End of Year Testing. . . .

I absolutely detest all the testing that is pushed on our kids in the public school system today.   I realize we must assure they are learning but there must be another alternative.  I have one child that has no problem testing and I have one that twists himself into a knot days before all of this testing.   He makes himself sick worrying over this mess.  There are many children that are just like my Big T and worry themselves until they are physically ill over end of year testing.   Our school system puts so much pressure on these children to perform, I wonder if during the year they are really learning anything.  Our we really educating our children or are we teaching them how to take a test?
In our family we try to make the days of the EOG's, EOC's and final exams special and fun.   This year my dear sweet hubby is making a special breakfast each morning for the boys.  Normally it is yogurt and a bar for Big T and Sprat usually has hash browns and milk.  This week of exams they have had bacon and pancakes with biscuits.   Sprat will most likely have sausage biscuits and hash browns and maybe some bacon during his finals.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially on exam days.   Prayer is also very important on days like this.  I said a special prayer with Big T before he left for school today and I said another one after they left for both Sprat and Big T.   I also slipped Big T a little peppermint patty to eat before the test.   I read somewhere that peppermint helps wake up the brain and keeps you focused.  In our house, we pull out all the tricks we can to get us through exams.
To everyone suffering from exam anxiety, parents and kids alike, prayers and hugs to you all.

School's Out for Summer

School is out for us all and it would be a huge understatement to say I was happy.  They boys are both moving on, Jack to high school and Thomas to middle school.  They both ended with A/B honor roll.  Thomas had a really hard year.  He was sick with the flu and missed many days.  He had to do after school make up lab to take some days off of his absences.  Thomas struggled with anxiety that caused tummy issues.  All of the testing mess stressed him beyond a level a 5th grader should have to endure.  Jack has 0 stress over testing and some days I wish he did so I knew he cared.   At least two of the days Thomas had tests he either threw up before school or after he got there.  I want get on my soap box about the meaningless testing today. 
I am very proud of my boys for finishing strong this year.   Our summer will be centered on fun, some football,  and some learning so we stay ahead of the game.  
On another note, I ended my two classes with an A and B.  I was really hoping for two A's but my criminology final was a bear.  I am taking the summer off this time so I will be fresh in August to get back to work.  Stay tuned to see what the wild boys get in to this summer.

Common Core testing. . .

The middle school started the common core testing yesterday.  I asked my oldest how things went, he was not very happy.  This kid routinely does very well on tests.  He drives me nuts because he does not study and prepare ahead of time.  I have tried to tell him he needs to start actually opening a book and studying but he insist he knows the information.  He has done well thus far so I really cannot punish him for not studying.  I asked him why he was upset about the test.  He said it was mostly on government.  Now this is a new test for our area.  This is the first year we have used the common core curriculum and supposedly this test grade is going to go toward their end of year grade in this course.  This was his Social Studies test he took yesterday.  I have seen the work they completed in class and some of the tests they have taken this year and I have to say I do not remember seeing anything on government.  He said they spent maybe a couple of days on government.  The work I have seen has been on Africa, Asia, and their government and geography.  I guess my question is how can you hod a student accountable for information that was not taught?  I don't always believe my kids when they tell me they did or did not go over something in class because I know my kids have a selective memory.   Kids also seem to stretch the truth in their favor too.  I am just curious what others have to say about this test.  I would love to know your thoughts.