I hate standardized testing!

[Twinmom]

Can I just say how much I HATE standardized testing?! My state requires it every year. Since my kiddos are small and previously were in a classical private school, they've never taken a standardized test. So, this year we get to waste almost a week of class time learning HOW to take a standardized test, running through practice tests and generally desensitizing ourselves to the test itself.

 

I needed this time to do other things, like actually teach math and a few important subjects like grammar and phonics! And, before someone says, "why do the prep?" let me tell you what would happen if I did that with my very anxiety-prone DD! She'd spend the entire testing period crying and freaking out over fear she'd get something wrong! My little week of "desensitization" is the only way to get the poor dear to stop fearing the test itself and suffering on test day (or, refusing to take the test altogether!). If it were up to me, I'd tell the state where to go this week, and leave my poor children alone. They are just wee ones, after all! Who cares how they do on the test? I wouldn't, if I didn't know DD would suffer if I didn't prepare her.

 

This s*cks! OK, off rant now and back to test prep...:rant:

[Tracey in TX]

hear, hear

standardized testing blows! It's one of the biggest reasons I'm homeschooling: the school district teaches to the test ALL year! The last 5 weeks of school, they begin covering material for the upcoming year. No love of learning or teaching, just CYA tests. Really demeans education

[Twinmom]

Yeah, I'm embarrassed that I'm even giving a week to it for that very reason! And, poor DD...why put her through it at all! I know her strengths and weaknesses just fine, thanks! :glare:

 

BTW, I'm from DFW (just transplanted to NC this past August!). How do you like TX?

 

Can you tell I'm not wanting to do another test section? :tongue_smilie:

[Marie in Oh]

For the same reason you state. Perfectionistic ds would freak out if he didn't practice first.

[Oak Knoll Mom]

What test will they be taking? I could see my son not doing well on a sit down and fill in the little circle kind of test, so we are doing the Woodcock-Johnson. It's mostly oral and administered one on one in our home by a fellow homeschooler.

 

(I'm in NC also)

[kortney in AL]

I do realize that high school testing is needed for college acceptance, but I do hate having to test in elementary and middle school. Our homeschool covering requires that we test from 3rd grade up. For the lower grade testing I have never bothered with any test prep except for the first time they tested and I wanted to get them familiar with filling in the little bubbles, etc. All the public schools do in our district is prepare for testing, and they do it all year. In fact, they only teach what is going to be required on the SATs. The high school out here doesn't teach proofs in geometry because they're not on the SATs. Like somebody else said here, THAT's the reason we homeschool! I do love our homeschool group, but that's the only thing I would change about it.

[elizam]

That's why I started using the very basic CAT from Seton a few years ago. I wanted to do things my way on my schedule (other companies require degrees or require the tests to be back on a strict schedule and they cost way more than Seton's.

 

Now, i will admit that my ds was traumatized by the EOGs in our NC public schools. I hear all kinds of horror stories about those darn EOGs! Apparently many kids do NOT do well on them, but everyone I know says their kids score high and are in the AG classes to boot. Without the PS specific testing, previously homeschooled kids are not considered for AG class. What's scary is, the majority of dc who *aren't* AG aren't doing very well in school and are behavior problems--just in our experience and from what I hear from other parents in our county. :confused:

[Twinmom]

What test will they be taking? I could see my son not doing well on a sit down and fill in the little circle kind of test, so we are doing the Woodcock-Johnson. It's mostly oral and administered one on one in our home by a fellow homeschooler.

 

(I'm in NC also)

 

My kids are taking the CAT from FLO. I did try giving DD the WJ last year and she froze up. It was a disaster...she scored so low that they would not admit her to a private school we were considering, all because she freaked out. Her grades were good, she's a great student, but because of ONE pt. on the WJ, they wouldn't admit her. I just wanted to say to them, have you ever heard of standard deviation? Grr. They said, "well, just take the test again!" and my response was, "you've got to be kidding me! I don't want my kid in your school if that's how you judge kiddos!" Red faces ensued on the part of the principal, et.al., and they basically slunk away! Home school has been great for my kids, so I'm counting that bad experience as God's will!

