores then I'll just have to wait and see. If we're comparing us to the state's public schools then we might get a 10. If we include private schools then I think we might go back down to an 8 or 9, but we can't afford to send our children to the only secular private school in town ($7000 a year per child) so it really doesn't matter how good it is. The two public schools closest to me are rated 1 and 2 on great schools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I screwed up and thought we were voting on the academics of the PS for which we are zoned. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookfiend Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Hmmm, more like an 8.5, I think. This will be my 17th year of homeschooling this fall, and we've managed to get two of my three into college with academic and performance scholarships (the youngest is 10, so it remains to be seen if he'll mess up my "batting average" ;)), so I'd say we're doing well. A couple of things I have learned through the years: You cannot blow off school 2-3 times per week and have your child learn all they need to learn. Your academics need to be thorough and rigorous. Just "living life" and being "out in the community" is NOT the same as doing your schoolwork. Having your children learn things like "how to help run a family" and how to deal with a new baby is not the same as academics. Not saying those things aren't important, but I've had friends piddle through an entire year with the excuse of a new baby. I've BTDT and it's hard. But you can't let academics slide. My oldest son (now 20) had to make up A TON of work to catch up from my falling into the "less is more" trap. It wasn't fair for me to have done that to him and I sincerely regret it. Please know that NONE of my comments are directed towards anybody on this board. I don't know you well enough to know what any of your school days are like. I'm just speaking generally. I guess my point is we need to expect our kids to do hard things....and schoolwork is a hard thing. Our kids deserve the chance to live up to whatever their full potential might be (and every child is different), but as home school parents....we're it. We're the ones they're counting on to provide their education. We need to make sure we're stepping up to the plate everyday. And, now you've just heard the pep talk I give to myself every morning when I'd rather sit outside and read a good book instead of do 4th grade math. :lol: Thanks for the encouragment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Oops! Change my vote! I mistakenly thought 1 was good and 10 was bad. I said 2, but I should've actually said 9. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Oops! Change my vote! I mistakenly thought 1 was good and 10 was bad. I said 2, but I should've actually said 9. :001_huh: Glad I'm not the only one! ;) Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 Oops! Change my vote! I mistakenly thought 1 was good and 10 was bad. I said 2, but I should've actually said 9. :001_huh: I'm sorry, but this is a "standardized test" :D Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlifemom Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 A little anecdote for you Bill. Last Friday, my now 5 yr dd [remember her, the scary bright one?] was listening to me quiz my 7 yr dd in preparation for memory masters. [something we do in Classical Conversations] Me: Kate what is an appositive Kate: [Gives correct answer] Linnea to her cousin: Emma, if you were an appositive, I would follow you. I gave us a 9 :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Well, we'd be a 5. One kid is a 10 (I suspect, based on looking over the TAKS, but she wouldn't take it till next year) and one kid is a 1 (although I think his IQ is low enough to be exempt from testing if he were enrolled in ps). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 A little anecdote for you Bill. Last Friday, my now 5 yr dd [remember her, the scary bright one?] was listening to me quiz my 7 yr dd in preparation for memory masters. [something we do in Classical Conversations] Me: Kate what is an appositive Kate: [Gives correct answer] Linnea to her cousin: Emma, if you were an appositive, I would follow you. I gave us a 9 :D :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 We take school pretty seriously around our house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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