Posted in relaxed homeschooling

We've been homeschooling for over 10 years and until this spring my children had never taken a standardized test.  However, with my oldest finishing his 9th grade year, we decided he would take the California Achievement Test when it was offered to our homeschool group in late March.  My younger son said he would try it too - so our adventure began!

Over the years many moms have asked me why I don't test.  In fact, we joined an umbrella school that doesn't require evaluations or testing a few years ago because I was tired of the pressure I felt to have work on paper to show an evaluator (especially for my younger son who didn't read until he was 10).  I've enjoyed the freedom :-)  My main aversion to standardized tests is that they don't really show what the child knows - only if they know what is on the test.  Also, I feel like I already know my children's weak points academically since I'm with them everyday.  We went into our test experience with the mindset that it was for the practice of test taking.  However, I did find myself waiting anxiously for the scores to arrive.  My children also asked regularly whether the results were back yet.

Even though I knew that I probably wouldn't be surprised by the results, I still felt that somehow those test scores reflected heavily on my teaching.  With my oldest fast approaching his entry into higher education, I wonder sometimes if I should have taken a more "formal" approach to learning rather than the relaxed, delight-directed path we chose.

The scores arrived a month or so ago and although they didn't tell me anything I didn't already know, I was pleasantly surprised by how well my younger son - almost 13 (who really didn't "take off" in reading until he turned 12) scored on the reading portion - 95th percentile!  Both boys overall were well above "average" and the areas they scored low in were areas I already knew they had weaknesses.

Now for a interesting twist - since taking the CAT, my oldest recently took another big test.  He and some other students who recently completed Apologia Biology, took the Biology CLEP.  He passed!  Now he is studying an hour or so a day to take the Natural Sciences CLEP next week.  I was reading last week that this test is 50% biological sciences, so it makes sense to give it a try after all his studying for the Biology CLEP.

I'm sure I'll be writing more about our adventure with credit by examination!  After reading College Without Compromise, we have been inspired to actively pursue this route.  I don't know where he will end up as far as college goes, but I do know that taking these exams and gaining college credit will save him time and money in the future.  It will also allow him to move into his preferred area of study sooner, since he'll have the General Education credits out of the way.

As I type this I realize that I have moved from my kids never having taken a formal "test" to utilyzing testing to allow my children to move into their chosen careers more effeciently.  I guess since we've always disliked jumping through hoops, it makes sense to spend study time and family time pursuing areas of interest, rather than taking courses "just because you have to have them."  Since most CLEPs can be taken right after a student has completed the high school equivalent (with a bit of studying in a prep guide), it makes sense to pursue those exams that fit with what we're already studying in High School.

Oh, did I mention that as I've researched some distance learning opportunities for degrees, that I am considering completing my own degree that I started 20 years ago?  Now that should be an adventure!

Blessings,
Cindy