 

I'm an LCSW and actually qualified to administer the WJ myself, so I know it's good. However, I'm just irritated with the test right now...no real science to that, just a feeling! ;) So, I'm giving the most basic test I can find this year, and next year (after she's had some success with the CAT!), I'm going for the WJ again!

 

BTW...where are you in NC (pm if you don't want it on the board!). I'm in Hickory.

[Twinmom]

Now, i will admit that my ds was traumatized by the EOGs in our NC public schools. I hear all kinds of horror stories about those darn EOGs! Apparently many kids do NOT do well on them, but everyone I know says their kids score high and are in the AG classes to boot. Without the PS specific testing, previously homeschooled kids are not considered for AG class. What's scary is, the majority of dc who *aren't* AG aren't doing very well in school and are behavior problems--just in our experience and from what I hear from other parents in our county. :confused:

 

Oh, now that's scary. What's an EOG? What's an AG class, and WHY in the world would a home schooler not be allowed in it? Pls explain...I'm a bit worried now in the event that I ever need to send my kids to ps! (You may have scared me into homeschooling forever! ;))

 

Thanks!

[Tweed]

We just finished our state-mandated testing today. We used CAT from Seton. I'm also annoyed that I wasted 4 days of school to do this thing. It is such a waste of time and money. The test is silly easy and doesn't help me evaluate where the kids are or what they need help with, but we have to feed the state machine, I guess.

[Cindy in the NH Woods]

We have been "rendering unto Caesar" with standardized testing here, as well. Blah.

 

Cindy

[elizam]

Oh, now that's scary. What's an EOG? What's an AG class, and WHY in the world would a home schooler not be allowed in it? Pls explain...I'm a bit worried now in the event that I ever need to send my kids to ps! (You may have scared me into homeschooling forever! ;))

 

Thanks!

 

EOG=End of Grade tests, administered in 3rd, 5th and 8th. If you fail, you fail the grade. your next year's class placement is based on your scores. You do get several tries if you fail...but they don't do much to ensure that you pass the next time you take the test!

 

AG=Academically "Gifted" I hate to sound bitter, but I have heard some stories and made observations about how kids get into this program. *All* teachers' kids are in it, all prominent families' kids, etc. I guess we could argue that those kids are just naturally smarter and more apt to get good grades....but I don't buy it. There is also an achievement test that is given a couple of times throughout the years, called the Test of Cognitive Skills.

 

It is just assumed that entering homeschoolers are not qualified and should not be placed in AG. The ONE homeschooled girl I know who did get in did so purely by teacher recommendation. She was well behaved and making As and Bs. According to her mom (who told me), the teacher told the mom that the dd was doing so well in her class and was too well-behaved to be in "regular" classes. So she was put in AG, that simple.

 

Another mom told me that teachers, etc. had told her parents "absolutely want to make sure their kids get into AG because the other classes are terrible." Now, how does a parent *make sure* their kids test gifted or even make As and Bs? My child has ADHD, for example. He may have LDs. He makes poor grades very often, but not for lack of intelligence. He forgets to turn things in, forgets what the assignments are, and has a hard time with rote memorization. Until he went to PS, people thought he was smart, even "gifted." because he was so well-read and has a lot of unique ideas. He plays piano and a mean game of chess. But now that he is in PS and not making good grades, he is grouped with all the kids who make bad grades and most of these kids also have bad home lives, are the ones who smoke p*t and get into trouble with the law, etc. Teachers still say, "He seems so bright" but they shake their heads as to why he "doesn't try to pay attention."

 

Rant over. Sorry to be so long winded and bitter!

[Twinmom]

I'm so sorry about your son's troubles in ps! I sincerely hope it gets better for him. Thanks for all the information...it really does help. In the event that we ever have to look at the local school, it is great to have some background! However, I can honestly say now that I am truly scared of NC public schools! :glare: