As a public school teacher turned home schooler, I have had to adjust my teaching style quite a bit. For instance, now that I am not "teaching to the test", I have more freedom to spend time making lessons fun again. Also, I have a student ...with health problems that keep him away for days at a time. He also has chosen to take the state's standarized test. Rather than stressing that he is not learning the test content, when he returns I can cut out lessons that he does not need for that such as science & social studies & specials. Do I like doing that for the sake of the test? Absolutely not; this is the evil of the new focus on testing. However, since he is not my own child, I have to honor the wishes of the family. I am learning to relax & have fun teaching again & this book by Rebecca Kochenderfer has given me some new tricks and strategies: http://www.amazon.com/Homeschooling-Loving-It-Rebecca-Kochenderfer/dp/0981617123/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361814746&sr=8-1&keywords=homeschooling+and+loving+it
