Learning in the Absence of Education
Essays on Homeschooling
© Beverley Paine
Index
Homeschool
Australia
Thoughts on Testing
We don't believe in 'testing' the children to measure their academic achievement, we think it is detrimental to their self esteem and confidence. However, 'testing' is a natural consequence of
life, just as competition seems to be.
I find I 'test' my children every day - perhaps a better word would be challenge. I consciously
set them little tasks or questions which I know they are fairly able to master. These are always
in context, not divorced from some real life activity or situation.
Mostly I assess my children's abilities through observing them, and by measuring that against my
expectations. I constantly check to see if my expectations are realistic, and if they are tailored to
my children's individual needs, not standards set by outside sources. I have found that what was
applicable for one child in terms of achievement is totally unrealistic for another.
When I gauge these things I like to take into account the holistic picture of the developing child
- what all the strengths and weaknesses are. Observing and marking the strengths, by celebrating
them in various ways, is an important part of this evaluation process for us. 'Testing', on the other
hand, especially in a formal way, focuses more on the child's weaknesses, placing more emphasis
on correction, than in pursuing excellence in areas of talent.
The children like to 'test' themselves and I don't discourage this. They know about school and
employee type tests. I will set them tests if they ask for them, and encourage them to participate
in quizzes and puzzles.
The best tests are those that are not competitive, or set against a 'standard', but are ones that
measure a child's progress against previous achievements. Homeschools can easily make their
own tests of this kind.
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Excerpt from Learning in the Absence of Home Education: Essays on Homeschooling
© Beverley Paine, 1999
