Homeschooling Test Prep: What are Your Options?
/If you are homeschooling your child or thinking about the benefits of homeschooling in New York City, one of your biggest questions may be about test prep and getting your child ready for middle school and high school entrance exams (SHSAT, ISEE, SSAT) or required tests for college applications (ACT and SAT). You may also wonder about your test prep options for the state tests that your child may be required to take to fulfill New York State’s homeschooling requirements, or how to teach your child test prep skills in a homeschooling environment.
Homeschooling Test Prep | Private Tutoring
If your child enjoys the homeschooling environment, why change up a sure thing? Perhaps you aren’t as familiar with the test that your child is about to take, and you want to make sure that he or she works with someone who knows the test forward and backwards. Or maybe you don’t have the extra time to spend even more of your day working with your child on such a specific subject. No matter what your reasons are, private tutoring can give your child the personal attention and individual learning that homeschooling provides, while also making sure that your child reviews for the test with a knowledgeable tutor. Hiring a private tutor can take some of the pressure off of you as your child’s main educator! If you feel stressed about your child’s upcoming performance, don’t feel bad about finding someone who has helped others do well on that standardized test to help your child improve.
Homeschooling Test Prep | Test Prep Classes
For some homeschooled students, the idea of going to a class might actually be fun! If your child is getting ready for an important test, especially one for high school or college admissions, you may want to do several different kinds of test prep. Small groups or classroom-size study options are available, and if your child wants to know what it’s like to actually have a teacher, this might be a great way to see what the fuss of school is actually about! This may not work so well for students who need quiet to concentrate or prefer to separate social interactions from homework, so test prep classes will only work for some students. It can be a good option to consider in combination with self-study or private tutoring.
Homeschooling Test Prep | Self-Study with Prep Books
If you have a highly motivated homeschooled child, he or she may be able to study alone with the help of test prep books. For a student who can focus and dedicate some time each day to a little extra school work, working through a test prep book or two will feel like a regular school day to a homeschooler. Consider this option if your child works quickly, or only needs to review a few areas, or just doesn’t have the patience for a group class and instead wants to work at his or her own pace. Even if you and your child decide to pursue another test prep option, self-study can be a great way to get extra practice questions done, or to review important concepts in the weeks leading up to the exam.
Most importantly, your child should already have a strong foundation in what he or she is studying for. Thanks to the background you’ve provided for your child and the New York State requirements that he or she will have to meet, your child will probably be well-prepared for nearly any standardized test. With some extra studying, practice problems, and review of key terms, most homeschooled students do well on exams. As long as you and your child put in the time to go over important ideas, he or she should be able to do well on most standardized tests.
For some examples of assessments that homeschoolers can practice taking, as well as other useful resources, feel free to check out New York Adventures in Homeschooling or Homeschooling in New York.
