A parent looks back

As parents we strive to avoid transferring our fears or negative experiences on to our children. Writing tests is one particular negative experience that I endeavour not to transfer. Just the word ‘test’ conjures up a multitude of concepts. What power a piece of paper carries when the word test is stamped on it! I’m sure we could debate for hours about our personal concept of tests. Yet this is a story about my daughter’s concept of tests and consequently my renewed concept of tests.

After 10 years of homeschooling my children I am beginning to understand that my views of tests differ remarkable from my children’s. As a homeschool mother I value meaning in learning. If one cannot learn from a test, than what is the point of administering it. (I hope I’m not treading in hot water here.) I pretty well knew what my children knew and what they didn’t know, so why test them? As a result my children would beg me for tests. “We want tests and grades like the school kids!” Ugh! So I would give them the occasional test. But I might add - I used the tests as a learning tool. When they didn’t understand the concept or skill I would precede to explain it. Tests became learning experiences.

My daughter now is of the ripe old age of FSA testing. We discussed FSA testing and its purpose. Because she has never gone to the brick and mortar schools, she is keen to know where she stands in relation to “school kids.” To help her prepare for the test I showed her the sample tests online (see below for link). We decided to start on the Numeracy test. True to my belief that tests should be learning experiences, we set to work “learning” math.

You see, although my daughter is in Grade 7 she really has been avoiding learning math. Although she has worked on her math over the years her heart wasn’t in it and thus she didn’t retain or grasp the concepts and skills well. This year she has dived into math; determined to master the skills and concepts for her recommended age.

When she proceeded to write the sample numeracy test she found she needed my help with every single problem! Ugh! I found my test fears surfacing. “Oh no, she is going to do terrible on the test and I’m supposed to be a teacher!” Panic hit.

And what was her reaction to these test questions. Remember she is not carrying my baggage of school days gone by. She proceeded to reassure me, that everything would be fine and that she would just learn how to do each problem with my help and then go over the sample test as many times as needed until she learned the skills and concepts. She actually was enjoying the word problems. She likes them because they are real life type of problems that hold meaning to her.

I thanked God for my children from whom I received healing from negative test experiences. I thanked Him for freedom that comes from the mouth of babes.

Claire Pollok

Sample FSA test:

http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/assessment/fsa/eng_samples.htm