I’m going to be honest about my thoughts on standardizing testing. I think it’s a waste of time and money from our government because I believe the teachers are demanded to teach their students certain skills to successfully perform well on the mandatory standardize tests. Therefore, the students are missing out on what’s truly important in education, such as, instilling the love of learning in our children today.
It all honesty, it does not measure the children’s intelligence, but just puts a label on them.
I remember as a child taking those long, tedious tests. I was so bored and antsy, that I just colored in the circles to make a pretty pattern.
However, I realize there needs to be someway our government can measure how each state is performing academically as a whole. Standardizing tests seems to be the only option at this time. Is it accurate? Probably not, but it is, what it is.
We are fortunate to reside in the homeschool friendly state, Texas. Standardize testing is not required in Texas, but many states do require mandatory testing. If we did live in a state that required mandatory testing, I would still teach the same way. We would still read many books, practice copywork, and have FUN with many hands on learning activities in our everyday homeschool.
I strongly believe that test taking is a skill that must be learned. It’s a skill that I am choosing to teach my children at a young age. If your children are planning on attending college than you will be doing your children a disservice if you don’t train them how to successfully take a test.
5 Reasons You Need to Test Your Homeschool Children
- Students need to learn how to relax during a test to avoid anxiety
- Students need to learn to work diligently in a timely manner
- Students need to learn how to eliminate wrong answers with helpful strategies
- Students need to learn to look for key points while reading the questions and summaries
- Students need to learn how to follow directions and master different test formats
I’m not suggesting that you test your children in every subject for each lesson, but to train them successfully in the art of test taking. Tests are required for college admission and for many entry level employment opportunities these days. Tests are just part of life.
Since I am not a believer in test taking as a mean of measuring your child’s intelligence or acquired learning of a certain subject, I have been requiring my 4th grader to complete 2 pages of Spectrum Test Prep Grade 4 and 2 pages of Spectrum Test Practice Grade 4 daily to teach the skill of test taking.
He is absolutely digging these workbooks that teach test tips and strategies. We go over the test and strategies tips on the pages before he completes the assigned pages. It takes him about 15 minutes per day to complete all 4 pages.
Spectrum Test Prep has numerous review pages that cover all the helpful strategies that have been learned in the workbooks for the subjects of language arts, reading, and math. My son found the review pages very helpful.
Spectrum Test Prep and Practice is helping him alleviate test taking anxiety, follow directions, budget his time wisely, master helpful test strategies for common test taking mistakes. He has improved dramatically in his weekly spelling test by learning how to properly prepare and study ahead of time. These workbooks will prepare your student for all tests, not just standardize testing.
This is just something simple, but yet effective that my children can do daily to improve their test taking skills.
What is your opinion on homeschool test taking? Yay or Nay?
One important aspect in testing that is to find gaps in learning, that may not be readily apparent during daily teaching or regular testing.
Great point! I totally agree!
Actually, this is just what I am looking for. Thanks for the post!!:)
Hi Leah,
I’m so glad you found it helpful.
I am not a homeschool Mom. I have a kindergartener in public school and 3 year old twins… one of which is in public school preschool for some special needs. But we are a homeschool family. Even though I choose to mainstream my kids… I do work with all 3 of them daily. I don’t rely solely on public school to teach my kids everything they need to know or to teach them more on subjects that interest them. I try hard to find resources to help them have a education of encouragement. Your thoughts on test taking are great and helpful for me. Even if our paths are different the goal of having bright, happy, educated young adults one day is the same for both of us. Thanks.
If your goal is doing good on tests then this article makes sense.
As a retired school teacher, now a homeschooling grandmother, I read your article with great interest! What reasons could you positively share about testing being good for you? I had been burned out by the all the testing where I taught. I saw kids cry and throw up because they were so nervous and upset. I saw the anxiety in second graders long before they had to take the test in third grade. You are correct in your reasons to test, even though I hate to admit it. All people need to know these things. We have become so conditioned to “teaching to the test” that it is hard to see the good things testing does. Whether it is for testing purposes, or getting a job, or other skills, the reasons you list are important. Thank you for sharing and re-awakening the purposes for testing. I have added these books to my list for curriculum for next year.