Practising for the ITBS...what am I forgetting?

[kalanamak]

1. I've drawn three pictorial answers with little circles beneath them and kiddo can scribble in the circle
2. We are working on moving the paper down the page to show the question we are working on.
3. I draw a little ditty next to the answers and say "You should be looking at the answers next to the little froggy". He can do this...
4. I'm practicing my poker face and trying to convince him to look at the answers and pick instead of scanning my face and talking when he isn't sure.
5. We are getting used to a table to work at without a number line on it, etc.
6. Phone unplugged and hubby told if he comes upstairs and interrupts he'll be very sorry.

What am I forgetting. I've never done anything like this. It is ITBS for K.
Thanks

[Lynn in WI]

Relax! Really, it will be fine.

Are you required to test for K or are you doing it for your own planning purposes? Just curious.

Our state does not require testing so we waited until 3rd and 4th grade to test for the first time. Going forward we'll probably do it every other year.

[kalanamak]

I'm doing it for both of us. To get us used to testing. Also, since my hubby could not homeschool (functionally illiterate) if something should happen to me, there is some quantitative data on kiddo. Our state requires test or eval after age 8, but doesn't have to be reported to anyone....only available if you decide to enroll in public school.

"As the twig is bent, so grows the tree."

[MtnTeaching]

This was my first year homeschooling both of my children (5th & 3rd) and my state required that both be tested. I was concerned that my 3rd grader had never tested before and might have trouble with the pages of tiny round dots since she is borderline dyslexic.

I went to Bob Jones University Press (where I purchased my ITBS) and purchased practice tests called "Better Test Scores". These tests are not available for grades below 3rd, but they have something called "Test for Success" for K-2 that is supposed to help with test-taking strategies and reasoning skills. Looked interesting.

For us, I do believe that both of my kids felt more relaxed and better prepared after doing the practice tests.

Good luck,

http://www.bjupress.com/services/testing/