• Jun. 5, 2006
Not a doubt
Hi all!
It's summer, we are having a blast....but the news today in Atlanta is headlines all over, and makes me even more determined to not put Jessica back into the system.
By the way, if she were in public school, she would have been one of these numbers.
Debbie
Student scores lower on new state test
CRCT more difficult this year, say education officials
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/05/06
More than 30,000 eighth-graders will have to attend summer school and take the state curriculum test again to see if they can move on to high school.
State test results released Monday show 23 percent of eighth-graders failed the math test and 11 percent failed reading. Students must pass both to move on to high school, unless the student's principal and teacher agree that the student should be promoted. This is the first year that eighth-graders face the humiliation of retention if they can't pass. Under state law, third-graders must pass reading, and fifth-graders must pass math and reading.
Overall, pass rates on the state curriculum test are down, reflecting harder tests in reading and language arts and in math and science in some grades. Minorities especially did poorly, with more than half of black sixth-graders failing the new math test.
But results on the state test, known as the CRCT, still tell a more positive story about how much Georgia kids know than national measures such as the National Assessment for Educational Progress, known as NAEP and given to a sampling of students. For example, on NAEP, 26 percent of Georgia's fourth-graders were considered "proficient" in reading. On the CRCT, 87 percent met standards last year. On this year's harder test, 81 percent met state standards.
Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox said Georgia students' lower scores on national tests motivated officials to make its curriculum more challenging and the tests harder. "That had a real bearing on our expectations," she said.
Other highlights of Monday's results:
• On the new third-grade reading test, 83 percent of students passed. Last year's pass rate on an older version of the test based on a curriculum widely regarded as soft, 92 percent passed. On the new test, questions were harder and students needed to answer more questions correctly to pass, 22 of 40 this year compared to 17 of 40 last year. The new test accurately reflects the new curriculum, meaning kids who pass should be prepared for fourth-grade work, Cox said.
• In fifth grade, 81 percent passed reading, and 89 percent passed math. The reading test was new this year. The math test was unchanged from last year, and pass rates were up slightly.
• In sixth grade, only 62 percent of students passed a new math test. Fewer than half of black students passed the test. The students are not required to pass the test for promotion, but the numbers signal a glaring weakness in that area, school officials acknowledged.
• Results on a new sixth-grade science test were no better than math, with only 61 percent of students passing, and only 43 percent of black students passing.
State education officials presented the pass rates as proof that they are no longer tolerating the low expectations that have plagued Georgia schools for decades, especially schools that serve minorities. Officials are looking at schools with high pass rates and seeing what they are doing in hopes of replicating those practices elsewhere, Cox said.
School districts already have informed parents whose students must attend summer school. But on Monday, officials in metro school districts would not release district pass rates, saying they haven't gotten necessary data from the state.
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• May. 25, 2006
Finished.......for now
Whew.......summers here!
We finished "final" and passed with flying colors! Getting very, very bored toward the end, I let Jessica first take the end of unit test. If she passed with a score 80 or over, she didn't have to do the unit. I was pretty surprised when within just a few weeks, she was finished having skipped almost all of the 2nd semester work. She knows her stuff, it was just the gaps. Those gaps are filled and now, not only is she caught up, but she is scoring above the pitiful Georgia state standards for her grade level.
Jessica just finished a placement assessment for math, as we are wavering between pre-algebra and algebra 1. She does ok in the first half of algebra 1, but rough on the second half. She was in pre-algebra in her middle school and what is scary is they would have passed her on with the D she had right into algebra 1 in high school and she would have just drowned!
Her assessment was so boarderline between the two, we thought of testing again after some review, but get this! A tiny bit of mature personality slipped through!
She said well, if I have something to say about it, I would rather take pre-algebra all over again and master it. I just don't feel comfortable going into Algebra. It's might put me a little behind at first but I'll catch up.
HUH???? My husband and I did a double take. Who is this child?
Just 2 weeks ago when we started to approach the topic, we were greeted with that unforgettable teen high pitch whine "But I already TOOK that class....wimper, whine.....I don't WANNA do it again........boo hoo, stomp slam"
We had prepared for THIS kinda of reaction and were spun by her response.
