Apr. 3, 2008 - TESTING
For 4 days this week, I shuttle my kids daily, to 3 different sites, so that we can find out what they don't know what they know. I am actually highly opposed to testing, but I like having the $5000 a year to spend on curriculum and gymnastics that we get from our wonderful (really!) homeschool program, so my kids can suffer a bit.
The problem is, they aren't really suffering. OK, Delaney has quite a bit of angst about her self defined lack of knowledge. But I have to say she seemed rather pleased with her writing test yesterday. Today will be math. And Science on Friday. She asked "The science will just be about planets right? Because that is ALL I know."
Connor was really pleased too. He jumped in the car all pumped up, and said "We had to write a one page report about who we thought deserved to have a special stamp made. I wrote 'Ninjas. Why? Because they are Ninjas.'"
He was so pleased, I felt bad exploding with "What were you thinking! ? Arrrgghhh!" He answered, still quite pleased "I don't know, I'm a Ninja."
He also continued on about how mean the teacher was. "I was barely talking," (Connor never stops talking) "and he came and told me, if I didn't stop talking, he was going to take my test away and I would be done!"
Do you realize how many trips to the principal office, I have saved by homeschooling this child? Oh. My. Word.
Can I just say that Blake and Delaney are nicely behaved test takers. Really.
The Ninja theme, apparently fully embraced by all the other 7th grade boys at Connor's testing location, has continued since then. Last night on the way home from church, Blake ripped off his seat belt, and jumped in the back seat to try to strangle the Ninja, who had taken up residence there.
It was a peaceful moment. I did pull over.
The Ninja is still alive. Why? Because he is a Ninja.
I love testing.
Comments
Apr. 5, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
You get paid for having your children tested? Is that from the school district or is your homeschool group independent?
Apr. 5, 2008 - I rather oversimplified that statement...
Posted by shanmar
We belong to I.D.E.A., which is a distance learning program in the state of Alaska, which falls under the state school board juristiction. I receive an average of $1900 per student for curriculum and activities. They require that we turn in quarterly work samples and take the yearly state testing. You can homeschool independently in Alaska, and have no requirements whatsoever, but most homeschoolers choose to belong to some correspondence program. It is a fairly unique situation. The state shows about 10,000 homeschoolers belonging to these types of programs.
Apr. 9, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Jenni in KS
LOL! I'm pretty against testing, too, mostly because it seems pointless for many homeschoolers. Well, for me anyway. I think I could very easily be persuaded to be pro-testing and faithfully shuttle my kids to a high stress situation which we will learn little from and waste time and gas on for $5,000 though. Now I'm dreaming of all the things I could buy from the Forrestry Suppliers catalog for our science program!
Psst! Has Connor seen askaninja.com? Too, too funny!
