Tag Archives: tests

Education Dictionary: Assessment

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Like most other professions, education has its own set of vocabulary and terminology. Some words are common with everyday life while others are more specific to teacher jargon. In my next few articles, I would like to discuss some of the educator terms and words. The first word that I will define and discuss is assessment. Assessment is the continuous process that is used to examine and increase student learning. During assessment one makes expectations for the learner, creates a device for gathering and interpreting information from the child, and uses the results to make changes to improve learning performance. … Continue reading →

An Unusual Homeschool Day

As you read this, my kids and I will be across town (from where we live) taking entrance exams for their homeschool program for next year. The program consists of History and Fine Arts on Mondays and all other Academics on Thursdays. They have done the Monday program for several years. We take very few tests in our homeschool. Each year we take the CAT, (either a practice test or real thing depending on what is required). We also do a few verbal tests and the occasional math exam, but generally, no one but us sees the results. I am … Continue reading →

Life’s Tests

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Not one of us will be exempt from the testing of our faith in this world. And when stepping out in faith we often experience risks, changes, sometimes tragedy, or face any number of different problems. Abraham understood this, Moses understood this, Job understood it and most definitely Jesus knew this. 5 of Life’s Tests: Change: Change can be a frightening thing especially if we’re used to taking control of our own lives. I’m an analytical person. Organization and direction help me to feel safe and in control. So when there is change in my life it is a test … Continue reading →

Finals Week Update

Well, we all made it. Today is the final day of the term and all the projects have been turned in and the tests taken and I know there are at least three high schoolers and one mom who are glad to see the term end. But, like so many things, this ending also has the wonderful seeds of beginnings wrapped up in it as well. Everyone is breathing a little easier, basking in some good tests and letting go of some not-so-good tests–and making all sorts of plans for how things are going “to be different” in the coming … Continue reading →

Is “Text Speak” The Wave Of The Future?

“Text-speak” — the cell phone text message language beloved of teenagers and celebrities (I’m talking about you Paris Hilton)–is the talk of the town in Wellington, New Zealand. High school students there will now be able to use “text-speak” on national exams this year. But not everyone is happy with the move. In fact, the decision to allow text speak (which for many teens is a second language of sorts) in the realm of education has divided students and educators who fear it could damage the English language. For all of you non-texters–text-speak uses abbreviated words and phrases such as … Continue reading →

At-Home Blood Tests–Good or Bad?

My head hurts. My side aches. Is my liver functioning properly? Do I have kidney problems? Sound familiar? If it does you aren’t alone. There are many people (myself included) who may feel under the weather, but would rather skip the expensive trip to the doctor. Now there is a new way you can skip the trip to the doctor’s office, yet still get tested for an illness. New diagnostic tests let you order your own blood work, without ever seeing a doctor. You can check everything from your red blood cell count to your cholesterol levels through a medical … Continue reading →

What will Happen in your Child’s Psychological Assessment

Typically, before a child receives a psychological assessment, ongoing problems have been occurring at school. Perhaps the child is combative and doesn’t get along with others, or maybe he is aloof and alone most of the day. Maybe her school work is consistently incomplete, or maybe she is acting out in some other way. Usually, many attempts have been made to assist the child which have not been successful. Perhaps his seat was moved, or he was sent to a counselor’s office to discuss his behavior. Parents have likely been notified about recurring problems. The request for a psychological assessment … Continue reading →

Should my child take an SAT or ACT prep course?

In today’s world the education system is more competitive than ever before. Most children start out attending preschool. Some of the more prestigious preschools have waiting lists and thousand dollar tuitions. So it’s no wonder that the competition to get into a good college has dramatically increased. Because of this increased competition more and more places are offering SAT and ACT prep courses. But are prep courses really necessary? The SAT and ACT scores that a student receives play a large part in determining what University a student will be accepted to and whether or not they will receive a … Continue reading →

SAT or ACT test?

What are the SAT and ACT tests? The SAT and ACT tests are standardized tests that most high schools students take their junior or first part of their senior year. The SAT test is two parts. The first part tests Math Skills ranging from number skills to probability. The second part is the Verbal score (now called Critical Reading), which tests grammar, spelling, and reading comprehension, written essay. Subjects are scored on a scale of 200 to 800. A perfect score is 1600. The average score is 1000. The ACT test has four scores that are averaged for the students … Continue reading →