Search Results for: blog why my kids havent taken a test yet

Is Testing Homeschoolers Really a Bad Idea?

A recent Washington Post article promotes homeschool testing as a way to tame this huge “sleeping giant”. To ease the fears of public school students and to protect students from “well-meaning but inexperienced parents” It seems the general public wants to put more restrictions on homeschoolers regardless of how successful we are. The article profiles author, associated professor at Indiana University, and former high school teacher Robert Kunzman and his book “Write These laws on Your Children: Inside the World of Conservative Christian Homeschooling”. The author was allowed into the homes of six homeschoolers across the country so he could … Continue reading →

Reasons I am glad we homeschool: Cheating on tests

Were you aware that students print cheat sheets in a very small font, then tape them to the inside of a water bottle label. The water magnifies the text, and walla! They get an easy A? Were you aware that students scan a coke label, and then edit in a graphic design program to have information on the exam instead of the ingredients? Neither did I? Did you know that you can purchase a pen that you can tape cheat information in and each time you click the barrel, it reveals more information? I am amazed. Did you know you … Continue reading →

The Purpose of a Standardized Test. . .

Standardized testing season is soon upon us. I have talked to countless parents, both homeschooling and as a teacher, who felt the need to “prepare” for the standardized test. Since teachers are evaluated in part on how well their students test, there seems to be a culture about testing that is inevitable. It is in one word: pressured. I just thought today I would post with this thought: testing doesn’t need to be and shouldn’t be pressured. I also am of the school of thought that you don’t have to prepare for it. It should be a measure of what … Continue reading →

Lack of Assessment Bothers Non-Homeschoolers

I was reading an article, actually a response from HSLDA to a columnist who is concerned about home schooling and its lack of oversight in his state. As you probably know, some states are heavily regulated while others are not. What caught my eye though wasn’t HSLDA’s response or the article itself. It was the comments left on the article below. It seems that people are really bothered by the lack of perceived assessment in the home schooling community. Why Teachers Assess Let’s say for a minute, that you are a classroom teacher. You get a brand new batch of … Continue reading →

What Is Your Teaching Style?

A few days ago, I talked about why I felt it was important to identify your teaching style. I think new homeschoolers should really spend some time thinking through their philosophy of education. During their first year of teaching, I think new homeschoolers would do well to consider how they like teaching best. Today I’m going to describe the four teaching styles. Formal Authority Formal authority teachers feel like it is their job to illuminate the content for their students. Their job is to teach the content and the student’s job is to receive it. Teachers who have this type … Continue reading →

Does Homeschooling Need More Regulating?

If you’ve read some of my blogs and comments, you know that I live in a state that’s very highly regulated. Just to give some background, I have to turn in, each and every year, a letter of intent, and individualized home instruction program, four quarterly reports and one annual assessment. In fact, I’ve done quite a bit of research on the requirements of various states and there is not a state in the US that requires more paperwork. (Although there are a few states where getting ‘permission’ to homeschool seems to be a bit more tricky.) I was recently … Continue reading →