Let’s Talk About Yearly Evaluations with Felice Gerwitz

Podcast #190

Do you worry about yearly homeschool evaluations? Each year homeschoolers are required by law to provide evidence of an increase of knowledge. Depending on several factors including location (where you live) and legalities – your state’s policy or homeschool support or “umbrella school,” requirements your stress level can soar! Don’t worry, veteran homeschool mom will help you overcome testing anxiety with practical tools such as understanding your options or identifying which method will work best for you.

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Show Notes: Yearly Evaluations  

Standardized Tests

• Standardized Tests –for yearly evaluations
  1. Know deadlines
  2. Retest or not
  3. Prepare your kids to sit and bubble in
  4. Don’t cheat
  5. Don’t teach the test
  6. Scores –
     1. Percentile and rankings
     2. Stanine
     3. Grade equivalent

Standardized tests are logic tests they don’t test what a child knows – keep this in mind!  – Listen to College Prep Genius Podcast

1. Don’t freak out
   1. Keep results in perspective –
   2. Remediation – BrainCoachTips.com and  littlegiantsteps.com

• Yearly Evaluations – special issues or not
  1. Evaluation is when a teacher (certified) looks over your child’s work progress – typically a portfolio evaluation
  2. Who will you get to do the evaluations?
     1. What to ask evaluator
     2. Simple tests – can be administered
     3. Should get the evaluation on the spot – (I recommend) a letter saying nothing specific goes to the school board
     4. Send school board a basic letter that say your child has made progress.
     5. Don’t like the results? You have the option of turning it in or not.

• Portfolios for Yearly Evaluations
  1. Simply a 3-ring binder with work progression
  2. A collection of the beginning, middle and end of the year – papers, videos, picture albums, collection of math or writing papers, any tests, or samples of work, list of field trips, books you’ve read as a family and the child individually – any curriculum you’ve used, name and publisher – with of course work samples – I liked to slip sheet some stellar work to highlight in their notebook, lapbooks, etc. – again depending on what is required by law
  3. Your child may be required to be in attendance and most kids love the evaluations so they can show the person all they’ve learned.
  4. Umbrella school requirements –Umbrella school may require attendance

• Ways to alleviate parental stress:

1. You don’t have to use the test scores
2. You can give the test again – or seek a different approach
3. Seek an evaluation
4. Start early with fun review

• Safeguards to ensure that your kids are on track to make progress

1. Beginning, middle and end of the year check up
2. Evaluate your year as you move along
3. Change curriculum or remediate

• A review process that is fun and effective

1. Play educational games – low stress for kids
2. Be relaxed.
3. Use manipulatives to teach difficult concepts or struggling learners.
4. Creative teaching: Cooking– to teach fractions, etc.
5. Look at your curriculum –use assessments as practice.

Related Podcasts

• Teaching Checklist – Podcast 49 VHM
• Mid Year Checklist – 
• Back to Homeschool List – Podcast 96
• Giving Your Kids Time to Find their Passion – Podcast 48 VHM
• Living Books – with my special guest from Truth Quest History – Podcast 81
• Summer Reading List – podcast 84
  Younger children, Middle grades, High school
• Must read books – podcat 85 – all time favorites
  What Should We Read – Flourish At Home Podcast Episode 24 – How to choose good books

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