There is a tendency for the heart to race and the anxiety levels to shoot up in students the minute you mention the word examination. Taking a test should not be blown out of proportion. The homeschooling family should understand the importance of a test but should know how to compartmentalize it in the bigger picture as well.
[am4show have=’p8;p9;p11;p38;’ guest_error=’Guest error message’ user_error=’User error message’ ]
Don’t sweat the small stuff and a test is small stuff
A test, whether taken at home or as a standardized instrument of learning, is just a test. Consider it small stuff in the larger scheme of life. While it is correct for the homeschooling parent to encourage the child being tutored to do his or her best in a test, they should also make sure that the child understands that this test is not the be-all or end-all of things. There is much more to life than tests and the possible admission to college based on them. Doing well on the test is important but staying sane is much more vital. Remember you can always retake the test to improve your score.
Standardized tests help home school parents measure their children’s skill levels
Homeschooling parents can compare the test-taking ability of their student to students in regular school by ensuring that they appear in some standardized tests during the school year. This allows the parent to get a fair idea of how well their child is doing compared to others in the same grade or age group. It gives them an unbiased evaluation of how well the child is learning based on their teaching methodology. It also points out the strengths and weaknesses of the student allowing the parent to focus on them in future home school classes.
Tests are not a full measure of worth
Most tests have a very limited scope. They do test some skills that you possess but those skills are not a sum total of who you are as an individual. This is a point that the homeschooling parent must ensure that the student understands. The fear of getting a bad score should not stress out the student. The score itself can change when the preparation of the student and the testing conditions change.
Article Inspiration: About Homeschooling
[/am4show]