Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Just notified dd8 is taking the scat-math intermed

And in googling tonite I found this great forum. I was in Gifted programs myself so am somewhat familiar, but different state about 30 years ago (so useless, right?) Anyway, I have heard from parents with older kids that SCAT is aptitude and not achievement, and thus there's no real prep that can be done. In our s/d it sets the path for future learning, as a group will be pulled out into GT math next year (4th) and it does, believe it or not, dictate where they will start middle school math (so I am told). So yeah, you want your kid to do well. I've heard that all the kids who get in the top math group by doing their older cousin's above grade level math workbooks all summer, so that they test high on the pre-tests in the fall, will not find the same success on the scat. (We don't do that ourselves but have plenty of neighbors who do) It's a different kind of reasoning test and not a skills test. Can any of you share your experiences or if in fact there is any prep that's possible (beyond good sleep and good breakfast)?

Thanks!

Hi Dear Katiesmom,
Welcome. My DS11 took the Scat at age 8, and enjoyed the experience heartily. My advice is to bring something short to read, because unless she is cronically a slow deep thinker, the test can take much shorter than the time allowed. Or maybe she'll be taking it at school so it doesn't matter. I wandered off thinking I had plenty of time and got in to a conversation about deep and wonderful things out of DS's sight line - boy did I hear about it!

I would tell her that she isn't expected to be able to answer all the questions because it's made for much older children, but to have fun. I don't know if there is a penelty for guessing, but find out and explain how to play that.

I have heard of one Way Gifted kid who didn't do well on the SCAT, but I've heard of tons of other ones who did really well, so odds are in your favor.

I have mixed feelings about hothousing, too, but can see a value to in in certian situations. ((shrug))

Smiles and Welcome,
Trinity

Well, I'll disagree a bit on the part about not worrying about whether they finish.... Our sd also uses the scat in gr. 3 to determine placement in GT math in gr. 4 ... and it can/does ulimately affect their placement in middle school. My ds11 (now in GT math in middle school) took the scat in gr.3 and did well; he had friends equally as bright and capable who DIDN'T do well ... because they didn't finish the test. As a result, those friends were bored during gr. 4 math (doing gr. 5 math, but not GT), and when they retested in gr. 4, did finish (having been advised to guess and move on after their first experience), and were put in GT math during gr. 5. There are 50 problems to do in 20 minutes. Too many kids think they need to have an answer to each problem; they only need to be able to compare the relative values of things in two columns. Get a feel for it, and move on. I advised my son to pick an answer (A, B, or C), and when they gave them the 1 minute warning, to just fill in that answer for any remaining problems. Study-wise, the only thing they can do is maybe review equivalencies -- inches, feet, yards; gallons, ounces, quarts; straightforward decimal-fractions (1/2 = .5, 1/4 = .25, etc..) That way they don't futz up those sorts of comparisons (i.e., 6 quarts vs. 2 gallons).

I have heard lately about some PG kids doing poorly because they try to solve the actual equations. I guess there is no magic bullet for identification! Still I think it is wonderful that a seperate Math class is availible for kids who do do well - our district has gone to heterogenious Math until 8th grade!

I'm also pleased to hear that kids who are taught at home for the purposes of placement aren't fooling the test. Not that I'm against afterschooling, or even hothousing, when nescessary, but I'd like to see a system that provides an good education to all children no matter what readiness level they happen to be at. And that means that the system must have ways to actually determine readiness!

Smiles,
Grinity