Need advice for very difficult situation

[Twinmom]

I started administering the CAT to my 8 yr old DD today. It was a complete disaster. She has a rather extreme problem with anxiety...long backstory to that, but suffice to say I have her in counseling. Anyway, this is only her second time doing a standardized test, and all of my attempts to make things easier for her (prep booklets, keeping it low key, going somewhere quiet, taking it slow, emphasizing effort over results, etc.) appear to have failed. She made it to about the 3rd page before she had a meltdown of huge proportions. And I do mean huge...screaming, crying, hitting, actually whacked her own head on the back of the couch and giving herself a goose-egg.

 

All that to say...the poor kid just cannot handle the pressure of this exam, despite all the accomodations I've tried to give her. I could probably have someone else give it to her, but more than likely she'll just freeze up and stop answering (as happened to her last year!). I'd like to just forget the whole thing, but 've checked my state paperwork and it says this:

 

State law requires that ALL students in home schools be tested EVERY year--NO exceptions for any reason.

 

So...I need the advice of the hive mind! What do I do for the poor child? Keep trying? Turn the test in with only 3 pages done? Beg for an exception? She's really suffering here.

 

Thanks,

[TraceyS/FL]

Does it specify what test?

 

There is one that they use for kids with issues - and special needs. I cna't remember the name off hand though.

 

::hug::

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

I started administering the CAT to my 8 yr old DD today. It was a complete disaster. She has a rather extreme problem with anxiety...long backstory to that, but suffice to say I have her in counseling. Anyway, this is only her second time doing a standardized test, and all of my attempts to make things easier for her (prep booklets, keeping it low key, going somewhere quiet, taking it slow, emphasizing effort over results, etc.) appear to have failed. She made it to about the 3rd page before she had a meltdown of huge proportions. And I do mean huge...screaming, crying, hitting, actually whacked her own head on the back of the couch and giving herself a goose-egg.

 

All that to say...the poor kid just cannot handle the pressure of this exam, despite all the accomodations I've tried to give her. I could probably have someone else give it to her, but more than likely she'll just freeze up and stop answering (as happened to her last year!). I'd like to just forget the whole thing, but 've checked my state paperwork and it says this:

 

 

 

So...I need the advice of the hive mind! What do I do for the poor child? Keep trying? Turn the test in with only 3 pages done? Beg for an exception? She's really suffering here.

 

Thanks,

 

Aw, hon. I'm sorry. Is it possible to test her below grade level by a grade or even TWO so that it would be ridiculously easy? You're in NC? You don't have to turn those tests in, do you, just administer them, right? Administer another in summer way below level just as a game, or have a friend do it. Then try again only one year below level next fall.

 

Do you have any concerns with her learning?

[Doran]

So...I need the advice of the hive mind! What do I do for the poor child? Keep trying? Turn the test in with only 3 pages done? Beg for an exception? She's really suffering here.

 

Thanks,

 

In MD, we have the option to sign on with an "umbrella organization" so that our hs-ing accountablity falls to that organization not to the state. This can be a church, or a hs-ing specific institution. Would this help you in your state?

[Twinmom]

It doesn't specify what test...just that it be a "nationally standardized achievement test." We chose the CAT because: a. I could do it at home (she generally does ok with me) and b. it seemed the least overwhelming for her.

 

I'd be interested if anyone can suggest a test that would work better for her! The Woodcock Johnson was tried last year by a counselor, and she bombed it for similar reasons.

 

Thanks,

[Twinmom]

In MD, we have the option to sign on with an "umbrella organization" so that our hs-ing accountablity falls to that organization not to the state. This can be a church, or a hs-ing specific institution. Would this help you in your state?

 

No...good idea, but that's not an option here. It's all on me...good in most respects, but I'm the one accountable here if she doesn't take the test.

[Twinmom]

Aw, hon. I'm sorry. Is it possible to test her below grade level by a grade or even TWO so that it would be ridiculously easy? You're in NC? You don't have to turn those tests in, do you, just administer them, right? Administer another in summer way below level just as a game, or have a friend do it. Then try again only one year below level next fall.

 

Do you have any concerns with her learning?

 

I really don't know if it matter what grade level at which she takes the test. That hadn't occurred to me. The tests in NC do not need to be turned in but are supposed to be available upon request (the results, at least...I don't believe I am supposed to keep a copy of her actual answers.

 

She might do better with a lower level test...but, that might bring up some other issues. She is a major perfectionist...AND has a little brother who is academically gifted. She will no doubt see that she's taking his test and feel "stupid" (as she says!) as a result. As far as learning issues, it is really hard to say. She is wickedly smart in some ways, slower in others. Her therapist believes she is of normal intelligence, maybe of higher intelligence, but is hampered by an challenging inner dialogue (she was abandoned) and a high level of performance anxiety. Truly, I was hoping that this test would go well and I'd have a better idea of where she was at under all that mess! :confused:

[Lolly]

My ds has anxiety problems and reacts similarly when tested. I've found that if I sit right beside him, he stays much calmer. It sometimes takes a few meltdowns before he manages to get through the test. He also seems to do better if he is rewarded as he finishes sections. It gives him something positive to think about. He gets more TCBY during testing than the rest of the year combined.!!! He reads every single question aloud to me because he wants to. I just listen. It really isn't a "testing atmosphere", but it keeps us sane. We just test in our regular school day situation. The normalcy is good for him.

