Testing

So this is Elazar's first year testing.  According to NYS homeschool law, the annual assessment must be from a list of tests every other year starting in 4th grade (and every single year in high school). 

The child must get 33rd percentile or above.

If the child doesn't get 33rd percentile, the child can demonstrate a "year of growth" by getting the same percentile the next year, on next year's test.  If he gets 10th percentile on the 5th grade test, and then 10th percentile on the 6th grade test, then he achieved a year of growth.

So the standards seem to leave a lot of wiggle room for unschooling.

I showed Elazar a sample question, which he didn't understand.  I told him it was like a riddle.  He said, "Oh! So tests are like a bunch of riddles."

The test is six sections.  He does one section a day, at the same time as Chen.  I sat next to him during the test.  Chen gets extra time from her 504, and Elazar needed extra time, too.  One of these days I have to call the special ed dept and see about 504 plans for homeschoolers.  Eventually, Elazar is going to have to get tested.  Right now I'm planning to wait until at least 7th grade, possibly 9th, so that he can actually sit through the tests.

He did okay reading.  Reading so much in a row is not something he is used to doing.  I could see that he definitely had some gaps in comprehension.  Not so much in the stories.  He more didn't understand what the questions were asking or what the choices were saying.  This didn't bother me much because he comprehended the gist of the actual paragraphs.  He didn't know some of the grammar, which I'm sure he'll pick up as he continues through life.  He didn't know some of the vocabulary. 

Math was interesting.  He's been 100% unschooled.  He has never been taught math.  The question was how to handle the test.  In theory, I could look at the test in advance and teach him the math beforehand.  But I didn't bother.  I did have to explain to him that 4/7 means "four pieces out of seven" and once I did that, he was able to do the fractions.  He understood immediately that meant he should add or subtract the numerator and leave the denominator the same.  He did have some trouble with 2 x 1/4.  I think he got that one wrong. 

Much of the test was subtraction of 4-digit numbers and division of 4-digit by 1-digit.  These drove him bonkers.  In the beginning, he was happy to do it.  But he was calculating it on his fingers and he got weary of it quickly.  I showed him how to use scrap paper.  Interestingly, he intuitively knew to carry the one.  But I did have to explain to him about borrowing 10 when he couldn't subtract a larger number from the smaller number.

All of the decimals were a whiz for him because they were all like dollars and cents, and most of his math is dollars and cents. 

He didn't know what the long division house was (I didn't know what it is called, and I just googled "what's the long division house" and it's called a viniculum).  So I just said the inside is the cookies and the outside is the amount of people who get cookies.  He did all right with those in the beginning and then he got worn out. 

It took him double time to complete the test and he was guessing the longer problems by the end. 

Interestingly, this kind of math will rarely come up for him.  In this society, he can use a calculator for these kinds of things.  I was able to see that he has a great mathematical mind, a good sense of how things work mathematically, and he'll get along just fine with a calculator. 

We have one more section left.  He didn't enjoy today's section, but until now he's enjoyed it to the point where he reminded me each day that we have to do the test.

Spelling

My first grader just asked me to spell "unobtainable."
"U-N.."
"Yeah..."
"O-B.."
"Yeah..."
"T-A--"
"T-A-I-N," Aharon says.  (Whoa, I think.  He already knows how to spell most of it.) "I-B-L?" he asks.
"A-B-L-E," I say.
"You got it wrong, Mommy," he says, a moment later.  "It is I-B-L-E."
"What are you talking about?" I say.  I google it. "Come look at the dictionary.  Unobtainable." 
He comes to look.  "Well, that's not how they spell the code."

Life is an Impromptu Dance Party When You Don't Have School the Next Day

"What's this?" my husband asks this morning.
"Hmm?"
"What is this doing down here?" he asks.
"I don't know.  Dance party?" I joke.
"Aharon, how come this is here?" he asks.
"We had a dance party."
"When?"
"Last night."
Ari went out last night, and I went to sleep early, and the four kids had a dance party. 

Next year

We've been trying to figure out next year for Chen.  Should she take another college course online?  She was thinking maybe she has the stamina for two courses next semester.

