From the end of July 08 this website will no longer be updated but will remain online as an archive.
For current information about home education in Australia please visit the Home Education Association of Australia.
While there, please consider joining this vital support network that works hard to promote home education in Australia.
Please note that Beverley Paine is unavailable to answer telephone and email inquiries, etc. Please join a support group in your state.

Home education is a legal alternative to school education in Australia. State governments are responsible for regulating home education.
Different states have different requirements, however homeschooling families are able to develop curriculum and learning programs
to suit the individual needs of their children.

© Beverley Paine

We don't believe in 'testing' the children to measure their academic achievement, we think it is detrimental to their self esteem and confidence. However, 'testing' is a natural consequence of life, just as competition seems to be.

I find I 'test' my children every day - perhaps a better word would be challenge . I consciously set them little tasks or questions which I know they are fairly able to master. These are always in context, not divorced from some real life activity or situation.

Mostly I assess my children's abilities through observing them, and by measuring that against my expectations. I constantly check to see if my expectations are realistic, and if they are tailored to my children's individual needs, not standards set by outside sources. I have found that what was applicable for one child in terms of achievement is totally unrealistic for another.

When I gauge these things I like to take into account the holistic picture of the developing child - what all the strengths and weaknesses are. Observing and marking the strengths, by celebrating them in various ways, is an important part of this evaluation process for us. 'Testing', on the other hand, especially in a formal way, focuses more on the child's weaknesses, placing more emphasis on correction, than in pursuing excellence in areas of talent.

The children like to 'test' themselves and I don't discourage this. They know about school and employee type tests. I will set them tests if they ask for them, and encourage them to participate in quizzes and puzzles.

The best tests are those that are not competitive, or set against a 'standard', but are ones that measure a child's progress against previous achievements. Homeschools can easily make their own tests of this kind.

Want to Read More?
Browse the Articles Index or the Curriculum Index