[Rhonda in TX]

Do you know someone who works in the public school setting? Or maybe talk to her counselor and find out if they know. Then, use the same accomodations.

 

One thing I do with my ADD/Asperger DS is sit beside him and keep him on task. I am pretty sure that if he was in PS he would have an aid in the classroom for him that would help him in situations like this. I do not help him at all with the test (and boy is it hard to watch your child mark the wrong answer!), but I do keep him focused.

 

:grouphug: I know this is hard.

[urban_mom]

about doing one or two questions over a long period of time and just recording her answer yourself. Then, after she has answered them all, you'll be done! Maybe you could make it fun by having a "question of the day" and just doing it really slowly? Just a thought.

[percytruffle]

You could be thinking of the PASS test which you can purchase through Hewitt Homeschooling. From what I know of it it seems to be more low key, less stress inducing than some of the other nationally normed standardized tests. It was made for hsers to give at home and it is approved for NC use.

[LizzyBee]

I test my kids at home because my middle child is the same way, although not quite as extreme. She did the Woodcock-Johnson in the past and had the same issue of freezing up and not trying to answer the rest of the questions.

 

One thing I've done is when she begins to get upset, I turn off the timer and start talking her down. No, they wouldn't do that in school (at least not without an IEP), but then that's why I don't have her in school. I remind her that she's not expected to know all the answers, that the test is designed to have some questions above her grade level in order to accurately determine what she knows and doesn't know, and the test will help me as her teacher to know what we need to work on for the next school year. After she's calm, I re-start the timer and she continues working. I usually do sit at the table with her throughout most of the test.

 

As someone else mentioned, what accomodations would they make in school? Depending on her diagnosed strengths and weaknesses, they might allow her to take the test untimed, they might have someone read the questions aloud to her, they might have her give the answers orally while an assistant fills in the answer key.

 

If you're in NC, our kids don't have to meet a specified score in order to continue homeschooling. They just have to take the test. So if I were you, I'd make any and all accomodations that you feel are necessary and justified. As she gets older and begins to feel more secure about herself, you can slowly put more responsibility on her to take the test without accomodations. But at 8 yo, I'd just do whatever it takes to get her through it.

[pmegan]

Can you talk to the counselor and see what he suggests? Nothing in this world can really be "no exceptions" and he might have experience in this or suggestions for making things easier.

[elizam]

i have a dc who did this TODAY!

 

 

I also have one who is now 15 and in PS and he still hates tests!

 

We just use the CAT and get thru it, with promises of rewards after.

 

I also don't do any other schoolwork except reading, and I allow outside time in between tests.

 

I encourage them to get up extra early and get it over with before anyone else is up!

 

Keep in mind it DOESN'T matter and no one is going to make you quit hsing or anything awful.

[Soph the vet]

How about the Peabody Test? (PIAT- Peabody Individual Achievement Test)

It is totally oral with a trained tester. We have used it for three years now with my two oldest (now 9 and 7). I chose this test as my dd9 freezes if she thinks she is being timed.

There is no time limit, the test can be administered in your own home by the tester, takes about an hour the first time, and you get the results immediately. Cost in MN is $40.

It is a nationally norm-referenced test.

[melissel]

I agree with taking it slowly. Can you just do a page a day, maybe? Explain to her that this is just some stupid hoop she has to jump through, that ultimately it doesn't even matter, it's paperwork, but it does have to be done--kind of like taxes? Would she go for a page a day, with lots of calming activities in between?

[clementine]

Like the poster a couple above this one - I was going to recommend the Peabody too. Much quicker than other tests - done orally.

 

This might make your child feel more comfortable - being able to talk 'to' the tester.

 

Good luck :)

[Jennifer in NH]

about doing one or two questions over a long period of time and just recording her answer yourself. Then, after she has answered them all, you'll be done! Maybe you could make it fun by having a "question of the day" and just doing it really slowly? Just a thought.

:iagree: I think this is a great idea!

[katilac]

The test scores are just supposed to be available, not turned in yearly? I'd play the odds and skip it.

 

If I were ever asked for the test scores, I'd either:

 

*hand in a formal appearing piece of paper that says "testing incomplete due to blah blah blah; anticipated test results based on classroom performance are as follows"

 

*or I'd simply turn in the anticipated test results based on my vast knowledge of her classroom performance

 

You'd need to do that now, because next year you won't remember what her skills were at the time.

[Twinmom]

Locked in my room with DD, who said she wanted to try the test again! She made it all the way to page 22 without a freakout...AND, she got most of them right! :hurray: We sprawled out on the bed with a bag of chocolates and jelly beans and just chilled...it was a beautiful thing!