Ahhh, there is hope!
So, summer is here, Jessica is on the swim team (she a descendant of guppies) and she is living at the pool. The neighboorhood association voted down her request to set up camp at the pool so she's not REALLY living at the pool, but would in a heartbeat. We'll be spending the summer pretty laid back, doing fun/learning things as they pop up and gearing up for High School.
I in the meantime am spending some time getting ducks in a row for the all important "portfolio" to keep while high school is going on. I don't want to get to the end and go oops! don't have what she needs for college.
That's way down the road.....for now it's just about enjoying summer and knowing that we we're 100% correct in our decision to homeschool.
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• Apr. 13, 2006
Way behind I know, I know
It's been a bit busy!
Jessica is rolling along just fine, although we have daily moments where she is positive that I'm a complete idiot. The old "the sky is blue" Teen "No it's not mom, it's purple, don't you know anything!"
She rocks in spelling and is now doing some SAT words, she's a little bored with some of the subjects, esp. things she's covered in school already. For math and science, I let her take the end of unit test first. If she passes with flying colors I don't make her do the unit. Seems fair. Why bore her.
I find it very telling that the material she is covering now, which by homeschool standards is 6th grade work, it's the exact same work she was doing in the 8th grade. It just confirms our decision even more. Jessica has taken up babysitting and discovered the fun of money! She's been surprisingly good about it without it burning a hole in her pocket. We'll be learning the whole personal finanance this soon. Maybe even have her do some mock taxes.
We weren't surprised by the new last month that states were falling behind national standards by as much as 72%. Georgia is way up there in the percentage of kids falling well below the national standard. In fact, I believe Georgia's number was only 27% of k thru 12 students meet national standards.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/28/AR2006032801794.html
Jessica's scores reflected this perfectly. It seems odd that scores should be so low, yet off they go to the next grade. It's as if the national standard doesn't make a differance. Georgia is going to see it how they want, continue to get federal funding for passing and graduating unprepared students and continue to ask for more money to fix problem that are way out of control.
Jessica's reading is getting a bit better. Getting her things to read that she's interested in makes a big differance. Let's face it, not every girl in the world is pumped up to read White Fang.
We relaxed for spring break last week. At the rate Jessica is going now, she should be caught up and on track for high school work by the end of the year!
I'll post more often...Promise!
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• Mar. 2, 2006
Back to the basics
I'm a voracious reader. I remember my first big people book, The Hobbit at 8 years old. My next was The Stand by Stephen King. I was a early reader. I was also taught phonics. Jessica has been taught whole language. I know there is a debate swirling, I'm not on either side. I'm on Jessica's side. As with any subject, the childs learning styles should be considered.
Jessica hates reading. Really hates reading. This makes me sad. There is such a fantastic world when reading. I have even had a mini list in my head of all the wonderful books I want to share with her. This won't happen over night.
Jessica had a worksheet to do the other day. She couldn't do it and said it made her mad. It was asking to identify long and short vowels, basic phonics info. It all clicked for me. When spelling she has difficulty breaking down the words. Like congradulations=con gra du la tions. So she guesses. She has trouble figuring out how to pronouce words when she looks them up in the dictonary. There are other little things. But when she's reading, or reading out loud, when she get's to a word she doesn't know she tries a few times, get frustrated and says Forget It and moves on. If she doesn't know the word, she doesn't look it up.
No wonder she hates reading. I can't imagine the level of frustration she must feel. For her reading is not the joy I hoped it would be. Reading for me has always equaled fun. Reading for her is the worst thing ever.
I know whole learning works for many. Not every one can grasp phonics or do well with drills and repetion. I discovering more and more that my homeschool journey is about Jessica. Finding out how she learns and what we can do.
We will start with some basic phonics soon, Jessica is very open to it.
Hopefuly, soon she will love trips to the book store and the libary for books, not games or books on tape.
