End of year testing rant!

[Kathie in VA]

I usually use the basic CAT to satisfy VA state requirements. But this year I am testing two kids who finished 3rd and 8th grades. It turned out that Seton can no longer sell the basic CAT for 3rd grade:

"* Note: CAT E- Survey Level 13, 3rd grade test no longer Available. Substitute CAT 6 Level 13. "

http://www.setontesting.com/cat/

 

This is a longer test. When I looked around to see what other companies were doing I found that Christian Liberty sells the basic CAT 5... I asked why the difference and they said that they have the older CAT 5 from1970 which can still be used. So I went ahead and got that one.

Turns out the 3rd grade test (level 3) is for those finishing grade 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade! She is a little slow but usually does fine. Oh the tears during this test!! The reading is difficult for her .... There are 42 questions in the reading comprehension to be done in 35 min! Yes I did explain that she wasn't expected to finish but still... It's hard on a 9 year to find herself struggling on a test and understand that it was meant to also test kids two grades up and that she will only be graded with other kids her age. And she hasn't even seen the math sections yet! She is doing fine in math, just finishing Singapore Math 3a standards but this test has lots that she hasn't done yet ...like a whole test on computing fractions!

I know she doesn't have to score too high for the state and I only test for the state but I hate having to put her through this. Ug.

Thanks for giving me a place to rant.

[Spryte]

:grouphug:

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I used to proctor each year with homeschool groups.  I had a spiel I'd go through at the beginning of the testing about how they needed to expect questions that seemed easy and questions that seemed really hard.  Because it wasn't a test they were expected to know everything on.

 

I used to take one of the little 6 inch rulers from the test and show them how hard it would be to measure how tall they were with such a small ruler.  Everyone would just end up as "taller than 6 inches."  Then I would ask them to picture a height chart that was 7 feet tall.  I could measure everyone with it.  But it would be silly to get upset if someone didn't reach the top of the chart.  The upper levels are there to give a good measurement, not necessarily as a goal.

 

I also used to discuss some of the things the test could and could not measure.  It may be able to measure reading ability and math knowledge.  It might not ask questions about the history and science topics they have been studying.  I will not be able to measure how happy, kind or loyal they are.  It will not measure if they leave the bathroom a mess or do their chores cheerfully.  It won't measure if they are a good Lego builder or a strong soccer player.  It won't measure if they are faithful in their piano practice.

 

I just tried to put the whole experience into perspective.  I also told them that the test would never be able to score them as being a good person.  It really is just a check for their parents to use in thinking about what they might need to remember to teach next year. 

 

I realized in one testing year that I'd never taught my kids what amphibians were.  They didn't know the terms homonym, synonym and antonym.  They were great readers but had trouble identifying vowels and consonants (seriously, have you ever looked up the definition of a vowel).  Living overseas, they couldn't identify the Capitol or White House and had tons of trouble with quarters and nickels.

[gardening momma]

For the Terra Nova/Cat 6 (which replaces the old CAT test), it says for the Survey/Plus Battery test, "If you opt to do just the core portions of the test (Reading, Language, and Math), administration time will be substantially decreased." So apparently you can choose to do just the Survey portion. We use the CAT also, but were able to purchase the CAT E/Survey again this year through Seton. As long as they still have them in stock they'll keep renting them. I tested a 2nd grader & 4th grader this year. Looks like we'll have to gt the CAT 6 next year, at least for my 3rd grader. I wonder--if we do only the Survey portion of CAT 6, how will the results be displayed? Will it look bad that we did not do the rest of the test? Does anyone have experience with this?

[boscopup]

The SAT10 can be given at home if you have a Bachelor's degree. It is an untimed test and has different tests for each grade level.

[gardening momma]

....but I'm interested in the CAT. I know there are a lot of other tests out there.

 

ETA: it looks like the SAT 10 is complete battery, also. The benefit of CAT E was that it was a survey--language arts and math only. At least the CAT 6 has a choice to do survey only; the question is, how does this show up on the test results?

[marlowefamily]

We did the Terranova Complete Battery Plus this year - It was OK for reading/spelling/vocabulary/language arts, too easy for math, and very poor for science/social studies/history.  My 3rd grader asked why all the emphasis on American rather than Roman and Greek History.... 

[gardening momma]

The CAT E has been discontinued. Seton will continue to rent them as long as they have them--the write-in book for up through 3rd grade, I think, and book + scannable answer sheet for 4th grade and up. After they run out, or materials get in bad enough shape that they can't be used, they're done.

[Kathie in VA]

OP here.  Just thought I'd update my post since I now have the results.

