Homeschooling Evaluation UPDATES

Yesterday was the BIG homeschooling evaluation day that I think most homeschooling mom's dread. Are they learning? Am I doing okay? Are we making progress? All these questions and more swirled through my mind.

I was most nervous about Jaxson. He is 5 years old and 3 months. I consider him in kindergarten, but in America he would only be in pre-school because his birthday is November 10 - 2 months after the cut off for public schools. I was really thinking he shouldn't be evaluated because he is so young still and I was really nervous he just wouldn't perform.

Okay - so here is the run down:

She said that Parker and Ally have great handwriting! WOOOHOOOO!

Jaxson did AWESOME! He did AMAZING on his kindergarten/first-grade evaluation and she said he is COMPLETELY ready to start first grade and he has already mastered many first grade skills. That is totally a God thing. So we press on to the first grade now that I know he is READY!!! Yeah!!!

Ally! When I received Ally from Costa Rica in August she had just completed kindergarten and couldn't read a word or sound out ANYTHING. I considered her to be greatly behind in reading, writing and math. We have worked VERY hard to get caught up to where she should be. I am happy to report that Ally came out EXACTLY on spot where she should be - a kid finishing up her first grade year. Her reading, writing and Math were All at a high first grade level. And guess what, Ally is about to be starting second grade in a few months here at home! So she has caught up and we are looking forward to her future progress.

Parker! This distracted guy did really great as well. In Costa Rica, he skipped first grade and went to 2nd (if you will remember). We picked up with 3rd grade here at home. In reading he tested at a 6th grade level! He reads like an 11 1/2 year old! YEAH! GO HOOKED ON PHONICS MASTER READER! His sentence writing is at a 4th grade level. This is a God thing for sure. I have no formal writing curriculum right now so we have just kind of been winging it. His reading comprehension was a little behind, but she thinks it was because he was so excited that he tried to read as fast as he could to show her how good he can read and he was paying NO attention to WHAT he was reading. He tested right on for everything else - 3rd grade level for math and spelling.

The evaluator used a complicated, American system that I guess is recognized nationwide by the school systems. She said if I ever went to put them in school then I would show these papers to the school and they would be accepted.

Anyway, I was souring high yesterday. It felt like PAYDAY to know that they are doing well and really making progress; especially given how inconsistent we have been since we have been transitioning to a new life here in Peru these past 6 months. She said whatever we are doing we should keep doing it. She was very pleased with the Calvert Curriculum we ordered and will be starting soon. She said that it is one of her favorite curriculums for homeschoolers and she doesn't know why more mom's do NOT use it. She said it will leave no gaps in their education. Parker will be starting 4th grade, Ally 2nd and Jaxson 1st. I want to work through the entire summer (winter here) so that we can take 3-4 months off when the baby comes. The curriculum should arrive sometime this week.

Anyway, I was just praising God all day yesterday and very thankful that everything turned out so well. I am definitely going to have her come back once a year so that we can know where the kids are and what we need to strengthen. So all in all - a GREAT evaluation.