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• Feb. 25, 2006
The Shift
Something changed yesterday. It was visible and palpable. Jessica and I pretty much called it a day off and watched a movie. Then I did her hair, put on some very light makeup and went outside to take school pictures.
In the past, all of her pictures were of her with a strained forced smile. I don't think we have one in 7 years that doesn't.
It was a beautiful day, in the 70's after a long week of cold rain. I love photography and have to say I'm not bad at it. It was so much fun. Jessica was happy, relaxed and fun. I uploaded her photos and it happened. There on my screen was a beautiful, vibrant young lady............smiling all over. Really smiling.
It struck me how relaxed she was. I got a bit teary lol.
Her shift showed all over. She was happy. The shift for me? She was happy. Better yet she was happy with me. She's been a daddy's girl since day one, and I hoped one day would be my turn.
Yesterday I think was the beginning of my turn. You know what? I'm happy to.
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• Feb. 23, 2006
My brain hurts
Don't you wish there were some days you could pop open the top of your head, take your poor little brain out, plop it into a soothing bubble bath then tuck in in for a cozy nap? Today was one of those days. My brain hurts!
I delved into my virtual desk today to get the hang of everything and set Jessica up with some spelling and a bit of language arts. Between doing that and keeping her lessons straight I got really, really frustrated! Jessica actually was doing really really well. She liked using a timer so she didn't wander off to far and getting to do her spelling test on the white board and having the a ok to wiggle while she did it.
So Jessica would dive into her work, really happy that she finished 10 lessons today! I think she likes the mix of review and some new things. She up for the challange!
Hmmmmm, am I? I've always been a juggler. No problem. 5 balls, 8? Bring em' on! But today was strangley differant. Perhaps is the responsibility I've taken on. The seriousness of it all. Perhaps it's trying to learn at the same time I'm trying to teach. I've taught before. Teenagers for that matter. It's always been smooth. Not today. Ok, Ok, I admit that 2 pot's of yummy Starbucks Awake tea isn't the best of ideas when trying to concentrate. It kinda has the effect of turning your neurons into a team of mexican jumping beans.
I think I know what it is. I'm trying to hard. Like Lucy and Ethel making chocolates. They ended up in a mess (I personaly would consider it chocolate heaven) trying to keep up, but when they just let the chaos reign, they had a blast!
I get notice the curriculm is on a big brown truck headed my way and my daughter is wizing through her work. I may have panicked a bit about getting it right. Being perfect? Proving that I can do it? Trying to live up to my high ideas of giving her a stellar education. I think tomorrow I won't do anything. I think maybe I'll just skip the urge to learn everything RIGHT NOW! Sorry, didn't mean to yell, the beans up there are dancing a conga line.
Think maybe I'll go back and read some of the blogs I've come fond of and really listen to what some veteran homeschoolers are saying. Relax, don't be to hard on yourself, take things sllllooooowwwwwllllyyyy, do what you can, skip what you can't for later and enjoy the wonderful adventure you beginning.
I've got to get that I've got to right now urge to chill. LOL, I'm trying k?
HEY, you guys up there! My frontal lobe is NOT a trampoline. Geeze. Perhaps I'll run that bath.
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• Feb. 22, 2006
The Splurge Urge
I think it comes with growing up in the school starts in August system. Especially the middle school and high school shopping times. Ahhhh, the memories.
I remember that ramp up to school and the school shopping (read frenzy) ritual. Mom made a list (I had my own list in my head), budgets were checked (I had my own budget in my head), stores were chosen (I had my own stores in my head), school supply list in hand (who said we can't have a super duper ripper zipper binder huh??) and off we went.. Yeah, we went all right. We went at each other! hahaha.....I laugh now....Oh boy!
I want Nikes-Ni whats? Everyone has them-your not everyone I'll look like a dork-your not in school to look good I won't wear them-then go barefoot. Same exchange for jackets and pants and pens OH MY!
I've been on the other side of that theater with my own kids. YEAH! Home school will wipe all that drama off the face of the earth......right?
Hold on, let me pull out the "We told you so list" so I can add all your laughing names. You over there! I hear you snickering!
