What About Testing?

"I know some kids who ought to exercise a right not to have their intelligence tested. They run the high risk of having their minds misrepresented by a score."
Mel Levine, M.D., A Mind at a Time

Tests have been a part of school since the classroom was established. Let's face it, tests were necessary for a teacher with a large number of students to evaluate and a limited amount of time to do so. But different learning styles absorb and process information in different ways, while most tests demand that the information be presented in one particular way. If your child doesn't seem to do well on tests, it is very likely that the test is calling for information in a way that doesn't match his or her learning style. A child that processes information globally will easily grasp big-picture concepts but will have difficulty breaking down information to specific details for a short-answer test; and likewise, an analytic child will quickly identify the details, but will have difficulty "seeing" the big picture.

Think back to your days in the classroom ... what was the normal environment for tests? Everyone sitting still at their desks, nobody permitted to speak, paper and pencil at hand and a timer (or was it just a clock) ticking. Sound familiar? There was an aspect of challenge for everyone in the room ... beyond the global versus analytic issues, the kinesthetic child can't move, the auditory child can't talk, and the visual child can't use visual aids. It's a wonder that more children through the decades didn't fall through the cracks of traditional testing. Perhaps they actually did.

Do you get the impression that I'm saying testing isn't necessary? Not really. Just don't confuse testing with accountability. A paper and pencil test isn't always the best way to evaluate your child's grasp of a subject. If you know your child's learning style, make that a primary consideration when you decide how to measure the level of your child's knowledge and grasp of the subject. Yes, they will need the discipline of being able to complete a written test, but that is not the sole means for evaluation.

We'll be talking about different alternate approaches to testing in the coming days ...

Tradition or Adaptation?

I know many families who have begun their school year - some venturing out for the first time, and some continuing the adventure where they left off earlier. I recently came across a book by Cynthia Tobias that reminded me of some ideas that may be of help to you. Our family's schooling experience was greatly enhanced by the information that I gleaned from several of Cynthia's books, starting with The Way They Learn, which is available from Sonlight.

Cynthia writes, "We do need educational reform, but most of all we need to remember who we are trying to educate. The students should be our first priority - each child should be considered an important and valuable customer who can potentially change the world for the better. We should keep our standards high, our academic goals clear, and our code of ethics strong. The point is, we need to teach kids to think, not just feed them facts to think about. That means we'll need to pay attention to the individual learning strengths and preferences of each student."

Cynthia inspired me to break the mold of my traditional education and adapt my approach to meet the needs of my children. While we still used the table for some of our work, we often abandoned it for more comfortable surroundings that were more conducive to my children focusing on the task at hand. I discovered that one of my boys was much more comfortable in softer lighting, that another could focus better when stretched out on the floor, and another was geared for best performance later in the day. There are a variety of aspects of your child's physical environment that could be modified to maximize his ability to focus and learn. These include the type of lighting (bright, soft, fluorescent, etc.), the seating arrangements (desk, table, floor, comfy chair, etc.), the temperature of the room, even the time of day that they are doing their work. Engage your child in experimenting with the best arrangement, but remember to hold him accountable for proving that the non-traditional study environment he prefers actually produces the best results.

What to do with the toddlers?

We've all been in that place in life - maybe you are there now - where we have a toddler who has significantly increased the activity level in our house as he runs circles around us until that blissful moment when he falls asleep. In the midst of this circumstance, you ask, how can I possibly homeschool? The answer is that you can, if you have a plan.

Let's face it, with a toddler in the house, you won't get much of anything done unless you have a plan. You know your child's ebbs and flows, so to speak. There will be times that he needs one-on-one, and there are times that he needs to be trained to work with the team. Don't fall into the mindset that everything must revolve around him constantly, and that his education (in terms of training, not academics) will wait until he is 4 or 5 years old. Begin now to introduce the concept of working together, helping with chores, etc.

There are a variety of ways to occupy a toddler or even incorporate him in your schoolwork. I would suggest that you look at my earlier posts pertaining to using movement to teach wiggly children - with modification, these methods can work to occuply toddlers, too. Other ideas would be:

~ set up small collections of toys in bins labeled for each school day (Monday, Tuesday, etc.) and offer those to your toddler on just that day of the week. Seeing these toys so infrequently will make them seem "new" and keep the child interested longer while you work with the older children.

~ create a place for the toddler to "do school" - whether in the high chair, in a chair at the table, or at a small table nearby - and give him tasks to work on. These can include lacing cards, stacking blocks, connecting Legos or Duplos, or other small-scale activities.

~ establish a "recess" for each of the older children to play with the toddler while you focus on a subject with one of the other children.

~ make the most of nap time, saving subjects for which an older child needs quiet to concentrate or your undivided attention, provided nap time falls at a time of day when that child is at his or her peak in focus ability.

~ if you use music to help your children memorize, encourage the toddler to participate. I particularly recommend the Sing the Word Bible memorization CDs that Sonlight offers - they work well at home or in the car.

You will be amazed at what they can learn just by being in the room with you while you teach your older children. I remember a TV commercial that illustrated this so very well ... it featured a family eating breakfast and Dad quizzing his son on the state capitols. When he asked him the capitol of Vermont, the boy seemed stumped, but his little sister, sitting in her high chair, looked up from the food on her tray and called out "Montpelier!" It could happen in your home, too!

Larger Movement for Learning

While incorporating small, quiet opportunities for movement may be appropriate for certain times in your school day, there are also other times when larger movement is needed. I would define "larger movement" as incorporating either the whole body or larger muscle groups.

