Reading in the home school: What is the role of standardized testing?

>strengths to teach each individual child. This
Parents, working as home schooling educators orformat is far easier to implement within the
with others who are home schooling providers,homeschooling environment than it is in the
have a variety of tools at their disposal totraditional school setting.
encourage their child's early reading skills. ThisStandardized Assessments Encourage Early
article describes some of these issues and toolsReading Skills
available to these parents.The drive toward assessing student progress has
Reading opens the door to a host of tools andinvaded what was once a rather freestyle
adventures for every child. However, the value ofhomeschooling environment. Students nationwide
reading is often evaluated differently for theare now expected to perform at certain levels
homeschooled child than it is for thebased on age and academic grade. And, although
traditionally-schooled child. Traditionally-schooledstandardized assessments are good indicators of
children are regularly tested on their reading abilityoverall performance, they are somewhat stifling
because traditional teaching methods rely heavilyto homeschooling enthusiasts and fail to consider
on a child's reading ability as a way for children tothe different learning styles and speeds of
learn other subject matter. As a matter of fact,individual learners. In essence, standardized
teaching reading is so important to theassessments, which are now required of many
traditionally-schooled child that such children rarelyhomeschooled children, are ultimately forcing
achieve academic success without first masteringhomeschooling educators to ensure that their
basic reading skills.students learn academic skills at roughly the same
Early Reading Skills vs. Developmental Readinessrate as traditionally-schooled children. This means
The reading picture has evolved somewhatthat teaching reading has become more important
differently for the homeschooled child.within the home school format.
Homeschooled children have advantages thatMany educators, homeschooling and traditional,
make the development of reading skills lessabhor standardized testing. Still, it looks like it's
pressing than they are for traditionally-schooledhere to stay, at least for the moment. And, for
children. As a matter of fact, some homeschoolingthe homeschooled child to meet the expected
experts insist that there is no need to worrystandards and to stay on track, that child has to
about forcing the development of reading skills inhave mastered certain skills, especially reading, by
homeschooled children and that manya relatively early age. In situations where
homeschooled children don't master reading untilstandardized testing is an important assessment
several years after the traditionally-schooled child.tool, children who fail to develop early reading skills
Many homeschooling educators believe thatare likely to be incorrectly assessed. And, an
teaching reading is something that happensincorrect assessment is dangerous to both the
naturally.child and the homeschooling program. For this
The primary reason why homeschooled childrenreason, it's important for homeschooling educators
may not require early mastery of reading skills isto emphasize reading skills as a learning tool and
because they are taught in different ways thanthat they emphasize teaching reading.
traditionally-schooled children. TheReading as More Than Merely a Skill
traditionally-schooled child must adhere to a setTeaching reading to children as early as possible
standard designed to ensure that all childrendoes not have to be a perceived slight to the
develop at the relatively same pace. Teachinghomeschooling tradition. Although, like Maria
dozens of children the same material requires thatMontessori, many homeschooling educators take
those children be at the same basic level ofissue with forcing children to learn any skill before
preparation. A public school teacher faced withthey are developmentally ready, there is no
teaching ten, twenty, or even thirty children atresearch that indicates that teaching children to
varying learning stages is likely to be unsuccessfulread early harms their future development in any
at such an endeavor. Ensuring that children learnway. So, other than the obvious difficulties of
certain skills by a certain age simply makesteaching children skills they may not be prepared
teaching large groups of students more efficient.to learn, early reading development might not be
Maria Montessori and Teaching Readingsuch a bad idea.
The work of Maria Montessori changed the faceThe benefits of reading are well-documented.
of teaching reading and opened the door to aReading is fun, opens doors to new subjects and
new homeschooling movement. Dr. Montessoriadventures, and helps prepare children to think
uprooted traditional teaching theories bycritically and embrace information that is both
presenting research that children learn at varyingeducational and entertaining. Reading is so
rates and that hands-on activities enable childrenimportant to today's teaching methods that its
to learn better and more completely thanimportance spills over into the areas of
traditional rote memorization teaching techniques.mathematics, social studies, science, and more.
Her work in the late 1800's and early 1900's alsoThe student who is interested in reading develops
proved that mixing multiple learning levels in thefaster in many academic areas than students
same classroom actually benefits children ratherwho are unprepared with basic reading skills.
than hindering them. Children, regardless of age,Parents, working as homeschooling educators or
learn from each other. Older children inadvertentlywith others who are homeschooling providers,
teach younger children. And, younger children givehave a variety of tools at their disposal to
older children the opportunity to learn by doing.encourage their child's early reading skills. Some
However, because of the somewhat individualizedexperts insist that the first ten years are crucial
teaching present within the Montessori classroom,for reading development and that teaching reading
employing this method within the public schooland a love of reading before the age of ten sets
environment is not always feasible. More about Dr.the stage for a lifetime of reading enjoyment. 
Montessori's work can be found atMany theories expound the belief that reading to
Intentionally or unintentionally, homeschooling isyoung children helps them develop a love for
rather Montessori-like in the practical application ofreading. Young children then express a desire to
homeschooling teaching methods. Like Mariaread on their own, they then practice reading by
Montessori's theories, homeschooling emphasizesdoing, and subsequently read for their own
the individual learning style of the student oversatisfaction and/or pleasure. A child who has
the need to teach certain skills by a certain age.become a regular reader and who truly enjoys
The child who is a weak reader might be verballyreading lives in a world that is forever enriched
advanced, and vice versa, meaning that the homeand expanded by this one simple tool -- reading.
school teaching partner plays on each child's