heartofdakota.com

I am struggling with what to use I love Heart of Dakota but My 3rd grader places in 8th grade reading almost 6th grade language 5th grade math on her standardized test. Is this normal placement with Rod and staff and Singapore I know that both of them run higher than the grade that they say they are. I am not sure what level to put her in for next year school. My 1st grader seems to be fallowing in her foot steps.

It sounds like you are doing a great job!! Congratulations! Those are super scores; but remember, those scores mean that your child is doing as well as an 8th grader that took the same test in reading, as well a 6th grader that took the same English test, and as well as a 5th grader that took the same math test. There are skills that those 8th, 6th, and 5th graders have that were not on the test. The test does not mean that your daughter should be in those levels for each subject, just that she is doing very well. If you have been using HOD, I would just keep going right where you are at. It seems to be working well. Some of my children test very high as well. I have never changed what we were doing based on a high score. I just figured that was confirmation. If we had a lower score, that is were we assessed and evaluated if we were on track and making good progress for that student. Keep up the good work, Mom!!!!!!!

8arrows wrote:It sounds like you are doing a great job!! Congratulations! Those are super scores; but remember, those scores mean that your child is doing as well as an 8th grader that took the same test in reading, as well a 6th grader that took the same English test, and as well as a 5th grader that took the same math test. There are skills that those 8th, 6th, and 5th graders have that were not on the test. The test does not mean that your daughter should be in those levels for each subject, just that she is doing very well. If you have been using HOD, I would just keep going right where you are at. It seems to be working well. Some of my children test very high as well. I have never changed what we were doing based on a high score. I just figured that was confirmation. If we had a lower score, that is were we assessed and evaluated if we were on track and making good progress for that student. Keep up the good work, Mom!!!!!!!

Just agreeing with this! My daughter has always tested like that and she's used HOD since 2nd grade. Wrapping up 5th grade and Preparing Hearts now. She's always in the 99th%tile + and we just keep on keepin' on...b/c though my 3rd grader scores on the 3rd grade test as an average 5th grader would, doesn't mean she's on a 5th grade level. Those scores are a bit tricky to decipher exactly what they mean and honestly, I don't put much weight on them....do you know all it takes to score "average" (50th%tile) is anywhere from 20-35% on most standardized tests?! (Yes...flunking can be average!) No wonder many of our kids have areas they score super high on!

Thanks that's what I was looking for was that others have the something and it's ok to continue the way we are doing things.
Thanks Aliza

Our dc have also scored far above grade level on their standardized testing, and we have simply continued moving through HOD's guides. Obviously it is working, as they continue to do well year after year (we're on our ninth year of HOD). HOD keeps dc moving along and challenged. Enjoy it - HOD's got your bases all covered!

In Christ,
Julie