[email protected]

Hi ho,
I'm in the middle of a discussion with my fiance about homeschooling. His
argument is that every kid needs a test so that later on in life when they
take a test they won't freak.
My side is that I don't like the CTBS type tests anyway. I've seen how the
kids do on it at school anway, bored, mark bubbles to make pictures and never
have I had a kid do well on them anyway. I don't think it will show me a
thing.
His side, how do you know he's improving then?
Me, I see it! If I didn't see it doing any good then I would be the first
to put him back in public school.
Him: How do you know what he needs to be learning right now for his age?
Me.... where the heck do I begin here? lol I couldn't tell him. Instead
I gave him a couple of books to read.
He is not against homeschooling. He has been supportive of me. Of course
his son is not the one being homeschooled right now. I would like to bring
our 6 yr old to homeschooling next year and this is where he becomes hesitant
because of this testing issue. I've told him that because our 6 yr old will
be home with the 9 & 10 yr old he'll actually surpass what he's doing in
school because of being around the older kids.
Anyway, I'd sure appreciate some advice on how to handle this or I'd like
to hear others stories about testing or not testing their kids. If the kids
are not subjected to tests do they do ok on them later in life? Thanks
bunches and bunches.
Chelle the desert dweller

K WORTHEN

I could be way off base here, but why would the kids neccessarily have to
take tests later in life? Many colleges don't even require SAT's any more.
You could also take the "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it" route.
There are plenty of test prep courses and books out there, that you could
use on an as needed basis. Also you are right about the theory that the
younger kids will learn from the older ones. I see it every day. Good Luck.
Amy Worthen
Lowell, MA
----- Original Message -----
From: <HellElena@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000 11:00 PM
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] I need some advice please


> From: HellElena@...
>
> Hi ho,
> I'm in the middle of a discussion with my fiance about homeschooling.
His
> argument is that every kid needs a test so that later on in life when they
> take a test they won't freak.
> My side is that I don't like the CTBS type tests anyway. I've seen how
the
> kids do on it at school anway, bored, mark bubbles to make pictures and
never
> have I had a kid do well on them anyway. I don't think it will show me a
> thing.
> His side, how do you know he's improving then?
> Me, I see it! If I didn't see it doing any good then I would be the
first
> to put him back in public school.
> Him: How do you know what he needs to be learning right now for his
age?
> Me.... where the heck do I begin here? lol I couldn't tell him.
Instead
> I gave him a couple of books to read.
> He is not against homeschooling. He has been supportive of me. Of
course
> his son is not the one being homeschooled right now. I would like to
bring
> our 6 yr old to homeschooling next year and this is where he becomes
hesitant
> because of this testing issue. I've told him that because our 6 yr old
will
> be home with the 9 & 10 yr old he'll actually surpass what he's doing in
> school because of being around the older kids.
> Anyway, I'd sure appreciate some advice on how to handle this or I'd
like
> to hear others stories about testing or not testing their kids. If the
kids
> are not subjected to tests do they do ok on them later in life? Thanks
> bunches and bunches.
> Chelle the desert dweller
>
> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
> FREE ADVICE FROM REAL PEOPLE! Xpertsite has thousands of experts who
> are willing to answer your questions for FREE. Go to Xpertsite today
> and put your mind to rest.
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>
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>
>

Lynda

Well, a couple of thoughts here. Since most tests are multiple guess
anyway, it doesn't take a great deal of skill to take them if one is not
preconditioned with the test phobia that ps engenders. Most kids fail
tests because they continually hear how hard the test is going to be, blah,
blah, blah.

The ps system has created the "needs to know at x age" and that is one of
the biggest stumbling blocks to a child learning anything in the system.
They have forgotten that each child is an individual and as such has a need
to know, not at any given age, but on an individual basis. Some are early
readers, some are whizzes with math from the get go, some are born with an
urge to create beauty. It has nothing to do with age. Once one discards
this notion it is much easier and the kidlet is happier, for them to
actually absorb the things they know instead of creating a surface veneer
which dissolves and fades with age.

Lynda

P.S. Hello, Amy. I just noticed your sig line. Hubby is from Brockton
and his mother was born in Lowell. Small world.

----------

> From: "K WORTHEN" <kworthen@...>
>
> I could be way off base here, but why would the kids neccessarily have to
> take tests later in life? Many colleges don't even require SAT's any
more.
> You could also take the "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it"
route.
> There are plenty of test prep courses and books out there, that you could
> use on an as needed basis. Also you are right about the theory that the
> younger kids will learn from the older ones. I see it every day. Good
Luck.
> Amy Worthen
> Lowell, MA
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <HellElena@...>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000 11:00 PM
> Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] I need some advice please
>
>
> > From: HellElena@...
> >
> > Hi ho,
> > I'm in the middle of a discussion with my fiance about homeschooling.
> His
> > argument is that every kid needs a test so that later on in life when
they
> > take a test they won't freak.
> > My side is that I don't like the CTBS type tests anyway. I've seen
how
> the
> > kids do on it at school anway, bored, mark bubbles to make pictures and
> never
> > have I had a kid do well on them anyway. I don't think it will show me
a
> > thing.
> > His side, how do you know he's improving then?
> > Me, I see it! If I didn't see it doing any good then I would be the
> first
> > to put him back in public school.
> > Him: How do you know what he needs to be learning right now for his
> age?
> > Me.... where the heck do I begin here? lol I couldn't tell him.
> Instead
> > I gave him a couple of books to read.
> > He is not against homeschooling. He has been supportive of me. Of
> course
> > his son is not the one being homeschooled right now. I would like to
> bring
> > our 6 yr old to homeschooling next year and this is where he becomes
> hesitant
> > because of this testing issue. I've told him that because our 6 yr old
> will
> > be home with the 9 & 10 yr old he'll actually surpass what he's doing
in
> > school because of being around the older kids.
> > Anyway, I'd sure appreciate some advice on how to handle this or I'd
> like
> > to hear others stories about testing or not testing their kids. If the
> kids
> > are not subjected to tests do they do ok on them later in life?
Thanks
> > bunches and bunches.
> > Chelle the desert dweller
> >
> > --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor
----------------------------
> >
> > FREE ADVICE FROM REAL PEOPLE! Xpertsite has thousands of experts who
> > are willing to answer your questions for FREE. Go to Xpertsite today
> > and put your mind to rest.
> > <a href=" http://clickme.onelist.com/ad/XpersiteCPC ">Click Here</a>
> >
> >
------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> > Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
> >
> >
>
>
> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
> Get what you deserve with NextCard Visa. Rates as low as 2.9 percent
> Intro or 9.9 percent Fixed APR, online balance transfers, Rewards
> credit you deserve! Apply now! Get your NextCard Visa at
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Here</a>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
>

