I’ve been thinking Thursday: Annual Testing

I home school my kiddo, which in WA state means you have to do a test every year once they turn eight. There is massive leeway on how you do it. But I found one online that worked for the kiddo so we do it every year around the same time.

And as we wait for the results I find myself casually appraising what changes and growth I see in my kiddo.

Last year at this time we had a never ending battle about him wanting a big birthday party and me being unwilling to give him one because of the heinous disaster his party was the year before.

This year, he gave up a huge party in favor of private one on one karate lessons with his favorite sensei so he can be ready to try out for demo team.

Last year testing I had to supervise him every minute because the second I walked away he decided he was bored and walked away.

This year, I actually left him and went to teach for an hour and he finished 3 exams on his own.

He’s growing and changing in so many ways that these tests will never show. Sure he now knows how to spell better and he can do more advanced math.

But he also is learning to show compassion. To be helpful just because he can. To have long arguments about hypothetical space and time travel. LOL

The test will probably show that same disparity among his academic skills that it shows every year. But it hasn’t the foggiest idea that he is starting to learn the stuff that really matters. I get to capture that.