SBA Testing Week

Due to traveling last week, the kids were not able to make it to the state standardized (SBA) testing that is required of all homeschooled kids in Alaska. This week was make-up week. Of the 300+ kids in Homer who belong to Connections and took the SBA (I don't know how many of those are in pre-testing grades, but probably not that many), less than 10 were there for the testing make-up days this week. Since my kids missed all three days of testing last week, they showed up for all 3 days of testing this week. Technically they could have taken more than one test each day, but that would have been grueling. Reading was probably the easiest test, and took 1 1/2 hours. Writing took 2 1/2 hours for Denver to complete; he said he was having a lot of fun and got carried away with writing his story. For math both kids only had one problem they weren't sure of the answer but otherwise were confident of how they did; it still took them 1 1/2 hours to complete. Denver took the 4th grade science test the previous week during the scheduled time.

I had to drop them off at 8:45, testing started a 9:00. When they were both done they would call me and I would come pick them up. It works out--I just had to find a place to hang until they were ready.

In the schools the SBA becomes a huge event. Like Aurora said about last year, "My teacher spent 15 minutes just showing us how to fill in the bubbles!" Snacks are provided, notes are sent home to make sure kids are well rested and in school on time for test days, and relaxing events are planned for the afternoons since the kids are so tired from testing for hours. I will admit, both of my generally motivated kids had no desire to do schoolwork the 3 days they did tests. Two of the days I told them to pick any 2 subjects to do, and after 2 1/2 hours of writing on Wednesday I told them they didn't have to do any schoolwork. Both are hard workers and if they are fried, I'm not going to push too hard, especially since both have already finished their math books for their grade level and are ahead of their grade level in most subjects.

So testing is over; now we wait and see how it turned out!