TracyR Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Hello everyone. I think this is pretty much the time for homeschool burn out for everyone. But I'm finding that every year I go through one thing that just frustrates me to no end. The fact is that my children are horrible testers. In PA we are required to have standardized testing done at grades 3,5, and 8 for regular homeschooling. My daughters have been with a cyberschool though for the past 5yrs so they've had to do state testing instead. Each year when the results come back they test as though they are drooling vegtables but if you meet them they are capable of the work they do. They are smart kids. But they test horribly. Since January I have pulled out my oldest from cyberschool and am homeschooling her on my own. She is in 5th so she will have to take a ,standardized test this year. I have this horrible fear that she is just going to bomb this test and score poorly. Well its not a fear , its just something I know. I've done just about everything for them to prepare them for testing , tutoring ,buying test prep books. Anyone here deal with this same thing? What do you do? :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Does it matter? I mean do their test results impact your ability to continue hsing? Ds just had his 3 year testing done because he receives speech services in the school district. He bombed everything, well not exactly, he did okay with reading but his IQ score was so low he shouldn't really be able to read at all. It didn't really shock us because kids with autism are notorious for testing really badly on standardized tests. Honestly, other than my dented ego, there is no impact whatsoever from those tests. Texas doesn't care how you score, the school district didn't care (in fact, they were impressed with his results because his IQ score was so low), and after a bit of reflection I didn't care much either because I actually work with ds everyday and know the progress he's made and how he's really doing. If you won't lose your right to hs, I wouldn't sweat it now, just keep it in mind for SAT time in high school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragons in the flower bed Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Anyone here deal with this same thing? I have no suggestions for you, just sympathy. One year I arranged for my then six-year-old to have a one-on-one interview and test, given orally, of only ten key questions. The proctor was a nice homeschool mom who had graduated several kids of her own and had years of experienced doing this. Well, my child came out of the interview with the evaluator absolutely beaming, and said, "She was so nice! She let me skip any I didn't feel comfy doing so I just told her I wasn't 'too comfortable' with any of them!" I wanted to die of embarrassment. I also made the kiddo do a CAT and submitted that instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Wisc Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Google for online standardized tests or similar topics. You'll get things like this: http://www.mcsdk12.org/curr/standardized_test_preparation.htm http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index3.aspx?id=44&menu_id3=793 Then collect as many of them as you can--using those that are beneath their level to start with--and give them as often as you can. Maybe Friday can be test day--not a long test, but at least a portion of one. If your required tests are taken somewhere outside the home, ask someone to let your child do a test at their home or do it at church or wherever. Treat it like a class--"How to take a test" and practice it until it is boring. That is what we do with the ACT...so far it has helped us a lot. Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyR Posted March 15, 2009 Author Share Posted March 15, 2009 Thank you very much for the advice. I will give that a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Well, you know, you'll have your portfolio which your evaluator will review, and you'll have the test results from the cyber school (or at least you should have) which will show her past record, so the fact that your dd might not test well may not be as big a deal as you might think. It would probably be a good idea to practice. Lots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Wisc Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Thank you very much for the advice. I will give that a try. Tracy, I just realized I did not include something--I always go over the test questions the child has gotten wrong to be sure he understands the right answer. Over time, doing all these questions and studying the ones they did not get right helps them, too. Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 I helped Calvin prepare for a biology exam just before Christmas. After he was secure about the knowledge required for the test, we spent a couple of weeks doing a test paper every day, then going over them together to see where he could have done better. His test scores rose by at least ten percentage points over that time. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyfulMama Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 How about doing an oral test? A friend of mine uses the WRAT test for her two boys, and it is one I have on my list to learn more about. I can't give you any $ comparison, but I'm sure you could ask local evaluators if it is one they have administered before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicheleinMN Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 I deal with the same thing every year. We are required in MN to test annually. And every year I have the same thing....2 children choke and 2 children soar through testing. EVERY year! (My youngest dd is somewhere in-between, and my little guy has to test this year for the first time.) With 3 dyslexic boys...testing is NOT fun. (My little guy is really going to struggle this year.) Anyway, yes... we do the test prep, corrections, etc. All that preparation has helped, but my two older boys consistently have trouble testing, and my oldest daughter and #3 son pass with flying colors. No advice....just wanted you to know that you are not alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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