This week we are working on getting a better schedule going to help with our spelling ( yes our never ending struggle), found some cool prefix games to help Anthony;) Also bought a Vocabulary Builder DVD to help Alex start getting ready for the SATs and fun SAT games. Like always, we are seeing if we can make some improvements before we take our end of the year tests. (For us that is in May, even though we go year round) It is always the most stressful for me then for the boys, I think of it as a report card for how I am doing. Even though, the vets in my homeschooling group always tell me that it is not! It is so hard for me to think that way, I went to public school (and yes it failed me in a number of ways) and the boys went for at least a short time. Testing was always a way to see what you know right? Well sure if you just want to know what you learn about the night before,haha. I am happy if I can teach my boys in a way that they will remember it for a life time not just for some test. That alone is the hardest thing for me, realizing that it is not ABOUT THE TEST!! So how do you feel about testing?? Do you test because you have to OR because you want to know how your kiddos are doing?
Testing isn't a big deal for us. My son has never been in school, so he doesn't attach any anxiety or anything to it. It's just another thing he tries to get done as quickly as possible so he can go on and do something else he is more interested in. It drives me crazy because he goes through the test so quickly, ends anywhere between 5 and 15 minutes early (depending on the section), and nevers wants to go back and check his answers! Although the research says that those kinds of test takers do best, and that when people go back and change, mostly they change to the wrong answer, it still puts me on edge to see him take tests that way. But except for math and spelling, our nemises, he always scores really well, so I guess I should apply the old "if it isn't broken, don't fix it" mentality.
ReplyDeleteWe haven't gotten to the whole SAT thing yet. I'm not looking forward to that....
Carol you are so funny!! That's my new word for spelling for us NOW OUR nemises kicks our butt quite often! I wish Alex didn't attach anxiety to test taking but its there now and i can't get it to leave!! Kinda of like the baby fat the boys gave me!! LOL! Anthony doesn't really get too nervous he just wants to do well on the test!! Awe the difference between the two!! Thanks for reading the post!
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