To Standardize Test Or Not? Contest Updates

First I want to update on the two contests running on this blog right now. March 13th, is my 1 yr anniversary for this blog. Anyone who signs up to follow this blog, will be entered into a contest to win 1000 Entrecard credits. The second contest is for the Sylvan 4th grade workbooks. I have three contestants so far, all from Twitter. You have until March 30th to enter, please see the top of this blog, for contest details.

Now to the topic of Standardized testing. Here in Florida they take the FCAT. It is this week, and like other third graders, the public school, offered for my son to take it. I contemplated it, as you can use it for your yearly evaluation, and save 65 dollars, but then chose not to. Why, because I do not think at this age standardized tests are accurate. Test tasting is hard enough, and a test that could effect whether or not you can go on to fourth grade, I just do not agree with. Now I must say for the 5th grade FCAT I will probably have him take. As he gets older Standardized tests can be very useful, especially if you feel your child will be college material. I am fairly certain my son will go to college, so he will eventually have to be skilled at Standardized tests. If your child is not college material, or learning disabled, then Standardized testing, probably is not appropriate nor even useful. The sad part, and one of the problems I have with these tests, is that they use them to decide which schools get better funding. They should be used as a learning tool, to see how a student is progressing, not a funding option. I really do dislike that. So what do you think about this subject? I would love to hear from other people who homeschool, as well as public schooled parents.

With all that said, we do, starting tomorrow have testing, made from material we have covered. They are timed, and specific. I use them for grading purposes, as well to see how much information has been retained. It is a tool I like to use, for both strengths, and weaknesses.