First she thought of taking Business Math.  It's 4 credits and will probably be easier.  She wanted to take an easier course because she really wants to take Bio as a prereq for neuroscience, which is what she really wants to take.  (Coursera has a neuroscience course that recommends Bio first.)

Then we discovered coding bootcamps, where you learn intensively for 3 months and then get a job.  We read up on the pros and cons of a degree in computer science vs bootcamp, and based on it being extremely practical, just a few months, and very little lecture to very high ratio of projects, it seems suited to Chen's nature.  In order to apply, they assign you things to learn.  So in order to plan to do that, Chen decided against Business Math and to focus on programming.  I sent her a bunch of links so it's in her hands. 

She has not enjoyed her gemara class as much as I had hoped she would.  The girls in the class were not motivated and spoke a lot, and there was not classroom management.  So I'm looking into getting her a tutor for next year.  She tried to learn with Ari at one point, and tried to attend a class.  The class didn't work out because her processing speed and method were not the same pace of the class.  Learning with Ari isn't as consistent as getting someone to come in and do it. 

I still wish we could learn more together.  But I have always wanted to learn more with my children than they want to learn with me.  I've had way more success just being available as a resource if they want to ask me questions.

Chen seems to be taking her future extremely seriously.  She'll be applying to college next year, but maybe this coding camp is a better option.  It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

I feel like at so many stages with my kids, I find myself saying, "It will be interesting to see how this plays out."  It's kind of a mindset of being open to however things go and being prepared to adjust to it.  It's about not having an agenda and cultivating an enjoyment of the ride of life and parenting and the many wondrous moments along the way. 

You Cant Always Get What You Wa-ant

Today we went to the Bronx Zoo.  Another homeschooler had a birthday party there, and the boys agreed to go.

"Let's get going!" I called.  "Put on shoes."

All of them put on shoes. 

"It's very hot out.  Elazar, change out of your sweater.  Jack, leave your sweatshirt at home."

Then I rushed around grabbing some food and put on some sunscreen.  "Anyone want sunscreen?"

"No," Aharon called.

We got to the zoo and it was hot.  Jack tried to hand me his sweatshirt.

"Nope, I'm not carrying it.  I told you not to bring it."

"So I have to carry it?" he said.  I offered him the bag of food and he put it in there.  He soon began crying about how awful it was to carry his sweatshirt. 

A minute later, the water bottle had spilled all over the bag and it was full of water.  At that point, I had not taken a map and was already lost.  Note to self.  I have a horrible sense of direction.  Get the darn map.  Luckily, the water did not get on his sweatshirt.

We went to the birthday party, which was nice, and pet a peacock, which was cool.  They didn't want to see any animals.  (I had in mind that I had zero educational goals for this trip, so that I wouldn't get frustrated when that happened.)

Then I got lost getting out.  Then I got lost again.  Then Aharon started crying and saying he can't breathe.  Then we saw flamingos and Aharon said he didn't want to rest after all.  Elazar was sweltering; it turns out he didn't hear me tell him to change out of his sweater.  He started complaining that this was a terrible trip.  Yes, he mused, perhaps even worse than the whalewatching one (where he vomited the entire time).  When we got to the car, it was so hot, he started crying.

I turned on the AC and everything calmed down.  Then Aharon and Jack began fighting, physically.  Pinching, screaming, kicking.  A croc soared into the front seat.  We were in traffic.

Right at that time, the Rolling Stone's You Can't Always Get What You Want started playing, like the perfect soundtrack to my life.  I turned it up. 

So in summation, our first field trip in a veerrrrrrrrrrry long time was excellent insofar as getting them from one place to another.  They all follow alertly, I don't have to keep track of them, they walk themselves, they don't complain about walking (except Aharon, but he's edging out of that age, too). 
However, there is still crying.  Lots of crying.  And fighting.  I still came home thinking perhaps it was not worth it. 

But it's definitely improving. 

Chen wants to go to the museum of Natural History next week.  I had been looking forward to taking the boys to see it.  But it will be optional, as they all loudly proclaimed: they are NOT going on any more trips unless they choose to.  We are supposed to go 20 minutes to roast marshmallows tomorrow and they are not sure they want to go. 

So we'll see who joins me and Chen next week.