Assessment: Core knowledge?

[lulubelle]

Hi,

I have not done any year-end testing. I have only begun my first kindergarten home schooling year. But, I am contemplating year-end testing. I realize Core Knowledge is not classically based, but it appears other assessments that include history are not either. They have testing for 1st grade through 5th grade. Has anyone had experience with Core Knowledge testing? I think I am drawn to it's non-partial testing. It is not influenced by 'no child left behind' requirements. I would think that the test expects more from the child. Any thoughts? Thanks, Lauren

[Ria]

Why would you want to test such a young child? I don't get it. Most kids that age aren't even reading, so I'm not sure what you could even test for. It sounds like a lot of stress for very little gain. ETA: are you perhaps asking about testing for when the child is older?

 

Ria

[lulubelle]

Well, they start the testing in 1st grade. And, my school district requires either notebooks of work done in each subject or year end test scores. The general consensus around here is 'give as little as you can' to the school district. So, I am exploring year-end testing options. I can't imagine that the tests are overly difficult or stressful if the material is being taught. I very much like a test that is not controlled by government regulations and shows you how well your child is learning. I realize many home schoolers have little requirements from their school district.

[myfunnybunch]

I think it depends on what you're trying to assess. Will you be trying to decide where your child is academically in order to decide what curriculum to use or what subjects to cover? Doing a more formal standardized assessment in order to evaluate and formally record academic progress? Or simply concerned with accountability in the sense of making sure that you've covered everything and haven't left any gaps?

 

For a kinder, I don't know that you need formal assessment.

 

By the end of this year, you'll choose to do the next thing/cover the next steps when you pick up first grade anyway. :) You'll have a good idea of his or her academic needs for the following year simply by spending time teaching him/her.

 

A kindergartener should really be progressing at his/her own pace academically, so a formal assessment of academic knowledge and skills may not be useful anyway. All it shows is how your child is progressing in comparison to other children.

 

The Core Knowledge series is nice to work with and read together to ensure you're covering the basics without forgetting anything.

 

My recommendation would be to come up with some general goals that you'd like to accomplish by the end of the year, keeping in mind both what's appropriate and expected of kindergarteners in general and what will meet the needs of your particular child and family. That way your child's progress is not limited or measured by anyone else's ideas of what constitutes academic success or failure.

 

Cat

[kalanamak]

I did the IBTS, which is the three R's and listening for K. I did it because I know how flubertty I get over tests and I thought that kiddo and I could do them yearly as a "this is just what you do in June" intro. I learned more than he did, of course, but his scores went up with each subsection, so I know he "got" the jist as well.

 

My state requires some assessment from age 8 on, and I support annual testing for homeschoolers, anyway.

 

For actual content like geography, I think, if you really want to test that, you should write the test yourself. You know what you taught. (And for a K, this is really a test of memory, not if they "learned it in the first place".) HTH.

[Tracey in TX]

Testing is useful for the teacher (parent) to ensure DC is learning and retaining information. Some tests offer insight into child's learning style. I find this very useful in order to properly present material to DCs.