momma aimee Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 OK I admit fully i am a first time homeschooler, homeschooling my oldest child and thus i am worried about every little think :lol: I can admit that. That being that Is there any way to really check his progress? my Sister's boys are both in school (9 and 12) and when the school does testing, first of the year, miuddle of the year, and end of the year -- she gets these GREAT reports "Nate's score in math is 3rd grade 5th month" :D I'd love to be able to track DS1's progress, AND yes, to have ammo to shut up several family members that are "in education" themselves. I am type A, I am a check list person, i'd just like SOMETHING to demonstrate his progress: for me and others. I feel like i need to 'know' that what we are doing is 'working' -- i don't want to keep on as we are if it is not the best option. I guess I am just having a hard time NOT having anything to compare him to -- on-line test options? Sylvan I am sure could do it but -- $$$ anything -- objectvy i realize i am being silly -- but i also know i need something to "show" (to show DH, and so many family members) -- Aimee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily_Grace Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Previous years' TAKS tests are available free online. http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/released-tests/ I test about every other year at home, just to see possible issues. So far, so good! ETA: I just realized yours is in Kindy! I wouldn't even think a test would be somewhat accurate for a few years yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepyl Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 I got the CAT test through Sewon testing. It was $30 with a a prep book and the scoring. You give it at home and mail it in and they mail the results back to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieM Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Maybe you can just write yourself some assessment/check lists and note your own evaluation at set times throughout the year. For example, you would create a line for reading level and note that he is working on CVC words. Then at the end of the year, you would note that he is now reading level one readers. Or as another similar option, take samples of his work in various areas at set times of the year and keep it in a notebook. Certainly you will be able to see progress simply by looking at the samples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZooRho Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 we do yearly testing. more because it is cheap through our hs group. But honestly the test have showed us nothing that we don't already know about our boys. We did once pay for a Woodcock-Johnson test and it was much more helpful but is expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momma aimee Posted December 5, 2011 Author Share Posted December 5, 2011 thanks everyone. i know it is my own "issues" but i also know I am gonna be asked a lot -- and since he is not one to show off his skills (still has not read for any grandparnt and so on)... also Dh is on board till 3rd but I am going to need hard cold data to keep them home past that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 You know, end-of-year testing is fine. I can go along with providing Mr. Mommee Aimee some cold hard data, but let me encourage you to feel no pressure whatsoever to answer to or prove anything to any other family member or close friend, including grandparents. So much that goes in with homeschooling cannot be tested. And it's ok if family members don't understand this. They are not the ones responsible for your children's upbringing, which includes formal academics. You are. If you are seeing progress in your children, that is enough. You need to let it be enough. Even we Type A's can learn that. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 Previous years' TAKS tests are available free online. http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/released-tests/ The Florida one is also available (I don't know which is better or harder or easier or what... haven't used any as of yet!): http://fcat.fldoe.org/fcatrelease.asp And yeah, K'ers typically aren't tested anyway. Some schools start testing in 3rd grade. Some start testing in 1st grade. My son's private school started SAT testing in 1st grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threeofakind Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 I would just encourage you to 'assess' what he's been taught too, if you are using all these different tests but they aren't aligning with what you've been teaching this can show a discrepancy. But generally you should be able to find something that fits for the most part. And for Kinders it is a lot of observation. I liked the idea of someone suggesting you make up your own- that way you can do a pre-test and post-test on letters, sounds, etc. on exactly the skills you are addressing and show data. Good luck! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momsuz123 Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 I believe you can test with the Iowa Basics test. It costs money, etc. But I heard it is very valuable information (for some). I just like using the review/tests/ end of year tests in my kids math books. I am new to hsing as well, probably type AA, but I feel as long as I am seeing progress, that is what I care about. We did have our kids tested by Sylvan in August. They were running a special for $75, they would do a full test. Almost 3 hours, and then go over all the results with you. They used the California Achievement Test as part of their test. Hope this helps.