My public school brain was all a twitter at the thought of new crisp folders and colored pencils, the box of a kagillion crayons........the works. All brand spanking shiny and new just jumping in my basket to come home and be a part of our SUPER SCHOOL.......Did I mention my public school brain is about 10?
****POOF**** My 30 somtehing brain put the 10 year old brain in the corner of a room far far away for time out. It reminded my 10 year old brain of all the advice about budgeting, useing what you have, getting free stuff, used stuff, trade stuff, barter stuff.....all the no fun stuff for the 10 year old.
So today we began combing the house for just about anything that we could or would use. You know what? I firmly believe that every home in the world has a mini office supply store tucked away they didn't even think about. Especially if you've got multiple school list munchkins in the house.
Notebooks, binders, paper, pencils, other pencils, mechanical pencils, pens in all colors, markers, craft and project material (how else can you make a volcano if you don't have chicken wire and cast materiel around?), printer paper, ink, various programs. It's all here. Now, most of it is not in a tidy new wrapper, but it's here and it's ONE student. I think we can get away with 14 reams of paper to start with.
I don't think I read this anywhere, but I've come down with some strange home school disease. Everything I look at is a tool or project or supply! No fever though thank goodness.
So, today I squelched the splurge urge. It wasn't so bad. We did get 3 small things. Some lined paper to work on OUR handwriting with and some Brain Quest trivia cards.
That gratification of coming home with bags and bags of new stuff isn't missed. Although it is replaced with the smile on my daughter face when we had this exchange. Look! Gel Pens! cool
Mom, I can't use gel pens (public rule)........with a little giggle I said Yes you can!!!
P.S. I did eventually get my Nikes........Thanks Mom!
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• Feb. 21, 2006
School box
hello again I think schoolbox rocks we went there and it was so cool i wanted to bye the whole store and we bought paper and some other stuff I LOVE THAT STORE!!!!!!!!!!
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• Feb. 20, 2006
Natural extension or out of my league?
It's done. Letter of intent to homeschool is out the door. The curriculm is ordered. Websites bookmarked, how to books on the floor, groups joined, support groups listed, post it notes everywhere! Now all I need is to keep saying "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...."
I am a nurse, mom, wife and a born and raised public schooler. Actually, public school and Department of Defense schools (DODDS) from beginning to end. My husband is also a public schooler.
I have never really given a thought to homeschool! Honestly, before typing in homeschool in Google, I pretty much assumed that homeschool was for farmers, remote families, missionaries.....Boy was I WAY off base!
I have been flooded with information. In the beginning, I was still unsure, until I read Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto. Mr. Gatto, a teacher for 30 years in the New York City public schools and 1991 Teacher of The Year.
There wasn't anything in the text of his acceptance speech that didn't turn on lightbulb after lighbulb.
Middle school has been tough. I've watched a funny, smart, brave, vibrant young girl become unsure, worried, frustrated and sad. Public school is just not working for her now. Bullies run rampant and stay on their target victims year after year. In 3 years, 6th, 7th and 8th, no help from the administration. "just ignore it" is no longer a solution. Particularly when it is effecting your childs education and their spirit.
So, we become teacher, school, administration. We want the best for her, we know her. We aren't worried about outside opinions, being the minority. If anything I hope being the minority will make Jessica a uniquely independant adult.
I suppose as parents, we've been teaching from the beginning. It's hard to shake the uncertainty of putting her future in our hands. Our un-certified teaching hands. I'm excited and nervous. I want to do it "right". But then again, I suppose there is no right way. I do know though that we haven't done a bad job so far! She's made it to 13 and I'm proud of her just the way she is. We have to be doing something right! Jessica and I are doing this blog together. Mom and Middle schooler. 
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• Feb. 20, 2006
New Comer
HELLO Homeschoolers, I am Jessica .I am a new stundent in the wonderful world of homeschooling. Me and my mom are new at this she got alot of books and went to alot of sites. She didn't know which school I was going to go to, then she chose K12. I had to take tons of placement test on them. That is all for now. tah tah for now
