Have you heard of TestingMom? It is this new site I found this awesome new homeschooling/educational platform!
With three kids in school, my husband and I do all we can to ensure that they are getting all of the help they need to be successful. This means homework, reading and even helping them use teacher-approved sites in order to expand their learning.
MY FAMILY
My girls both do well in school and tests do not cause them stress or worry. However, my son (who has ADHD) struggles more when it comes to tests. He has a difficult time focusing and tends to become much more stressed. This is even worse when he finds out that he has an upcoming test. And, now that he is taking the required state tests for our school, he worries even move.
We’ve done all we can to try to help him work through this. However, we wonder if we are doing enough. I always wondered if there was more that I could do. I want to ensure that he is prepared for all of the testing he will endure.
A WAY TO HELP MY SON
I started using a new site I found, called TestingMom. At first I was hesitant that it would work. I really thought that this was probably something which was geared towards the homeschool family and not me. I mean, we were already doing this stuff in school.
Then, I looked around and learned that this is not a site for only homeschooling students. It is a site for all students.
WHAT IS TESTINGMOM
Let me give you a little background about them. They are an accredited online learning platforms which provides test prep and skill-building materials for kids ages pre-K through 8th grade. Members are able access more than 30 premium educational websites as part of their Skill Building Academy.
As a mom, my job is to set my children up for success in life. That means ensuring that they get a good education, which is the foundation. And, as I said, my son struggles in the area of testing.
THOUGHTS ABOUT TESTINGMOM
When I first signed up, with TestingMom, I was asked to answer questions about my son. I was able to even select the topic he needed help with (which in his case, is math). Not only was I able to make sure that we did the testing for his age group, but it even allowed me to select the test for our state. This is going to truly help him to excel and learn. We will cover the types of problems he will actually see on his test.
Once I filled out the profile, I was able to access not only the tests we needed, but also some of the premium websites available to help all of my kids. Once I opened the tab for the state tests, I was instantly impressed. I was able to access not one but FOUR different tests on math. Not only that, but they even provided me with the key I would need so I could check the answers.
At first, I thought that this was going to be an online test, but then, I hit the button to open the site and it instantly downloaded a pdf. I was able to print each of these tests for my son. I appreciated the paper and pencil method of the test rather than just something online.
Once I entered the password to access the document (they do this so that their product is not distributed for free to non-members), I read through the instructions. This test was set up just like the test he takes in school. For us, that was VERY important.
When we sat down for him to take the test, we instantly saw the anxiety he has when these papers are put in front of him. Both my husband and I saw first hand what he goes through (and honestly, it broke my heart). The good thing was that we were able to help him learn some relaxation techniques. These included breathing, not looking ahead to see how many questions he has to answer and avoiding the clock. Once we talked to him, he was able to tackle his first test.
Of course, he made some mistakes, but this now gives me some idea of the areas where he needs more help. I already emailed my son’s school teacher and told her about this. Her feedback was amazing She said she appreciated knowing so that she could give him an extra bit of help on those few problems with which he is struggling.
Now, while my son was taking his TestingMom.com test, my youngest (who is in 2nd grade) walked by the computer and saw a few websites she’d not heard of before. She asked me if she could log in and play around.
My husband and I both loved that she selected some educational films to watch. She thought she was just watching something fun, but she was actually learning. (Shhhh…don’t tell her). We actually had to force her to walk away from the site because she did not want to stop when it was time for bed.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This site is so much more than tests and websites. As we are digging our heels in and learning more, we have figured out that my kids can read about current events. They can play chess and even learn computer programming.
When I saw my son able to focus and see my youngest online “having fun”, I knew that this site had hit it out of the park. TestingMom.com knows that education is one of the best gifts you can give to your child. As a parent, I completely agree with this.
Right now, you can have access to 100 Free Practice Questions instantly! Just head over HERE and sign up to get yours.
In my honest opinion, TestingMom.com has hit it out of the park. Having one resource where all 3 of my kids can log in and visit sites, complete tasks etc is great. Before we found out about this site, each of them had 2 or 3 sites they liked to visit. That meant upwards of 9 bookmarked sites and login credentials. I like that this is just one place for them to go.
What I loved most about completing my TestingMom.com review was that I saw, in a few hours, what this could do for my kids. I knew that I had to pass this resource along to all of my readers.
What challenges do your children face?
What have you done to help your children excel in school?
TestingMom Review — Helping Your Kids Excel in School
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