Let's Talk
- ID = 4
- Category = General (1)
- Created = Jan 27, 2010
- Author = Kara
- Question = Q: Is testing necessary?
- Answer = A: (Steve) Asking whether or not testing is necessary only
gets to part of the conversation about testing. A simple answer
to that question is, "No." Barring college entrance exams and
tyrannical state homeschooling laws that force homeschoolers into
testing, there is no requirement to test.
My guess is that the real question this reader had in mind is
whether or not they should voluntarily test their child
throughout his or her education in order to measure them against
the average child and determine where their weak spots may be.
Assuming that is the motive behind the question, I’m compelled to
say (READ MORE) that this appears to be just another example of
the fact that homeschoolers are still learning and growing in
their understanding of education, discipleship, and our freedom
in Christ.
I have been asked this question before, and my response is always
the same. First, I try to find out why the homeschooler wants to
test their child. This reveals their motives and often their
answers have everything to do with a lack of confidence in their
ability to educate their child, a desire to keep their child in
line with an external standard, and gaining some assurance that
their child is not falling behind in any one area.
Taking their reasons for testing one by one, I respond, "It is a
good thing that you lack confidence in your ability to educate
your child, but not to lack confidence in God to help you along
the way." No parent has experience homeschooling their children
when they get started. It’s a new venture and something to be
learned. If you have done this, you know exactly what I mean, God
is teaching you, the parent, as much and maybe more than the
child. The point is that God is teaching you and your child at
the same time. It is a beautiful thing to experience!
I then ask them by what standard they measure their success as a
homeschooling parent. The only correct answer to this is God’s
standards, or the Bible, or in this case, the prototypical Sunday
School answer, "Jesus," is the correct answer. The Bible says,
"Whether, therefore, you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all
for the glory of God" (I Corinthians 10:31). Your goal in
homeschooling is the same as your goal in life, because
essentially, homeschooling simply put is your life. I am not
saying that you have to always homeschool, but that whether you
realize it or not, you already are. No external standard like a
national average test grade is going to help you with that goal.
Falling behind is one of the biggest fears for homeschooling
parents. We are so brainwashed to think that the education
professionals have the edge on us because they’re so organized
and methodical, or because they move chronologically through
history, or some other silly standard they keep that we self-
impose. Or, maybe our fear comes from thinking that our child
must do what children in schools are doing and at the same age.
Is the word "hogwash" appropriate now? If you think your child
has fallen behind in a specific area, ask yourself the obvious
question, "Behind whom?!" The average child? If your standard for
your child is that they grow to be like Christ, how does
comparing them to the average government schooled child help? If
you sense your child is behind in a particular area then do
something about it, but do not panic. Trust God to help you and
him, then try another approach, spend more time, be more
consistent with him, ask a friend how they did it, check out the
Homeschooling Today website for articles on the subject, and
finally, relax and trust God to complete His good work in your
child.
To wrap this up, I would like to share a great story with you.
About five years ago we were in a full scale assault on our then
eight year old son who was having great difficulty with reading.
It was so bad that we didn’t dare test him. We already knew what
the results would be and it was discouraging. Over time, my wife
was patient and continued to read and learn and ultimately trust
God to bring his reading skills along. This took a significant
amount of faith knowing that our ultimate goal in teaching our
children to read is so they can spend their lives reading God’s
Word. The stakes were high. Then, after purchasing the magazine,
we felt even more pressure to be examples of great homeschooling
and having a twelve year old son who could not yet read fluently
was scary. Right around his thirteenth birthday, something
happened. It was as if a switch was flipped and suddenly he was a
reader. He not only began to read fluently, but within a month he
advanced five grade levels and was reading 500-600 page books
effortlessly and with great joy! Now, almost two years later, it
is not uncommon for us to hear him up in the bedroom with the
other kids reading a book to them all. God’s timing is not our
own. His standards must become our own, and his will is our goal.
So, test if you must, but God’s Word must be your sole standard
and the discipleship of your child as your singular goal.
"But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing
themselves among themselves, are not wise." 2 Corinthians10: 12
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a
good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."
Philippians 1: 6 - Answered By = Kara
- Answered On = Jan 27, 2010
- Approved By = Kara
- Approved On = Jan 27, 2010
- Return Link = Return