Quote:
Originally Posted by luvnmommyhood
I guess with me, the test option is just a PITA. I don't want dd to start to think that all that's important to learn is what's on the test, or that she didn't do "well enough" b/c of the % she received. Kwim?
Another question? Where do you all order your tests? How much do they cost?
|
It's so funny that I'm here posting encouraging people to consider testing as an option ... b/c I'm so anti testing deep down ... but I guess what's so nice is that here in VA, it being an *option*, and since we do have to show some kind of proof of progress, I just wouldn't want others to have the same knee-jerk reaction to rule it out (testing) that I originially did.
I ordered the test from this site:
http://www.setontesting.com/ ... it's $25 and you can administer it at your pace. The other thing I really like about Seton is that they return the score to *you*, not the school district, and then you submit it to the superintendent yourself.
I really haven't played up the significance of it at
all to my DS ... I just kind of showed him how to fill in the circles and have approached it as a funny thing we'll do this year so we can keep homeschooling. He doesn't even know that he has to achieve a certain score (and I think it's just over the lower 25%ile anyway...) , so there's no pressure at all. He's tends to be an anxious child, so I've been
very careful to keep it low key so he doesn't pick up on any anxiety
I might inadvertently be conveying.
Oh, the other cool thing about Seton is that you can order the test, peruse it, and if you don't think it will work out for you guys, you can return it w/in 45 days for a full refund.
It sounds like you might have a really low key, low pressure person to report to w/ your portfolio, so that might be the best option for you guys. I'd just really encourage you to examine all of your options. Given our style of homeschooling, it was just feeling really contrived constantly coming up with "portfolio fodder", and that stress is what eventually led me to consider the testing option. For example, we do "Language Arts" while we read together, just pointing out things, grammer issues, literary devices, etc. He does keep a journal, but aside from that, I don't have a lot to "show" for proof of progress for Language Arts. Now I don't have to worry about it. I would have hated to have to print out a bunch of worksheets for DS to do just to "fluff up" our portfolio, yk? But, if you guys are already doing that kind of stuff, and it's working for you, then that's cool too
Good luck