Homeschool Testing Gives Peace of Mind by: Heather
Hi Atara,
I'm glad you liked my article on accreditation. Many new homeschooling parents can fall into the accreditation trap and spend too much on materials, just because they think that accreditation is better. However, there are many wonderful non-accredited curriculum choices that may work just as good, or better with your child.
Yes, some home educators do administer achievement tests to make sure their children are at or above grade level and to give peace-of-mind.
Our two oldest took the Stanford Achievement Test one year just because I wanted to make sure they really were learning. :) Throughout the elementary years, we did a lot of unit studies and my kids never took tests, so I had no idea where they were compared to their peers.
As homeschooling parents, we often second guess ourselves. If we don't use traditional curriculum, we often don't have a way to know if our kids are where they need to be, or if there are gaps in their education.
Through testing, you may discover problem areas or learning difficulties/disabilities that need attention. Poor test scores are not all bad ? they will help you know where you need to focus your energy and if a different teaching method is needed.
If you do decide to test your child/ren, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at their test results!
Jul 13, 2009 Rating
bad test scores by: kris
I gave my 3rd grader the sat test this yr. The scores were bad, in my opinion. He was considered average...about 45 percentile. I had to discount history as we focused on ancient Egypt and science as we only studies our solar system. This was the first year he has ever tested and we had no test prep. i
I must say, it got me down...any insights for me?
I have homechooled him his entire school career.
