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when does it all come together?
- This topic has 5 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 8 months ago by
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The past few days I have had to give my kids their testing and we chose the Stanford 10 because it isn’t timed (I have a daydreamer of a son). I know I shouldn’t compare what is on the test to what my kids know but how can I not when I am having to teach the test to them before hand. And yes I know that isn’t right, but otherwise there would be meltdowns because they don’t know. I think I’m going through the “is this type really enough?!”
MY kids are 8 and 6, they are a grade above their age in math. I am considering switching math next year to find something more life related. I am currently using McRuffy for 2nd and 4th. I love this program for the most part. Short to the point and not stressful to the kids. However, they are not spiral as much as I like and do not have word problems as much either. I did use Horizons for dd in 2nd grade. It was tough but good, but I hated the TM. However, I’m thinking about going back to it because it is so complete. BUT Ray’s Arithmetic or LOF looks enticing. OR maybe I should just keep with McRuffy and supplement with other programs. My ds 6 is lazy and wants to figure things in his head instead of writing a two digit problem down and solving it that way. DD 8 just rushes through everything in order to finish and play. I was not happy when she rushed through the test and didn’t take it seriously, she missed many questions that she knew when I asked her about it later.
By the way it isn’t just the word problems on the math, dd had trouble with main ideas and more. I am positive it is because we don’t grade or test here. I know I’m rambling at this point, I am just at that point “Really are you kidding me, how can you not know that?!”
Sorry for the scatteredness, I’m getting tired and burnt out from all this. We are at 5 years, does it get any better or easier???
Paula
Oh by the way I want the kids to test in order to see how much they do know but I hate those tests because it forces everyone to teach it.
Just my .02, but at 8 and 6 I wouldn’t worry a thing about it:) Does your state require testing? Ours doesn’t, and I only have mine do one in grade school and one in middle school (plan anyway) for practice in timed/test taking environments because I don’t want the PSAT to be their first experience w/that.
Your kids are a year ahead…don’t stress!! As long as you remain faithful in increasing skills each year they’ll be fine. I hate those tests because they penalize for what they don’t know, when there’s a ton of other stuff they DO know, it’s just not on the test:) I know we have to play the system in high school and plan to have my kids do the honors pages of their math programs to prepare, practice timed essays, etc. But you’re a long way off from that…truly I woudn’t worry:) Blessings, Gina
Stop stressing! ((HUGS)) You have nearly a decade left in homeschool, don’t expect your children to know everything today or this year.
We administer standardized tests (have to submit results to our state). What I’ve learned is the tests are pointless because they only seek to find out what your child doesn’t know. In other words, they have a limited set of information that has been deemed important to know by someone somewhere. The test is not interested in how many other things your children know that are important to them.
A simple example – I can ask my child a specific fact “What year was the Constitution signed?” Or I can ask my child to share what they know about how we got out Constitution. One is a short, right or wrong answer. The other opens a broad field where my child can share so much more of their knowledge and matters a lot more.
Comparison is the theif of joy. ~ Theodore Roosevelt
It’s a true saying, and applies quite accurately to standardized testing, among many other things. The whole purpose of those tests is to compare. And, I may say, your joy in educating your kids sounds like it has definately been stolen. 🙂
I have 2 sons I schooled all the way through and 2 young ones who I am starting over with this year. I learned a few things in the first go round and one of the most important thing I learned was to keep my focus on my long term goals without expecting to achieve those goals immediately. The process of achieving those goals is actually more important than the fact of achievement. It sets the pattern for everything else they do later on.
If your kids are making progress with their studies, neither you nor they find the curricula too stressful and you are enjoying your kids and the process of their growing up… then its all good. Take the test results for what they are- just another piece of information and keep your eye on your long term goals. Look for your joy in the journey, not the destination.
thanks ladies, for some reason I’ve acutally been more stressed using SCM. Probably because I don’t want to buy things needed, so I’m running to the library (every few days because they never have book I need and do interlibrary loans )or looking stuff up on my own. I think I have decided to do PP for our last quarter, it would be a nice change.
About your math concerns…
We are using Christian Light Education which is a spiral program. I really like the TM and it also teaches to the kids in their books. I have heard it compared to McRuffy with a bit more to it. Just thought I would put that out there if you decide you want to look for another math program. (I have only seen grade 1 and 2 with my kids so I’m not sure about the older grades. You can check them out at http://www.clp.org)
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