 

Was somebody out there praying for us? It worked! ;)

 

I so appreciate all the great suggestions you all made while I was gone! I've bookmarked many of the specific tests. Who knows if we'll make it all the way to the end of the test, so it's great to have some options! I SO appreciate all the reassurance and the "permission" to make accomodations. That made a big difference this afternoon! I did read the questions to her until she relaxed, then she did the rest of the reading until she got tired out (then we quit!). It made a big difference.

 

Anyway, I'll keep you posted on how the rest of it goes, and please do continue to post any suggestions you have...I'm using them all! My hope is that she just had to have a major freak-out and let out all the stress before she got down to business. :svengo:

[hsmamainva]

We're doing our CAT testing this week as well, and here are some suggestions that work in our family.

 

Just fyi....My 1st and 3rd children do well on testing, so they don't have any issues. My 2nd and 4th children are on the autism spectrum and testing isn't something they excel at without assistance.

 

More background...we moved to Virginia 3 years ago from a state where we didn't need to give standardized tests, so I was as anxious as my children at first!!

 

When you have a child with any kind of 'issue' / 'disability' / 'anxiety', etc., if they were in public school, they would be given accommodations for testing (i.e., no time limits, frequent breaks, etc.) I've even heard of schools going as far as pointing out the right answer to the child, if they still don't understand what's being asked of them.

 

So I give my oldest son the following accommodations -- no time limits and he's allowed to use a calculator for the math portions (he's an 8th grader this year)

 

He's done extremely well with these accommodations -- usually scoring in the 80th percentile.

 

For my youngest, language is her big stumbling block and I will rephrase the questions, to make it easier for her to understand it. For instance, today's section was vocabulary. My daughter didn't understand when the test said, "Point to the vehicle", but she understood it completely when I said, "Which one can Daddy drive?" She didn't understand, "Point to the insect", but she did understand, "Point to the bug." (She's a Kindergartener, btw...so I don't even need to send hers in to the state this year)

 

For both children, I give them LOTS of breaks!! I try to complete one 'test' per day -- each test has 6 'tests'. At the end of each page, I give them a break (meaning, if there are 4 pages in that one test, that's 4 breaks, 4 different times that we come back to the table and continue).

 

I also don't do school during the testing week -- so all they have to do is the test. It would be too much to add this on top of their regular schoolwork.

 

I hope this helps a little...

[Aunty Social]

Maybe you could make it fun by having a "question of the day" and just doing it really slowly? Just a thought.

 

I was going to ask the same thing. With anxiety being such an issue for her, I might just have a "question of the day (or hour, meal, etc)", and then just fill in the answer. You'd probably have to do more than one question, or you'd never finish the test, but if she doesn't know that she's answering a test question and just thinks it's conversation or part of class, she might do a little better.

 

I sneak class discussion in on my kids this way - so far they haven't figured it out, and we have much more in depth and interesting discussions about the topic than we would if they thought they were "in class" and just wanted to finish:D

[melissel]

Locked in my room with DD, who said she wanted to try the test again! She made it all the way to page 22 without a freakout...AND, she got most of them right! :hurray: We sprawled out on the bed with a bag of chocolates and jelly beans and just chilled...it was a beautiful thing!

 

Was somebody out there praying for us? It worked! ;)

 

I so appreciate all the great suggestions you all made while I was gone! I've bookmarked many of the specific tests. Who knows if we'll make it all the way to the end of the test, so it's great to have some options! I SO appreciate all the reassurance and the "permission" to make accomodations. That made a big difference this afternoon! I did read the questions to her until she relaxed, then she did the rest of the reading until she got tired out (then we quit!). It made a big difference.

 

Anyway, I'll keep you posted on how the rest of it goes, and please do continue to post any suggestions you have...I'm using them all! My hope is that she just had to have a major freak-out and let out all the stress before she got down to business. :svengo:

 

Good for her!!! And good for you that it's done, whew! :D

[Twinmom]

I just wanted to say thanks again for all the great suggestions and especially all the great support that you all have offered me today in regards to my testing problems with DD! (re: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27099 Home schooling my DD is one of the greater challenges in my life! To be able to come here and have such a supportive, knowledgeable and non-judgemental group of folks to ask questions of has been a real life saver.

 

I have to say (and I've been meaning to say this for some time now!) that I would not have made it through this first year without you all! Your tips, encouragement and great spirit have really made it possible for us...and DD will be so much better because of it! There have been many times I've wanted to throw in the towel, but made it through because of you!

 

Thanks to all! I appreciate you more than I can say!

:grouphug:

[Reya]

Locked in my room with DD, who said she wanted to try the test again! She made it all the way to page 22 without a freakout...AND, she got most of them right! :hurray: We sprawled out on the bed with a bag of chocolates and jelly beans and just chilled...it was a beautiful thing!

 

 

 

Hooray!

 

Even if you tend to be a non-testing type, I'd be inclined to do something "testy" daily just to take the terror out of it. It could just be something like Easy Grammar's Daily Grams.