Gifted Issues Discussion homepage
Posted By: Mommy2myEm Explore test questions - 12/08/07 03:58 PM
DD, who just turned 9 will be taking the Explore test in January. I read on the Talent Search website that calculators are allowed. DD wants a "real" calculator for Christmas, and I wonder which kind are allowed for the Explore test. I don't want to buy a fancy calculator that wouldn't be allowed (even though she may not know how to use all the functions).

Also any tips on what to expect? Should DD try to answer all questions or will there be a deduction for wrong answers? DD is a perfectionist and getting her to understand that she will not know every single thing on this test will be difficult. Any advice how to explain the purpose and design of the test to her? I don't want her to be nervous, I would like her to feel prepared for what to expect.

Jen
Posted By: Mommy2myEm Re: Explore test questions - 12/08/07 11:46 PM
Thanks Dottie. I haven't received our testing materials, not sure how early those are sent. Since DD wants a "real" calculator fr Christmas, I thought I could kill two birds with one stone.

My goal for the Explore test is true assessment for class placement, not so much maximizing a score. But with a perfectionist DD I would need to inform her that she is not likely to finish the test in the alloted time. What would happen though if a child picks on the math portion all the algebra questions (for example) and leaves trigonometry unanswered, would that affect the score negatively? I could see DD doing that not because of skill but preference.

Thanks again for your help.

J
Posted By: Mommy2myEm Re: Explore test questions - 12/09/07 08:11 PM
Thanks again Dottie,

After doing some more reading, it seems that the TI 83 would do the job for us. It is ok for the SAT/ACT so I would think the Explore would be find with it also. DD has a very simple (read: cheap) basic calculator and saw her babysitters graphing calculator, which I think started this. I told her how expensive they can get and she asked for it as a gift.

I used the TIs in college as well and I think they are considered the preferred calculator for our middle school and high schools.

J
Posted By: cym Re: Explore test questions - 12/09/07 11:16 PM
If you go to the ACT Explore website, there is a sample booklet you can order. It is a full length test and I think costs $5. You will be sent a booklet called "Getting Ready for EXPLORE" a couple weeks before the test, but it's only a sampling (not full length). I bet your DD would like to have both.

Posted By: Mommy2myEm Re: Explore test questions - 12/11/07 12:16 AM
Thanks for the info cym. I don't know where to go for this booklet though. We are supposed to get a short sampling of types of questions. It would be nice to have a full length test to reduce anxiety from the unknown. Right now DD knows about the test and isn't concerned about it and I'd like to keep it that way:)

J
Posted By: Ania Re: Explore test questions - 12/11/07 03:58 PM
My D got her admission ticket yesterday. No other info whatsoever. No sample questions, no info how to order them.
I checked the website and there is nothing there either. They do talk about the "packet" you can order, but there is no indication that this "packet" contains any sample questions.
http://www.act.org/explore/order.html

When my S wrote PLUS two years ago we did receive a sampling, much like SAT brochure.
Cym, can you post a link to what you have found out, please.
Dottie, when did you receive your"sampling"?

I called their offices but they are closed today due to inclement weather.
Posted By: delbows Re: Explore test questions - 12/11/07 04:26 PM


http://www.act.org/explore/ests/preview.html

Here it is.
Posted By: Ania Re: Explore test questions - 12/11/07 04:54 PM
Thanx, why didn't we get it with the admission ticket?
This looks like "samping", Cym mentioned the whole test.
Posted By: Ania Re: Explore test questions - 12/11/07 07:29 PM
While I agree that no prep should be done for a test like that, I think that giving her a brochure explaining what types of questions and how to approach them would be very, very helpful.
For example, I would have never, never guessed that calculators are allowed, if it was not for above posts (mind you that I do not believe in calculators at this level, but that is totally different issue).
At this time we are not even familiar with the test format. Should she guess or will she be penalized for wrong answers? I think you get what I mean.

Interestingly, while we are on a subject of keeping kids informed. Yesterday while talking about one of the teachers< Ghost started ranting about how unfair she was last year during science. Kids were building wooden bridges, to be tested for which one was the strongest - could support most weight. Ghost was asking this teacher several times HOW the bridges are going to be tested, each time she replied that this should not be a concern of his (YOU DO NOT GIVE AN ANSWER LIKE THAT TO A GIFTED CHILD), and that he should just concentrate on building the strongest bridge possible. So his group decided, based on Ghost observations during science olympiad, that the test will consist of suspending weight at the middle of the bridge. They build a solid product and did it fast, at the end decorating it with some straw railing. To his surprise (more shock!), the test consisted of placing books on top ofthe bridge! Gues whose bridge was the first to collapse under pressure???
He was madly going about it last year at some point, I just ignored it and switched my listening off. Only found out the details yesterday.
So yes, I am all for keeping kids INFORMED.
Posted By: Mommy2myEm Re: Explore test questions - 12/11/07 08:14 PM
Thanks for the link for the practice test in a previous post. I was wondering why calculators were allowed in this type of test to begin with. Depending on the questions I was thinking she may not even use it. I would imagine if I didn't explain and inform DD about the types of questions and structure of the test, she would probably have a negative experience regardless of scores. Now she knows that this test is for older kids and the purpose is not to necessarily finish everything but to see how far she can go. She thought it was funny when I said this isn't a test you can fail.
Posted By: Sheryl Re: Explore test questions - 01/02/08 03:20 PM
Hi everyone. Sheryl Emmett here. I am a new member and am reading through your EXPLORE test questions and responses. Just wondering if anyone had a thought about why I might have my child take EXPLORE when he already has a few (national) standardized tests under his belt? I had been reading through the DUKE talent search for 4th and 5th gaders, and they expect the kids to take this test (as you may or may not know). test overload / redundancy is a concern here. My 8 year old has recently taken the WISC-IV with a 141 (GAI 155) and the WIAT. Can this test actually tell me more (or go further in depth) about his abilities than a WAIT and WISC-IV? Thanks for your
thoughts.....
Posted By: delbows Re: Explore test questions - 01/02/08 04:16 PM
Hi,

