This is the week our oldest three children are participating in standardized testing at "building school." It's only the second day but I have made several observations already:
I like getting up earlier, and I don't like getting up earlier.
I can't stay up late and get up early the next morning.
It's great to get so much done by 10:00 a.m.
I am enjoying a change in our routine and the opportunity to spend time with just C and Little Man.
I missed my older kids when they were gone.
Our day at home had less structure and we felt a bit "lost."
I need to have a plan for those of us who stay at home.
Son G had the most fun, but ripped off his "uniform" (church clothes) the second he got home (and I do mean the second).
Testing makes one very hungry.
I need to have a plan for when the testing kids get home.
I was exhausted by the end of the day yesterday.
I didn't like running back and forth to school three times during the day. Even though it's close, that would get to be a real pain if I had to do it all the time.
My boys have never changed clothes in a locker room with other boys before. That was awkward for them (gym class ~ they are there for the entire morning and do whatever the classroom they've been assigned to does).
They were well received by the other students and loved making so many new friends.
Daughter G was also befriended well by the other 8th graders.
After one day she had opinions about the teachers!
The school is being very generous to include us the way they have. I appreciate them!
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Just curious, but is going to the local PS a requirement for testing, or is it the way you choose to do it? I can see both pluses and minuses. But the fear I would have with my crew - who will tell anyone that asks them that they'd rather go to a PS - would be that their complaints and whining to be "like everybody else" (although truth be told only 10% of their friends attend PS - the rest are homeschooled)would get to such extreme levels that I really would crack.
T/M ~ we are not at the PS, but at a local christian school. I am pretty sure we would not be able to do testing at the PS because of state laws. Testing (for homeschoolers) is not required at all in our state, but we choose to do it periodically for our own info and so our children will gain that experience.
p.s. we gave our children three options for standardized testing (us giving them a test at home, testing one on one through a homeschool network here, and testing in a class at the christian school). They all chose the christian school ~ they know several kids from church who go there, and felt it would be the most "comfortable" situation. We have prayed that God would guide and direct the desires of their hearts, but they all know that attending this school would be out of the question anyway due to finances, and so far, one week there seems to be enough for them!
Teacher/Mom - I would say that how you choose to do standardized testing for your kids would be based upon what's available where you live.
In Oregon, we're required to test at 3rd, 5th, 8th and 10th grades. But, we can test at any grade level that we want to. There are businesses that offer testing services, but, we choose to test with an independent tester who works out of her house. It's a smaller, non-stressful setting and both of my kids have had good experiences.
We are required to test every year after age 7, but we only have to report the scores if they are below a certain percentage. Everyone that I know that would potentially score that low already has an IEP which means they don't have to score any higher to move on anyway. So it's a mute point really. We have always done the CAT-5 at home. I've got one who wants to just get it all done in one day and just muscles it out. The other one usually chooses to do it over two or three days. But I can see some advantages to being able to take it in a school setting as they will have to do that with the PSAT and ACT or SAT someday. I don't know that we have the option of doing that however. At least, I don't know of anyone who does.
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