Live & Learn

Some time ago, I put in my two cents on standardized testing. I'm still not a fan, although I just discovered something that obviously has some bearing on my strong opinion: I had administered the wrong test to my kids!

I was covered in despair last year as they tested and I glanced over their shoulders at the questions, many about items we had not covered. There was a lot of guessing on their part, and self-condemnation on mine. What kind of homeschooler was I? Why were my children "behind"? Did other kids in their grades know this stuff? In spite of my fears, they still scored average or above in most sections.

This whole school year, the dread of testing hovered like a dark cloud. Would my kids and I end up discouraged again after testing? Would the passages and problems seem like a foreign language to us again? Why should I spend my year teaching to a test?, I wondered with bitterness. I tried to adopt a "who cares?" attitude, although I care very much! My children's learning is too important to me to not care about every part, even a standardized test.

This morning, I ordered the CAT test again, thinking that we needed to get it over with sooner or later. I ordered from a different company, since this time I wanted to have them take the test untimed. Last year, I recalled having to specify the "grade entering," rather than the grades they had just completed. This time, the new company simply asked "Grade" for what test I wanted. Since my girls were in 3rd and 4th grades this year, I ordered the tests for grades 3 and 4. Logical, right?

The online CAT test is a good option, because sections can be taken over time. My 3rd grader wanted to start with Reading Comprehension, while my 4th grader began with Math Computation. As I looked over their shoulders today, I thought, these questions seem more reasonable this time! Then it dawned on me what had happened: last year, my child who had just completed 2nd grade had taken the 3rd grade test, and my child who had just completed 3rd grade had taken the 4th grade test. They are taking the same tests this year that they took last year! Why???!!!! 

I called and talked to a representative from the company I'm using this year. I explained to the lady that last year, I had to tell what grades my girls were "entering," rather than the grades they had just completed. This year, (same test but different company), I was asked for what "grade" test I wanted, so I naturally said 3rd and 4th, since those were the grades they had completed. Doesn't it seem obvious that someone who just finished 3rd grade would take the 3rd grade test?

The lady answered that they "recommend" taking the test for the grade level the student is entering, although many parents choose to have their child(ren) take the test for the grade completed. Are you as baffled at this point as I was, and still am? Why on earth would I spend time making sure my 3rd grader learned all those 3rd grade things, only to say, "Okay, you've done so well in 3rd grade...now here's the 4th grade test. See how well you can do on that!"?? Yet that's exactly what the testing company from last year had me do, and because of it, my kids and I wanted to pull our hair out! I didn't know otherwise; I assumed they were still taking the test for the grade they had just completed, and the company had made me list what grade they were entering for some type of protocol.

Where is the logic in working hard, improving in reading, math, reasoning, narration, comprehension, and many other skills, only to take a test with things on it that you'll learn next year? Isn't the point of a test to show parents and teachers what the child has learned, and where improvements must be made? Here I was, beating my head against a wall, wondering where I'd gone wrong, only to realize that where I'd gone wrong was in the level of test I'd administered! How relieved I am to now give them the right tests...the same ones they took last year, which are much easier this year!

The devil aims as many fiery darts of darkness and lies at me as he can. Many of those have to do with what kind of mother and teacher I am. I believed that I was lacking in some area of my teaching, all because of this ridiculous "recommendation." It's like telling an Algebra 1 student to take the Algebra 2 test. Nothing but frustration can come from it. I'm aggravated that the other company would give this as the only option in ordering the test, causing worry to people like me who didn't know better. However, there is great relief in realizing the truth. I had wondered many times how others could always remark that the CAT was so "easy," when I was thinking how hard it had been for my children. Wonder no more!

Here's my advice: if you use the CAT, make sure your children are taking the test for the grade level completed, not the grade they are entering. I naively assumed that if I said my kid was "entering" 3rd grade, the company still gave a test appropriate for someone who had just finished 2nd grade. How relieved I am to know the truth! To me, this is an illustration of letting "yes" be "yes," and "no," "no." Why not just ask, like the current company we're using, "Which grade test do you want?" Makes much more sense, because it's how things should be. Life (and, these days, education) doesn't have to be as hard as we make it. Absolutes will always be absolutes. Eight-year-olds will always have eight-year-old brains, regardless of our attempts to force advanced things into them. When Christ told us to be clear in our rhetoric, He, as usual, knew what He was talking about; it goes deeper than a simple yes or no. 

"But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one." Matthew 5:37