suggestions on IDEA
mabeitzel
We just got into the IDEA program. I don't know if anyone here is
familiar with it, but I'll give a quick rundown. It is a program
offered to military families stationed in the Pacific who choose to
homeschool. Once in the program your child's records are kept in
Alaska. You are given $1200 per child per year to help with
curriculum costs or activities that apply to your homeschooling.
You are also given a computer to use during your time in the
program. You are given a teacher contact...for questions and such.
You have to send in 2 progress reports each year as well as an
Individual Learning plan for the year. Now, I know that I can still
unschool and be able to use the support of this program as it would
be extremely helpful financially. The only thing that worries me a
little is that the kids must test at the end of the year (3rd and
up) which is provided by the IDEA program. I worry that if my son
doesn't show enough progress ...well..worse case is that they drop
us. "Test" always worries me, but all in all what does that do to
us? If his test scores are really low and in his records does it
affect us adversely in any way? Especially if we are planning to
never go back to a school? I need suggestions on putting together
this ILP under my unschooling regime :) I also have to send in
samples of their work quarterly which is really no big deal as long
as I keep some things they work on. They don't require any specific
curriculum. We are happy to have gotten into the program even though
I put us on the list prior to the decision to unschool. My husband
now reminds me that I will be "accountable" for their
education...arrghhh!!! Any suggestions out there? Thanks a bunch
in advance!
Michelle B.
familiar with it, but I'll give a quick rundown. It is a program
offered to military families stationed in the Pacific who choose to
homeschool. Once in the program your child's records are kept in
Alaska. You are given $1200 per child per year to help with
curriculum costs or activities that apply to your homeschooling.
You are also given a computer to use during your time in the
program. You are given a teacher contact...for questions and such.
You have to send in 2 progress reports each year as well as an
Individual Learning plan for the year. Now, I know that I can still
unschool and be able to use the support of this program as it would
be extremely helpful financially. The only thing that worries me a
little is that the kids must test at the end of the year (3rd and
up) which is provided by the IDEA program. I worry that if my son
doesn't show enough progress ...well..worse case is that they drop
us. "Test" always worries me, but all in all what does that do to
us? If his test scores are really low and in his records does it
affect us adversely in any way? Especially if we are planning to
never go back to a school? I need suggestions on putting together
this ILP under my unschooling regime :) I also have to send in
samples of their work quarterly which is really no big deal as long
as I keep some things they work on. They don't require any specific
curriculum. We are happy to have gotten into the program even though
I put us on the list prior to the decision to unschool. My husband
now reminds me that I will be "accountable" for their
education...arrghhh!!! Any suggestions out there? Thanks a bunch
in advance!
Michelle B.
[email protected]
In a message dated 10/24/02 7:40:30 PM, mabeitzel@... writes:
<< The only thing that worries me a
little is that the kids must test at the end of the year (3rd and
up) which is provided by the IDEA program. I worry that if my son
doesn't show enough progress ...well..worse case is that they drop
us. "Test" always worries me >>
Are the tests self-administered?
If so, here's my advice,
canned, pre-written, also available at
http://SandraDodd.com/tests
IF YOU CANNOT AVOID STANDARDIZED TESTS...
...then just invalidate the results.
Here is a short piece from the February 2000 issue of
Home Education Magazine's online newsletter . They unfairly called this
"Sandra Dodd Cheats on Tests." I never did! I'm simply and subversively
recommending that in the absence of the opportunity to avoid them altogether,
the second best option might be invalidating them. (The paragraph beneath
appeared in the newsletter too; I've added links but not text to it.)
On the topic of testing: I have a very serious suggestion which will seem
like a joke, but I'm absolutely soberly recommending this:
Cheat.
Don't cheat to get a better score or a worse score. Just invalidate the test
either by taking too long, or making a pattern with all the answer marks in
odd-numbered sections, or using dice to decide anything for which the answer
isn't absolutely obvious to the child.
If the parent and child both know in advance that the scores could not
POSSIBLY actually begin to attempt to reflect the child's "actual" knowledge
or intelligence or aptitude or value, then that number will lose its juju and
its ability to harm the child-parent relationship.
Of all the things I believe strongly, one which has changed my life as
profoundly as any one other belief is my personal knowledge that test scores
can and do (can't fail to) affect the treatment a child receives at his
parents' hands. High scores, low scores, average scores--no matter. Parents
cease to treat the child as his original, known self and color him soul deep
with that number.
My life would have been different. My husband's life would have been
different, without those 5th and 8th grade ITBS scores. I venture to say
without even knowing who is reading this that your life would have been
different, and specifically I believe your life would have been better, had
not you been branded with a number on your "permanent record" (there's a big
mean scary joke, the "permanence" and important parts) as a young innocent
ten or thirteen year old full of potential, at some unknown point on a
learning curve which might soon be at its settled-out point, or might just be
beginning.
Copyright © 2000, Sandra Dodd.
<< The only thing that worries me a
little is that the kids must test at the end of the year (3rd and
up) which is provided by the IDEA program. I worry that if my son
doesn't show enough progress ...well..worse case is that they drop
us. "Test" always worries me >>
Are the tests self-administered?