My understanding is that the WISC measures intelligence, which may or may not be correlated to academic knowledge. Achievement test results are more dependent on the child�s educational opportunities and independent initiative to learn, barring any LD issues. A group standardized test such as EXPLORE is often better understood and trusted by educators than independent achievement testing. Many HG and PG students, especially those in �average� educational settings, find enough ceiling on a test designed for older students, if only in one or two subtests.
Posted By: Sheryl Re: Explore test questions - 01/02/08 06:39 PM
Thanks for the alacrity with which you all responded! And thank you for the warm welcome. My son is home-schooled now after a few years trying out public and private schools here in the central Florida area. As you can imagine, I am constantly in flux over what I have chosen to teach - and if it's what he needs more or less of in depth. His academic development ranges from 5th grade to college level. Obviously these results won't translate to an educational plan as if he is in school, still, they will help guide me along the way and that will make all the difference in the quality of his education. Knowing what he can actually do (and which areas I/we need to work on more) is certainly helpful information. Thanks again!
Posted By: acs Re: Explore test questions - 01/02/08 10:03 PM
You may be able to get some of this information without going through the formal testing process. When we were deciding if it would be worthwhile to have DS take the ACT, we bought "the Real ACT" for a pretty low price. It has 3 full ACT tests. Just from having him take one of those I have gotten a good sense of where his skills are at and where some of his gaps are.

If you have him do it on his own for your own purposes, you can have him take each section separately without any of the timing issues and test pressure. He may be a little young to take the ACT, but with his WISC where it is, I would think he would probably have scores that would register on the ACT.
Posted By: Kriston Re: Explore test questions - 01/02/08 10:28 PM
I'm home schooling, too, and I've been doing achievement testing like mad to try to gauge where my DS is right now. It's our first year of HSing, and I'm nervous about gaps in his education. crazy

But if you don't need scores for some specific purpose and you just want a general idea of what your child knows and doesn't know (or can and can't do), then there are many free tests available online. It seems like the higher the grade level at which the child is operating, the more likely it is that you'll have to pay something. But if you don't need *THE* current SAT (or whatever test), but only *AN* SAT from some year, then you can generally save money by checking online and in bookstores.

IQ and achievement tests can be expensive. I'd recommend that unless you really MUST have a formal test administered, you can probably save your money and find a freebie/cheapie.
Posted By: incogneato Re: Explore test questions - 01/02/08 10:30 PM
Kriston,
do you have any links, I'd like to check that out!

Incog
Posted By: Kriston Re: Explore test questions - 01/02/08 10:47 PM
I'll give you what I got, but there's tons more out there!

Here's the one I liked best. (Though be advised that I know nothing about the representative from TX who's providing the site. I don't know anything about his politics and I'm not endorsing him in any way.) These are honest-to-goodness achievement tests with bubbles to fill in and everything. (Answer keys provided.) The site has tests for grade levels up to 11th grade, though not in all subjects:

http://scotthochberg.com/taas.html

Singapore Math has free placement tests, though sometimes the way they present stuff is a bit quirky, so it might require a bit more hands-on administering than with other tests:

http://www.singaporemath.com/Placement_Test_s/86.htm

There's a bunch of reading links on this site:

http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/articles/060899.htm

And here are their math links:

http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/weblinks/mathAssessment.htm

(BTW, I noticed that Saxon Math has a link to their placement test on this page.)

I found this stuff by just searching "free reading test." I came up with lots of stuff, some good, some utterly crummy. But it was free! I got what I needed from it. I'm sure you could do the same thing with other subjects or even with stuff like the SAT.

I hope this helps! Happy assessing! smile
Posted By: incogneato Re: Explore test questions - 01/03/08 02:03 AM
Thanks, those look great. I found this one, I have just started digging through it. It gives online economics lessons from k-12 and looks pretty promising. Looks to be free as far as I can tell:

http://ecedweb.unomaha.edu/K-12/home.cfm
Posted By: Kriston Re: Explore test questions - 01/03/08 05:07 AM
Excellent! I didn't have any curriculum on economics...and now I do! DS6 and I talk about it in general terms when it comes up in conversation, but I haven't used any formal teaching materials.