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3monkeys Posted December 5, 2011 Share Posted December 5, 2011 http://www.freehomeschooling101.com/search/label/FREE%20ASSESSMENT%20TESTING This is a site dedicated to everything free for homeschoolers. May find some useful links on testing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 Hi Aimee! (Remember me from the post about 'if I have it written down, it'll get done'?) I have a very similar personality. I've been able to tame down my need to do a formal test until my oldest's peers were at the end of their 3rd grade year. We did the ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) for her. It told us what we already knew, but we were surprised by a few things. It gives us a good baseline & we plan on testing every two years using the same test for consistency. That's a long time to wait, so I try to have "deliverables" for each kid each year. That can mean that I make a list of goals for each subject that we work on. I can assess based on that list at the end of the year (like a "final exam" in each subject). Or, I can use a standard list from something like Rebecca's Rupp's "Home Learning Year By Year" or the "What Every Nth Grader Needs To Know" Hirsch series. The important thing about this is to make a list at the beginning of the year based on the standard lists. Don't try to cover everything. It just isn't possible, IMO! Then, you can see if your kid retained the information or understood the concepts on the things you covered. One can be a self-assessment - how much of what I wanted to get done did I get done. The other can be a kid-assessment - what did he retain about what I taught? In the early years, I have samples of work - copywork, dictation, spelling tests, math quizzes, thank you notes to relatives, etc. Later, these include written narrations, lapbooks, workbook pages filled out, etc. And don't be too uptight. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momma aimee Posted December 6, 2011 Author Share Posted December 6, 2011 Hi Aimee! (Remember me from the post about 'if I have it written down, it'll get done'?) I have a very similar personality. I've been able to tame down my need to do a formal test until my oldest's peers were at the end of their 3rd grade year. We did the ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) for her. It told us what we already knew, but we were surprised by a few things. It gives us a good baseline & we plan on testing every two years using the same test for consistency. That's a long time to wait, so I try to have "deliverables" for each kid each year. That can mean that I make a list of goals for each subject that we work on. I can assess based on that list at the end of the year (like a "final exam" in each subject). Or, I can use a standard list from something like Rebecca's Rupp's "Home Learning Year By Year" or the "What Every Nth Grader Needs To Know" Hirsch series. The important thing about this is to make a list at the beginning of the year based on the standard lists. Don't try to cover everything. It just isn't possible, IMO! Then, you can see if your kid retained the information or understood the concepts on the things you covered. One can be a self-assessment - how much of what I wanted to get done did I get done. The other can be a kid-assessment - what did he retain about what I taught? In the early years, I have samples of work - copywork, dictation, spelling tests, math quizzes, thank you notes to relatives, etc. Later, these include written narrations, lapbooks, workbook pages filled out, etc. And don't be too uptight. :grouphug: Thanks I know I need to RELAX -- but i am weak, and was HIGHLY grade driven in school (part of my own personal baggage -- i was held back in 90% of my classes and rushed in the other 10% .. and thus hated school). I am a check list person :tongue_smilie:and i admit there is a part of me (baaaaad Momma) that just wants to shove a peice of paper under the nose of my Aunt, SIL, BIL and so on that all babble about school and "so how IS he doing" in that voice. bad momma i know; .... thanks everyone -- if he was at the public school he'd not test till end of 3rd -- i need to relax, just having a hard time doing it. I do really well at noght over loading him or pushing him -- but i feel like ***I*** am chomping at the bit personally. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reign Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 My oldest is also in K. I did a online reading test the first day of the school year and plan to do another on the last. Would something like that make you feel better? I like tests so plan to start testing once a year in elementary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momma aimee Posted December 6, 2011 Author Share Posted December 6, 2011 My oldest is also in K. I did a online reading test the first day of the school year and plan to do another on the last. Would something like that make you feel better? I like tests so plan to start testing once a year in elementary. yes!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reign Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/readinggradeleve.html I am not sure how to link but Elizabeth's thephonicspage has a whole page on reading level testing. Hope it helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go_go_gadget Posted December 6, 2011 Share Posted December 6, 2011 California has a list of standards per grade by month, can you find something like that on your state's education site? It's not testing (which would be a but much for a Kindergartner, perhaps), but it would give you boxes to check off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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