Beginning of year benchmarks?

[virtual_twins_mom]

Do any of you measure beginning of the year "benchmarks" for comparison at the end of the year to document progress? If so, what "tests" do you use and for which subjects?

 

Thanks for your input!

[txmommyofboys]

I don't.

[almondbutterandjelly]

We school year-round, but take it much lighter and more vacations in the "summer" (April to Aug for us). I CAT test (christianlibertypress.com) at the very end of whatever grade we are in, after we are "officially" all done with that grade. (This usually happens in April.) That gives me an ending and beginning benchmark at the same time. I note progress from year to year.

[virtual_twins_mom]

Thanks for sharing! I really appreciate it.

[Farrar]

I keep a running portfolio that we update every couple of months with example work, so it's easy to look back and see the writing samples, math samples, etc. from the start of the year and end.

[jg_puppy]

I have been thinking about doing this. I found this assessment from Homeschool Buyer's co-op. I think it looks good, but I don't know of anyone who has actually used the test.

 

Janet

[virtual_twins_mom]

:iagree:Yes, this is exactly the kind of thing I've been looking for. I really like that it gives Lexile scores. It's hard to find a "private" assessment that gives this info. Thanks so much for sharing!!!

 

 

 

I have been thinking about doing this. I found this assessment from Homeschool Buyer's co-op. I think it looks good, but I don't know of anyone who has actually used the test.

 

Janet

[RootAnn]

At the beginning & end of each "school year," I have my youngers (didn't have my oldest do it this year) read a passage (same selection both times) into a tape recorder (how archaic the technology around here! :tongue_smilie:) and write a short passage (either copying or one to three composed sentences about a known/loved subject). These are suggested by our spelling program (Spell to Write & Read). They also take a spelling level evaluation (provided in SWR).

 

They also usually do at least three reading comprehension evaluations at the beginning & end of the year using McCall-Crabbs. As long as the same evaluation tool was used each time, I don't think it matters what specifically you use.

 

Sometimes I have them take a placement test for another math program at the end of the level of math they are working on (not necessarily at a specific time of year as we work year-round on math). This is for gap-finding & comparison to what their siblings learned from the same program. (For example, oldest finished Abeka 1 & tested into Saxon 3. DD#2 finished Abeka 1 and just missed testing into Saxon 2. They learned/retained a different amount from the same material. It helps me to know more about their understanding.)

 

Hope that helps.

[Snow]

At the beginning & end of each "school year," I have my youngers (didn't have my oldest do it this year) read a passage (same selection both times) into a tape recorder (how archaic the technology around here! :tongue_smilie:) and write a short passage

 

This is a great idea (as is the idea of benchmarks in general). Thank you. I will do something like this with DS. I think he will find it motivational.

[Brooketopia]

I use my blog to help me track my kids' progress. I write up a weekly report nearly every week and try to describe areas of success and areas of difficulty. At the end of each quarter, and at the end of each year, I go back and read through all the posts that apply. I find it very motivating to "see" what has been accomplished.

 

I also like to go back and read through posts from the year before when we're just stuck--it reminds me that we will eventually get through whatever difficult concept is before us, just like last year when whomever was struggling with whatever.

 

I have administered the CAT5 test to my eldest before and I really like doing that. We were way short of funds this last year, so no test. I plan to administer it at the end of this year. I did have each of them read through two different (free) online reading assessments, just to get an idea on their reading levels. Sometimes I wonder if I should do that at the end of each quarter, just to satisfy my curiosity, or only keep it for the end of the year. It's just fun to see the progress unfold! :D

[Hunter]

I'm gradually moving more and more from workbooks to notebooking. It's taken me awhile to find a way to notebook that works for me. It's pretty much compiling a student handbook for each subject. Lots of charts and diagrams and concise rules.

 

Progress is evident in the quality and topics of the notebook pages. I tutor year around, and always homeschooled year around, but I am transitioning more to a seasonal rhythm that I intend to use more in lesson planning. I have numerous friends/students/neighbors who are bipolar and the summer and winter solstices bring profound changes to my environment and student learning styles/abilities/needs. I'm trying to flow with that, and need to tie things up before things shift to other side of the spectrum.

 

I spent a lot of time last year looking at assessment options. I want to include them more, but I sadly seem to lose them in piles of paper or on my harddrive before I get them implemented.

 

Right now I'm obsessing over math facts and handwriting above all else and progress in those is pretty obvious, without charting them, but charting them would satisfy my OCD tendencies. Somewhere I have charts stored on my harddrive for both those subjects. :tongue_smilie:

[Ritsumei]

I keep a running portfolio that we update every couple of months with example work, so it's easy to look back and see the writing samples, math samples, etc. from the start of the year and end.

 

:iagree:This is more or less what I do as well, though it sounds like I'm not as organized about it. Organization is one of those things that homeschooling is teaching me. :D