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Lisbet
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| Posted: July 24 2007 at 3:14pm | IP Logged
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We worked on the placement test (CAT) for Seton this afternoon. My 5th and 7th graders zipped right through all 6 sections in an hour and half, counting directions. I looked over what they did and it all looks very good.
OTOH, my 3rd grader is doing just awful. (I HATE to say that!) He is on section 3, and he's been working for 2 hours now. It's agonizing for me not to help him or point out what he has missed. (And he has missed ALOT.) He is not a very good reader yet, he has not caught the fire for it. I am so worried that this has been a big mistake for him. I feel like he is 'behind'. There should be no such thing at his age, but that is how I am feeling.
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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amyable
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| Posted: July 24 2007 at 3:22pm | IP Logged
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Hugs Lisa! If it is any consolation, we did Seton last year, and my 3rd grader (now going into 4th) sounds a lot like your DS. My dd needed my help in several areas of Seton 3rd grade (like me reading history assignments, etc) but overall did well. We didn't take the CAT test for placement, because the year before she BOMBED the CAT for the same "not a reader yet" reasons.
I think if you have any time or energy to help your DS along during the year, he will do OK with Seton. Don't put too much faith in that one test. And once he does "catch the fire" for reading, I bet he will do worlds better on that kind of test - so he is not really "behind" everywhere like the test might show, just in reading.
After my dd bombed the CAT that one year, I went back (not changing her answers) and *read* her the questions. She knew so much. She just needed that reading skill to catch up.
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Amy
mom of 5, ages 6-16, and happy wife of 
The Highly Sensitive Homeschooler
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Elizabeth
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Real Learning
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| Posted: July 24 2007 at 3:22pm | IP Logged
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Lisbet wrote:
| . I am so worried that this has been a big mistake for him. I feel like he is 'behind'. There should be no such thing at his age, but that is how I am feeling. |
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I understand those feelings, Lisa. Take heart; he's little. No irrevocable damage is done  . What, exactly, do you feel like the big mistake is?
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Lisbet
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| Posted: July 24 2007 at 3:24pm | IP Logged
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Thanks Amy, your encouragement really helps. I was under the impression that he 'had' to take this test to place him in their 3rd grade program. Am I wrong? I will help him along like always, and I've seen it before, when they get that fire for reading, everything else is cake. I know he'll do fine in the Seton 3rd grade program, but I am worried that they would suggest the 2nd grade program for him, which I would not agree to.
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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Lisbet
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| Posted: July 24 2007 at 3:26pm | IP Logged
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Elizabeth, I feel like the whole Seton enrollment was a bad idea for him. I hate to see him so frustrated.
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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teachingmyown
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My dd, who will be a 6th grader this fall, scored in the 12th grade plus level for everything on the CAT test. My ds, who is the same age as yours, did well in most areas, only hitting grade level in one area, but did not quite excel like his sister. But when he was taking it he cried and fretted and worried. It was awful. I regretted putting him through it! So, on the one hand he might do better comparatively than you think. (our standards are so high!) On the other hand, it probably isn't even worth stressing these little guys like this. 
Like Elizabeth said, he's is still so little. There is time for him to mature and get where you want him to be. This is one of the great blessing of homeschooling.
Relax! (I laugh as I write that because "relax" is usually not part of my vocabulary!  )
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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mom3aut1not
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| Posted: July 24 2007 at 3:48pm | IP Logged
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Lisbet,
I have always heard that standardized testing is inaccurate in the lower grades. Unless you have other reasons for concern, I wouldn't worry -- especially if he is not a fluent reader yet. Until a child reaches fluency, such testing will give a lower result than it should.
In Christ,
Deborah
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amyable
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| Posted: July 24 2007 at 3:49pm | IP Logged
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Lisbet wrote:
| Thanks Amy, your encouragement really helps. I was under the impression that he 'had' to take this test to place him in their 3rd grade program. Am I wrong? I will help him along like always, and I've seen it before, when they get that fire for reading, everything else is cake. I know he'll do fine in the Seton 3rd grade program, but I am worried that they would suggest the 2nd grade program for him, which I would not agree to. |
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I didn't take the CAT to place my kids - I simply called up and said "1st grade with 2nd grade phonics and 2nd grade readers" for my 7yo dd, and "3rd grade with 2nd grade spelling" for my 9yo. They just sent me the books, no questions asked!
