As a habit leftover from homeschooling in Virginia, I give my children a standardized test every year. My current state only requires every three years, but I like to have a test for my records, since we have a tendency school in a nontraditional way. I think it's good for my children to have practice taking tests. It gives me a sense of completion for the year.
This year, I did something a little different: I had Bug take online CAT test at Christian Liberty Academy. I had intended to have him take the ITBS at our (now dissolved) co-op. I normally like to test in May, but the test was to be offered in August, and then with the coop dissolved, I had to come up with something different to do.
Giving the ITBS myself at home is not a great option with a toddler in the house. I would have to do it on the weekends when my husband could watch Dot, and that is a pretty big drag on our weekend. At least this year, I could have given both tests at the same time, since grades 3-8 can be given together. Still, I just felt it was too much on top of starting a new school year. Besides, if I want them to take the ITBS in the spring, I thought it would be better to do a different test; I don't want them taking the same test with just a few months in between.
The online CAT test was easy to sign up for and easy to give to Bug. I had him take it while Dot was napping or occupied, and we did it over a couple of weeks. Most of the sections were very short, under 15 minutes. The best thing about it was that his score was sent to me instantly after he finished the final test. I was able to immediately email the results to my husband and print them for my records book.
The disadvantage is that it is only a language and math test. I like the science and social studies sections of the Iowa because they show that my children have a good level of literacy in those subjects.
Bug did quite well. His best score was for vocabulary (99th percentile)
and lowest in language mechanics (75th percentile). Haha; I am hoping
WriteShop will help us with those skills. As is the pattern for both of
my boys, Bug did better on math concepts than he did on computation.
I'm very pleased with how he did. I intended to give him a little bit
of test prep, such as some arithmetic and grammar practice worksheets,
but, as usual, I didn't get around to it, so his scores represent what
he can do with absolutely no specific test practice at all. (Sorry for the shameless bragging--I can't stop it!)
Overall, I am happy with the test and will be giving the CAT to Bee in a couple of weeks. I really want my kids, particularly Bee, to get practice taking a test in a group setting, so I may not use it again, but I will keep it in mind as a solid back-up plan for the boys in the future.
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