 

My dd basically scored just below grade level. :o

In the comprehension, where we had lots of tears and didn't even come close to finishing, she scored better then 41% of other 3rd graders... Stanine score 5

With the math computation, where she knew how to do the +,-,x,/ but only finished with the + and - problems, she still got a Stanine score of 4. :confused:

Apparently her vocabulary and grammar are her best ... her stanine score was 6

and spelling is at an all time low ...Stanine score of 1  :(  and here she was doing fine with her spelling work at home .. :glare:

 

I gather she probably would have similar results with the old CAT, but the stress level would have been much less.  Lesson learned, I am going to try to stick with tests that target just her level .. if they are available.

 

I was already planning to focus more on her this year as my older ones are all in co-op classes or college.  I'm actually thinking of really focusing on her LA and Math.  I want to strengthen her reading.  I got her into chapter books by the end of last year but she is still slow and doesn't like reading.  Her spelling needs attention and I think I'll add in some editing skill work ... these tests really use editing skills.  She understands her math fine.  I think she had problems because she is slow.  So its time to be more deliberate and consistent with learning her facts.  I watch her think through her math and if she can get her facts down it will help her tons.  

 

So here's my thoughts for her 4th grade:

 

MATH

finish SM 3A, do 3B and 4A

?CWP level 3 (although I already have Primary Challenge Math and Challenge Math that I could use)

Calculadders, flash cards, TimezAttack, RightStart Math Games (already own these)

(I may be starting a game co-op for this & other educational games)

 

LA

Reading Detective SW to help with comprehension (already own it)

Editor in Chief SW to help with editing (already own it)

switching from R&S Spelling 3 to How to Teach Spelling w/wkbk 1 or 2 (already own it)

(would love to use Megawords but it starts at 4th grade and she isn't there for spelling yet)

Lots of reading together, alternating sentences, then paragraphs, then pages.... 

Handwriting Skills Simplified level D

Typing Instructor (already own it, need to fix it though)

CW Aesop B (for writing and grammar, just need a new wkbk and I'm set)

 

??considering Lively Latin to boost the grammar in prep for Homer, but wondering if it should wait a year at this point? (already own it)

 

Art: Draw Squad when time permits (already own it)

Music: Piano lessons ??

PE: winter swim

 

For the reading I'm thinking of picking those great books that tend not to fall into our history/literature lineups.  Ex. Narnia series, Phantom Tollbooth, The Secret Garden, Teddy's Button, Little House, Wizard of Oz, etc. (& yes I'm enjoying the thread that is listing everyone's top 5 books!)

 

Basically that's it.  I'm thinking of schooling the above 4 days a week.  The 5th day is for catch up or for maybe history and science (&/or field trips).  One year not focusing on these is not going to hurt at this point.  If we have time:  History might be local history.... our town, county, and state.  Science will start with Lyrical Life Science: Human Body since I already have it and I can see her and her little sister singing the songs together.  If we actually finish that then we can do some astronomy or weather studies.  

 

Next year we can get back to TOG. (already getting it for older brother's co-op)

 

[NittanyJen]

Kind of a thread hijack, since the OP wants to stick with CAT, but just FYI, you don't need this if you want to take the SAT-10 online.  Sign up through Brewer Testing, and they will be the test administrators.  No bubble sheets, no test books to mail in-- the whole thing is done online!  I do recommend using the pre-test the day before so the kids can learn how to use the ruler and calculator tools on the screen beforehand though.

 

The Brewers are super nice to work with and you get the results in about 24 hours, esp if you don't test right in prime season.

 

 

The SAT10 can be given at home if you have a Bachelor's degree. It is an untimed test and has different tests for each grade level.

 

[Arcadia]

and spelling is at an all time low ... and here she was doing fine with her spelling work at home .

I'm not familiar with CAT. However the syllabication test questions in my older boy's tests are the ones that trip him up. He can spell, can pick out the spelling errors but is not keen to think for how to break a work into syllabus so he lose some points there. If you have her test script maybe see what kind of spelling questions trip your daughter up.

 

Example in link are the typical kind of questions my older boy is likely to get wrong.

http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0073123587/student_view0/chapter4/syllabication_exercise_3__syllabication.html

[Kathie in VA]

I'm not familiar with CAT. However the syllabication test questions in my older boy's tests are the ones that trip him up. He can spell, can pick out the spelling errors but is not keen to think for how to break a work into syllabus so he lose some points there. If you have her test script maybe see what kind of spelling questions trip your daughter up.

 

Example in link are the typical kind of questions my older boy is likely to get wrong.

http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0073123587/student_view0/chapter4/syllabication_exercise_3__syllabication.html

 

I had to return all the questions so I don't know what she got right or wrong.. but her score was low enough to know something isn't right.  But you are right... I should probably test her myself to see where she really is before deciding which program to use.  I have the Megawords assessment .. that should let me know if her problem is with syllables or phonograms...