I'm sure if you want to send in all your tests and then call Seton to explain that it was simply an "I can't read yet" or "test stress" problem, but you think he can handle 3rd grade with your modifications, they would send you what you wanted. They will also do mostly one grade with some books from another grade and you can still consider him "in 3rd".
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Amy
mom of 5, ages 6-16, and happy wife of
The Highly Sensitive Homeschooler
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LLMom
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Lisa,
Seton always will let you do what you want as a parent, even if he bombs it. They know that not all children test well or are reading well at this point. You may also read his book report books to him aloud if he is not at an independent level. They are really flexible and will work with you. If there is one subject where he really struggles, they will allow you to enroll in that course with special services free which it will be tailored to his exact needs.
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Lisa
For veteran & former homeschool moms
homeschooling ideas
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LisaR
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when we enrolled our ds (8th grade last year) with Seton, we took the placement test later. It IS included with your enrollment, you can choose when you want it. I now enrolled ds, 6th grade with Seton for the first time this year. They never even asked about placement testing, and I made a note to myself to make sure and request it later on. I want to get my money's worth, LOL
I did see a huge benefit for my son to be enrolled as an 8th grader. So much so that I am starting the next son in Seton as 6th grade. However, I do not think I could enroll my 3rd grade son yet. He would most certaninly fail, and yet I want to keep him on track and he can do 3rd grade "my way" just fine. My boys seem to be slow starters, especially with reading and writing....
We were very pleasantly surprised with just how flexible Seton was for our 8th grader. I called them numerous times and always had an answer or a call back within an hour. They do respect you as primary educator, at least I felt very respected and listened to. I think I had to lay some misconceptions to rest.
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Lisa
dh Tim '92
Joseph 17
Paul 14
Thomas 11
Dominic 8
Maria Gianna 5
Isaac Vincent 9/21/10! and...
many little saints in heaven!
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Lisbet
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| Posted: July 24 2007 at 4:16pm | IP Logged
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Oh I wish I could hug you all right now!!! Seriously, you have all made me feel so much better. I think my 'idea' of Seton is just so out of whack. (pride issue ya know ) I will work with him, and I know I am the parent and Seton certainly respects that! Thanks so much all of you. Do we ever reach a point as home educators where we feel secure in everything we do??? Seriously, I've been at this for 8 years and 5 kids so far, you'd think I'd have it figured out!
I just felt so bad watching him struggle so much. Funny thing, he zipped through the math with very little trouble!
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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Christine
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I follow Ruth Beechick's advice on this, "No standardized testing until the end of third grade." In addition, thanks to the advice of a wise mother in our group, I will never tell my children how they did on standardized tests. I told my eldest child that it was something our state requires, but I don't place any importance on it. You know your son's abilities better than anyone else (except God) and Seton will respect that fact.
This thread is good for me to read because my eldest son has been and still is a lot slower than his sisters were in the language (reading, writing, spelling, etc.) department.
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Christine
Mommy to 4 girls, 5 boys, & 2 in God's care
Memories of a Catholic Wife and Mother
Pretty Lilla Rose
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mom3aut1not
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Lisa,
This is the start of my 17th year of hsing, and I don't feel secure in everything I do. That's probably a good thing as it keeps me working and unlikely to be complacent. Hsing is much like mothering -- there is always more you could be doing. It's so big that it can't be contained -- like life.
Hhhmmm. I'm glad I'm responding because I hadn't realized that last bit.
I am less worried about the unimportant things and less concerned about "grade levels" and so on, but I am still working on the big stuff and not entirely certain about teaching a boy after three girls.
It's also true that even if you have it all figured out right now, I can almost guarantee that your family's needs or situation will change or that a child will show needs or interests that you hadn't considered or *something*. Again, like life, homeschooling is everchanging, flowing onwards to a time when your student(s) will be both (an) independent learner(s) and have a broad base of knowledge.
In Christ,
Deborah
Two graduated, two to go....
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LisaR
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(((Lisa)))
you hit the nail on the head!! I've been homeschooling for at least 9 years now and I still feel like a newbie! I am a total CM'er at heart but found Seton to be a welcome releif in may ways for my very needing structure ds. (ok, I'll admit, and his scatterbrained mom!) I think you will like your interaction with Seton- they are on "your side".
__________________
Lisa
dh Tim '92
Joseph 17
Paul 14
Thomas 11
Dominic 8
Maria Gianna 5
Isaac Vincent 9/21/10! and...
many little saints in heaven!
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Feeling pretty down
