Homeschool: Assess to Progress

Empowering homeschoolers: Assess, Improve, Succeed

Hey there Homeschool Heroes!
Today we talk about something really important…

Conflict.
I said it.
Homeschooling is not always easy.
Sometimes it is difficult to teach your own children.

It can be tempting to shy away from areas of home education that cause even more strife.
Assessment is one of these areas.
However, assessment is crucial for your child to grow and learn in their skills.
If done gently, this can be an area that is no longer cringe worthy and instead a tool that you both look forward to.

1. Create a Plan

Imagine trying to follow someone who’s constantly darting around.
You’d never know where they were going, right?
That’s kind of like assessment.

It’s super helpful to have a clear plan for what you want to assess and how you want to do it. 

Take some time to identify the specific skills and knowledge areas you want to evaluate.
Then look at the most appropriate methods for assessing each area.
These methods may included tests, quizzes, homework, projects, portfolios, or simple observation.

Do not overlook any state or national standards you need to meet!
This may affect how you do some of your assessment.
One of the most important aspects that we are going to talk about, and that you should keep in mind, is how will each form of assessment provide feedback for growth for your child?

2. Understand Your Child’s Learning Style

Have you heard me say this enough times already?!
Your child will be so much more successful and there be less battle of wills if you are teaching according to their learning style.
Each child learns differently so don’t assume one child will be the same as the other-that would be too easy for us parents!

To quickly recap:
Visual: Learn through taking notes, visual displays, charts, graphs, etc.
Auditory: Learn through listening and discussion.
Kinesthetic: Learn through doing also utilize the 5 senses.
Read/Write: Ah, the easy one to teach! They learn by reading and writing information down.

There is another set of “styles” of learning you should be aware of:
Social/Linguistic: They like “group think” and collaborating with others.
Logical/Analytical: They search for patterns, reasoning, they like using problem solving skills.
Solitary: They like to learn alone, they do not want to be part of a group.
Nature: Calm and relaxing environment, outdoors if at all possible. They also like tactile learning.

I reiterate these because if you have a kinesthetic, social/linguistic child, moving them from the public schools to a computer homeschooling program is a recipe for disaster.

3. Provide Constructive Feedback

Assessment can really just be a tool to offer constructive feedback.
Students need to understand their strengths and weaknesses for growth and learning.
Parent educators can use the assessment tools to gauge what their child understands so that they know how and what to teach next.

When you look at assessment as a tool for both of you-not an end all or a label to this is what type of student you are, the attitude around the assessment completely changes.

4. Encourage Independent Self-Assessment

The ability to self-evaluate and assess is a life skill.
Encourage your child to take ownership of their work by giving them opportunities for self directed learning.
Allow them to choose topics or projects.
Help them develop rubrics for assessment and then teach them how to self evaluate using the rubric.

What NOT to do:

1. You are/are not smart.
   Do not link the assessment to academic intelligence.
   Treat it as a tool for growth.

2. One and done.
Do not use one form of assessment all of the time.
There are many ways to determine if your child as learned a subject:
Observation
Quizzes, tests, exams
Puzzles, crosswords, games
Projects
Writing
Conference/oral
Portfolios

3. Do not make it a conflict.
If your child feels anxious about the way you are assessing, talk with them.
Explain your goal.
You need to know what they have learned so you can better educate them.
How can they communicate this to you so that it will not cause them anxiety?

Homeschooling is a journey of learning and growth, and assessment is an essential part of that journey.
By embracing a gentle approach to assessment, you can create a positive environment for your child to thrive and celebrate their progress.
Forget the pressure of grades, focus on nurturing a love for learning, and watch your child flourish.

“If you like easy, my program isn’t for you.
Nothing great comes from easy.”
-Robert Callaghan, ‘Big Hero 6’.