One of the favorite tips that a good friend shared with me was adapting the idea of hopscotch to rehearsing facts. Take a collection of index cards and label them according to the facts you wish to review - examples would be letters, numbers, parts of speech, etc. The cards needed for the review are then scattered on the floor and as you ask a question, your child will jump on the card and say the answer. For example, if you are reviewing addition facts, you might scatter an assortment of numbered cards on the floor (space them according to reasonable jumping distances). When you call out "3 + 5" your child will answer (loudly, if you wish) "8" and jump on the index card labeled "8".

Another approach would be to play toss with a bean bag as you and your child recite linear information - meaning a series that has a beginning and an end, such as the books of the Bible, skip counting to 50, or even a memorized passage. I recommend using a bean bag so that if someone misses a catch you aren't as likely to need to chase it far as you might a ball.

Have you ever considered playing "Mother May I" as a part of reviewing details? This can be done with a group of children, even when they aren't on the same level. As "Mother" you can control what questions you ask each child (varying the difficulty as appropriate) and how they would advance when the answer is correct. Try it ... you might discover a whole new way to review everyone's History, Language Arts, Science or Math facts in one activity ... and have fun in the process!

Who says learning can only be accomplished sitting at a table or desk?

Pardon a slight detour ...

I have shared in an earlier post about the seasons of change that I am walking through this year. I know that my last post was the first in a series where I am sharing tips for working with wiggly students, and I will continue that ... but right now I am about to wiggle out of my own skin with gratitude to the Lord for the precious gift He brought into our family on Sunday.

Little Liv joined our family almost a month earlier than expected. She has wasted no time in wrapping our hearts around hers and we rejoice in her life and all the plans that God's Word says have already been written for her.


So now I carry the added title of "grandma" or whatever actual name it works out to be. New horizons, great excitement, even a fresh perspective on family. I am blessed!

Quiet Movement While Learning

As we break out of the classroom mold and discover the freedom we have in adjusting our methods and the environment we provide our children for learning. For the wiggle worm - the child who needs their world to stay in motion in order to be able to focus on details - there are a variety of types of movement which can be incorporated into your learning activities. I've already mentioned in my last post letting them manipulate Silly Putty or Play Doh in their hands, or sitting in a rocking chair, while they listen to you read out loud or discuss a topic with you. Other ideas could include:

~ salt dough ... building a model as they listen to a story
~ Legos ... provide a specific building assignment
~ drawing ... better to trace or copy and color a picture than freestyle drawing
~ bounce on a mini trampoline
~ provide a bowl of screws, a screwdriver and a piece of scrap wood
~ sort a bowl of assorted craft puff balls by size or color
~ mopping the floor, dusting furniture
~ create patterns with rubber bands on a geoboard
~ play with paper dolls (many historical sites offer thematic paper dolls in their gift shops - these can be geared for girls or boys)

Next I'll be posting ideas for larger movement to incorporate as you seek to provide the keys your child needs to unlock his educational success.

Starting a new homeschool year?

Are you just considering the option of homeschooling? Perhaps your child's experience in the traditional classroom has been a wake-up call to the difference between his gifts and their teaching style. On the other hand, you may have already been homeschooling and realized that your definition of learning - most likely established in your experiences as a child in the classroom - do not seem to connect with your child. That's okay ... in fact, it's quite common. As mothers, we may have carried, birthed and raised them, but we all realize fairly early that no two children are alike, and they are often very different from us!

So my first encouragement - you may call it a 'nugget of wisdom' based on years of experience in breaking out of the classroom mold - would be to NOT emulate the classroom! Especially if you pulled your children out of that environment because it wasn't working. Think about it: you have most likely been with your child more than anyone else on this planet - you fed and diapered him when a baby, you encouraged him as he took his first steps, you protected him as he explored his environment, you taught him to talk and to dress himself - so why wouldn't you be equally qualified to teach him academic subjects as well? Follow your instincts, listen to your child radar, and build on what works for your child.

Who decided that children needed to be sitting in a desk or at a table to do their schoolwork? Perhaps that's necessary to maintain order in a classroom, but in the tutorial environment of your home there are a variety of appropriate locations for your child to learn. I learned very quickly that my wiggly boys needed to shift locations often, so we would alternate between my reading to them while they sat on the couch or lounged on the floor and sitting at the table (or a reasonable surface) for written work. When it was far too distracting for a child to sit at the table, they would move their work to the kitchen counter and stand while they completed it.

A particularly wiggly child is usually a signal that they need to be moving in order to learn. If you want their ears and mind tuned in while you read to them or discuss something, let them manipulate something (Silly Putty, for example) in their hands, or sit in a rocking chair to add motion. Sitting on a large exercise ball may be a better option than a solid chair at the table, because they can incorporate motion while they are working (and it is usually quiet motion). Allow such motion will "free" your child to listen and focus.

Pay attention to your style. If you tend to speak fast and energetically, you will rev up your already wiggly child. When you need them calm for an activity, lead into that time with your own calm actions and voice. Have you ever had an energetic game of tug of war with a dog? When you are ready to quit, the dog is usually still eager to play, and it takes some effort with a calm voice and gentle petting to get them to mellow out. It's really the same with your children. So consider how you can help your child prepare for the next activity.

Use this summer to talk with other homeschooling parents, research ideas and build your repertoire of learning approaches to meet your child(ren)'s needs. If you try something and it bombs, set it aside and look for another idea. Just remember, it's not that your child is defective, he is just wired to learn differently. Your goal is to find what works with his wiring.