Disclaimer: Laws vary state to state and country to country on how often homeschool parents must test their students, how they should be tested, and what should be done with the results. Please consult the laws for your area before making any testing decisions for your child.
My whole life, I have been a good student. From kindergarten to college, I made good grades and was praised by my teachers. My kindergarten teacher recommended me for the gifted program, and in first grade I was evaluated. My IQ was above average, so I started gifted classes, which I loved. When we took the CAT test in early elementary school, I scored off the charts. I did the same later on the ITBS test. But . . . In second grade, I struggled to pass my timed multiplication tests which, my math teacher kept reminding me, I had to pass to go to third grade. My mom got me a tutor, we watched Multiplication Rock constantly at home, my parents quizzed me with flash cards. However, it seemed the more I took the test, the worse I did. The second the test was placed on my desk, I would freeze. I started getting stomach aches and crying every single morning about going to school. One day in math class, I wet my pants. Things didn’t turn around until the school counselor met with me. She explained that, despite what my teacher said, there was no way I would be held back in the second grade. Once I knew that, I passed. In fourth grade, some politician apparently decided that gifted kids should be re-tested every year to stay in the program. I loved being in the gifted program, and I was terrified of being “kicked out.” Yet, since I always tested so high on other standardized tests, my parents and teacher weren’t worried. They were shocked when I tested only in the 84th percentile (you needed to hit 85th to “still” be gifted). My teacher just knew something was wrong with me that day, so she got permission to retest me. I did even worse the second time. She got permission to test me a third time. When my mother told me, I burst into tears. She made the very difficult decision to just accept my fate. According to the state of Georgia, I wasn’t gifted anymore. (Which is impossible, just so you know.) Fast forward to high school, and despite my high GPA, despite the fact that I graduated 21st in my class out of over three hundred students, I only scored in the 80th percentile on the Georgia state writing test. (I went on to teach English and publish books). My SAT scores were below average. Despite those SATs, I still received several scholarships and was invited to Asbury College to compete for one full scholarship and several half scholarships. I tell this slightly embarrassing story to illustrate an important fact: standardized tests are not always an accurate measure of a child’s abilities. I didn’t understand it at the time, but now I know what was going on: I had test anxiety. When a test had no stakes, I did wonderfully. When I felt my future and my worth were wrapped up in the test, I choked. I’m so thankful for how my teachers framed the CAT and the ITBS back in the 80s. “This doesn’t count for anything,” they would tell us. “It’s just to let us know how we’re all doing. No one but you will know your score.” I can’t imagine what it would have been like for me if those tests had the same stakes they do now! It’s funny, but no one knows more about the limitations of standardized tests than educators. Much research has been done to show that these tests do more harm than good. Why might your child score poorly on such a test despite their intelligence? Here are a few factors:
So, am I saying you should never give your homeschooler a standardized test? Actually, no. I wish I could, but unfortunately, these tests aren’t going anywhere. They are a necessary evil, so to speak. Even if your state does not require regular testing, it is a good idea to do it anyway just to practice those test skills I mentioned. After all, you don’t want the first standardized test they ever see to be the PSAT or SAT. Here are some tips, however, to deal with the above issues: #1 Don’t Make a Big Deal Out of It - This is the most important thing you can do. Your child may still have anxiety, but you can greatly reduce it by staying calm yourself. #2 Test at Home if Possible - I highly recommend the PASS test. It’s developed specifically for homeschoolers, and any parent can give it at home. Doing this will address anxiety, accommodations for special needs, hunger, and fatigue. The PASS test isn’t timed, so overthinking the questions won’t penalize your child. You also don’t have to do it all in one day, which will allow for breaks to go outside or get a snack. #3 Do a Test Prep Book - There are tons of inexpensive books to help your child practice the format of a standardized test. One thing to be aware of: there is no way you can practice the content of a test. There are literally millions of possible questions. That’s not the point of practicing. The point is to become familiar with how tests are set up and build skills like narrowing down answers. Make sure you pick a book that includes practicing with an answer sheet. Choosing an answer, finding the corresponding letter on the answer sheet, then bubbling it in is a skill that takes practice. #4 But Don’t Waste Tons of Time on Test Prep - Want to know one huge reason I decided to homeschool? As a teacher, I was appalled at how much instructional time was eaten up by preparing for and taking tests. Don’t do that in your homeschool - it’s why your child is learning at home to begin with! #5 Keep the Results in Perspective Remember that your child’s score is not a reflection on her intelligence or your value as a parent. If you take the results personally, so will your child. (I’m preaching to myself here, believe me!) The scores should only be used to assess possible weaknesses in your curriculum. Remember my division example? Guess what we worked on a lot the next year? This is another reason I love the PASS test; the results are broken down by concepts so you can see what specifically your child got wrong. #6 Don’t Use Test Scores to Argue for Homeschooling Your child is not responsible for validating homeschooling with a high score. No one is entitled to know the score - not grandma, not your next door neighbor, not your friend at co-op. In Georgia, I don’t even have to tell the state. All I have to do is keep them on file, just in case. You may have heard that homeschoolers out-perform public school kids. Guess what? I don’t care. All I need to know is what’s working for my own kid. Full stop. I hope this helps you, Mamas! Testing is a thorn in our sides, but we can learn to bear it, right? And we’ll all pray for the day these tests disappear. Can I get an amen?
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AuthorHi, I'm Melanie! I'm a homeschooling mom of three kids ages 13, 11, and 9. I have a BS in English Secondary Education from Asbury University plus 30 hours of gifted certification course work. I've taught in just about every situation you can imagine. Public school, private, homeschool hybrid, and private tutoring. The most important thing I've learned? One on one, individualized instruction can't be beat. Archives
July 2022
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