If so, here's my advice,
canned, pre-written, also available at
http://SandraDodd.com/tests
IF YOU CANNOT AVOID STANDARDIZED TESTS...
...then just invalidate the results.
Here is a short piece from the February 2000 issue of
Home Education Magazine's online newsletter . They unfairly called this
"Sandra Dodd Cheats on Tests." I never did! I'm simply and subversively
recommending that in the absence of the opportunity to avoid them altogether,
the second best option might be invalidating them. (The paragraph beneath
appeared in the newsletter too; I've added links but not text to it.)
On the topic of testing: I have a very serious suggestion which will seem
like a joke, but I'm absolutely soberly recommending this:
Cheat.
Don't cheat to get a better score or a worse score. Just invalidate the test
either by taking too long, or making a pattern with all the answer marks in
odd-numbered sections, or using dice to decide anything for which the answer
isn't absolutely obvious to the child.
If the parent and child both know in advance that the scores could not
POSSIBLY actually begin to attempt to reflect the child's "actual" knowledge
or intelligence or aptitude or value, then that number will lose its juju and
its ability to harm the child-parent relationship.
Of all the things I believe strongly, one which has changed my life as
profoundly as any one other belief is my personal knowledge that test scores
can and do (can't fail to) affect the treatment a child receives at his
parents' hands. High scores, low scores, average scores--no matter. Parents
cease to treat the child as his original, known self and color him soul deep
with that number.
My life would have been different. My husband's life would have been
different, without those 5th and 8th grade ITBS scores. I venture to say
without even knowing who is reading this that your life would have been
different, and specifically I believe your life would have been better, had
not you been branded with a number on your "permanent record" (there's a big
mean scary joke, the "permanence" and important parts) as a young innocent
ten or thirteen year old full of potential, at some unknown point on a
learning curve which might soon be at its settled-out point, or might just be
beginning.
Copyright © 2000, Sandra Dodd.
kayb85
Can you decide which grade level your child is in? Can you put a 9
year old in first grade?
I tried out a cyber-charter school for my kids. It was tempting--
"free" computer, "free" art lessons, music lessons, and phys ed costs
(paying for soccer, basketball fees). I was told when we signed up
we could take only foreign languages and electives. Then they kept
adding more and more restrictions. They said, well now you have to
take all "core" subjects, but you can go at your own pace, take 2
months to finish one assignment if you want, and you can pick and
choose which activities you like. And of course it got to the point
where you had to do all lessons assigned by the end of the year.
I've always been skeptical of "free" government programs. But I
asked these specific questions before I got involved, and figured a
public cyber charter school wouldn't lie. Ha!
Now I know more than ever that NOTHING is free. I would be very,
very careful, because public money always comes with strings.
Sheila
year old in first grade?
I tried out a cyber-charter school for my kids. It was tempting--
"free" computer, "free" art lessons, music lessons, and phys ed costs
(paying for soccer, basketball fees). I was told when we signed up
we could take only foreign languages and electives. Then they kept
adding more and more restrictions. They said, well now you have to
take all "core" subjects, but you can go at your own pace, take 2
months to finish one assignment if you want, and you can pick and
choose which activities you like. And of course it got to the point
where you had to do all lessons assigned by the end of the year.
I've always been skeptical of "free" government programs. But I
asked these specific questions before I got involved, and figured a
public cyber charter school wouldn't lie. Ha!
Now I know more than ever that NOTHING is free. I would be very,
very careful, because public money always comes with strings.
Sheila
--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., "mabeitzel" <mabeitzel@y...> wrote:
> We just got into the IDEA program. I don't know if anyone here is
> familiar with it, but I'll give a quick rundown. It is a program
> offered to military families stationed in the Pacific who choose to
> homeschool. Once in the program your child's records are kept in
> Alaska. You are given $1200 per child per year to help with
> curriculum costs or activities that apply to your homeschooling.
> You are also given a computer to use during your time in the
> program. You are given a teacher contact...for questions and
such.
> You have to send in 2 progress reports each year as well as an
> Individual Learning plan for the year. Now, I know that I can
still
> unschool and be able to use the support of this program as it would
> be extremely helpful financially. The only thing that worries me a
> little is that the kids must test at the end of the year (3rd and
> up) which is provided by the IDEA program. I worry that if my son
> doesn't show enough progress ...well..worse case is that they drop
> us. "Test" always worries me, but all in all what does that do to
> us? If his test scores are really low and in his records does it
> affect us adversely in any way? Especially if we are planning to
> never go back to a school? I need suggestions on putting together
> this ILP under my unschooling regime :) I also have to send in
> samples of their work quarterly which is really no big deal as long
> as I keep some things they work on. They don't require any
specific
> curriculum. We are happy to have gotten into the program even
though
> I put us on the list prior to the decision to unschool. My husband
> now reminds me that I will be "accountable" for their
> education...arrghhh!!! Any suggestions out there? Thanks a bunch
> in advance!
> Michelle B.