K WORTHEN

Dear Lynda,
Where are you living now?
Amy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lynda" <lurine@...>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2000 10:47 AM
Subject: Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] I need some advice please


> From: "Lynda" <lurine@...>
>
> Well, a couple of thoughts here. Since most tests are multiple guess
> anyway, it doesn't take a great deal of skill to take them if one is not
> preconditioned with the test phobia that ps engenders. Most kids fail
> tests because they continually hear how hard the test is going to be,
blah,
> blah, blah.
>
> The ps system has created the "needs to know at x age" and that is one of
> the biggest stumbling blocks to a child learning anything in the system.
> They have forgotten that each child is an individual and as such has a
need
> to know, not at any given age, but on an individual basis. Some are early
> readers, some are whizzes with math from the get go, some are born with an
> urge to create beauty. It has nothing to do with age. Once one discards
> this notion it is much easier and the kidlet is happier, for them to
> actually absorb the things they know instead of creating a surface veneer
> which dissolves and fades with age.
>
> Lynda
>
> P.S. Hello, Amy. I just noticed your sig line. Hubby is from Brockton
> and his mother was born in Lowell. Small world.
>
> ----------
>
> > From: "K WORTHEN" <kworthen@...>
> >
> > I could be way off base here, but why would the kids neccessarily have
to
> > take tests later in life? Many colleges don't even require SAT's any
> more.
> > You could also take the "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it"
> route.
> > There are plenty of test prep courses and books out there, that you
could
> > use on an as needed basis. Also you are right about the theory that the
> > younger kids will learn from the older ones. I see it every day. Good
> Luck.
> > Amy Worthen
> > Lowell, MA
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: <HellElena@...>
> > To: <[email protected]>
> > Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000 11:00 PM
> > Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] I need some advice please
> >
> >
> > > From: HellElena@...
> > >
> > > Hi ho,
> > > I'm in the middle of a discussion with my fiance about
homeschooling.
> > His
> > > argument is that every kid needs a test so that later on in life when
> they
> > > take a test they won't freak.
> > > My side is that I don't like the CTBS type tests anyway. I've seen
> how
> > the
> > > kids do on it at school anway, bored, mark bubbles to make pictures
and
> > never
> > > have I had a kid do well on them anyway. I don't think it will show
me
> a
> > > thing.
> > > His side, how do you know he's improving then?
> > > Me, I see it! If I didn't see it doing any good then I would be the
> > first
> > > to put him back in public school.
> > > Him: How do you know what he needs to be learning right now for his
> > age?
> > > Me.... where the heck do I begin here? lol I couldn't tell him.
> > Instead
> > > I gave him a couple of books to read.
> > > He is not against homeschooling. He has been supportive of me. Of
> > course
> > > his son is not the one being homeschooled right now. I would like to
> > bring
> > > our 6 yr old to homeschooling next year and this is where he becomes
> > hesitant
> > > because of this testing issue. I've told him that because our 6 yr
old
> > will
> > > be home with the 9 & 10 yr old he'll actually surpass what he's doing
> in
> > > school because of being around the older kids.
> > > Anyway, I'd sure appreciate some advice on how to handle this or I'd
> > like
> > > to hear others stories about testing or not testing their kids. If
the
> > kids
> > > are not subjected to tests do they do ok on them later in life?
> Thanks
> > > bunches and bunches.
> > > Chelle the desert dweller
> > >
> > > --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor
> ----------------------------
> > >
> > > FREE ADVICE FROM REAL PEOPLE! Xpertsite has thousands of experts who
> > > are willing to answer your questions for FREE. Go to Xpertsite today
> > > and put your mind to rest.
> > > <a href=" http://clickme.onelist.com/ad/XpersiteCPC ">Click Here</a>
> > >
> > >
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> > > Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
> >
> > Get what you deserve with NextCard Visa. Rates as low as 2.9 percent
> > Intro or 9.9 percent Fixed APR, online balance transfers, Rewards
> > credit you deserve! Apply now! Get your NextCard Visa at
> > <a href=" http://clickme.onelist.com/ad/NextcardCreative2 ">Click
> Here</a>
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> > Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
> >
>
> --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
> Get what you deserve with NextCard Visa. ZERO. Rates as low as 0.0
> percent Intro APR, online balance transfers, Rewards Points, no hidden
> fees, and much more. Get NextCard today and get the credit you deserve.
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> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
>
>

Lynda

We live in CA, Eureka in Humboldt County to be exact. Don't ask, I haven't
figured out how hubby's family ended up out here <g>

Lynda

----------
> From: "K WORTHEN" <kworthen@...>
>
> Dear Lynda,
> Where are you living now?
> Amy
> ----- Original Message -----