Thanks! smile
Posted By: Ania Re: Explore test questions - 01/03/08 05:21 PM
I called Explore people today.

Told them we have received the admission ticket in December but no other "official info" about the test .
"We will be sending those out at the end of the month"
"But the test is this month"
"Yes, she will get it before the test"
"So again, when are you going to send it out?"
"In a few weeks"
"But the test is January 26!"
"Yes, I know"

Well, sometimes rationality of ot all eludes me :-)
Posted By: kimck Re: Explore test questions - 01/03/08 05:31 PM
Ha Ania! That just makes me laugh! Talking to people like this makes me wonder how they'd score on their own testing material! crazy I know I've had to wonder about the screening process our district uses to hire some of their employees.
Posted By: EandCmom Re: Explore test questions - 01/03/08 08:07 PM
LOL!!! Hopefully you will get your info before the test! :-)

We haven't gotten the ticket yet either but my DS isn't testing until February. I know I am supposed to send in his achievement testing to them but do they ask for it when they send me the info or am I just supposed to send it in with maybe a copy of their confirmation e-mail? And do I then just use any address I can find on the website? They didn't make this part very clear (at least not to me but I may have missed it). We signed up through BESTS.

This is my first time doing this so forgive my ignorance! :-)
Posted By: EandCmom Re: Explore test questions - 01/03/08 09:49 PM
So you think I don't have to send in the proof? They certainly didn't seem to be concerned about it when I registered him as it was very unclear on how/where to send it. Maybe I should just wait and see if they ask? Or do you think I'll never get a ticket if I don't send it? I haven't gotten any information at all but we just registered mid-December and the test isn't until the end of February. Maybe I should wait and see. Or should I call and ask?

So it takes awhile to get the results, huh? Our achievement testing is done here in April and we don't get the results until sometime in late September which I think is ridiculous. Does it take that long to get the explore results?

My DS is soooooo excited about taking this test which I think is funny. He loves achievement testing for some reason and can't wait to do this one! I hope it will be a good experience for him.

Maybe you'll get your stuff soon! :-)
Posted By: EandCmom Re: Explore test questions - 01/03/08 10:06 PM
Thanks! I bet they don't really care either but if they do hopefully they will contact me to let me know.

Glad to know the results don't take months and months! LOL!!! I'm really curious to see how he is going to do. I don't know what good it might do if he does really well, but I am thinking it might give me something to wave in the school's face. And if he doesn't do well, they need never know! :-)

I'll also say good luck to all January testers!!! Hope it goes well!
Posted By: EandCmom Re: Explore test questions - 01/03/08 10:18 PM
Our posts crossed so I didn't see yours before I posted my last one.

How did I miss that address??? I saw it said you needed to send a copy but I missed the address. I guess all that multitasking will eventually make your brain go to jello - at least that is how mine feels sometimes! Sorry that I missed that and thank you for supplementing my jello brain. :-)

I guess I'll send the results with a copy of the e-mail confirmation so they will know who he is.

Thanks again! (said sheepishly)
Posted By: EandCmom Re: Explore test questions - 01/03/08 11:50 PM
Yeah, did I mention that I was in a gifted program as a kid???? LOL!!! I think they'd kick me out if I was in one today. blush

But I'll get by with a little help from my friends!!! wink


(oooooohhhhh I figured out how to do the pretties with typing - you do a colon mark and then type in wink, laugh, smile, etc. and then end with another colon.)
Posted By: delbows Re: Explore test questions - 01/04/08 12:11 AM
EandCmom and everyone,

My kids are registered through BESTS also. DS11 took the EXPLORE with them last year after we sent in his Terra Nova results. This year, as a returning participant, they did not require his 6th grade ITBS scores.

My daughter is signed up to take the ACT with BESTS which will be her first talent search. I had corresponded with a BESTS representative regarding her qualifications as her highest sub scores fell at the 94th percentile. We were granted permission to sign her up, but they did require that I send in the grade level achievement test results.

My son is also taking the ACT on the same date, but through MATS, as BESTS does not offer it to 6th grade students. MATS had not contacted me regarding his qualifications but has already send his packet to our home. My impression is that they are not as discriminating as BESTS.

We are still waiting on the EXPLORE info for a Jan test date also.

I would like to add my best wishes to all our kids here! My son enjoyed the experience last year and was even offered a grade skip based (partly) on his results. I think it is well worth the fifty bucks in comparison to the cost of other assessments.


Posted By: EandCmom Re: Explore test questions - 01/04/08 12:27 AM
delbows - thanks for the information. Did you send in the results with some sort of information to let them know who he is or with the confirmation e-mail??? I was wondering if they'd send me something first to send with it or if I just need to go ahead and get it in. This is our first talent search so I am not at all sure how I need to do things and obviously my reading the web site isn't working too well for me. smile

Great about your son being offered a grade skip last year!!! Did you have the scores sent directly to the school or did you just take them in? My DS is a 2e and I'm not sure how it will all play out so I didn't have the scores sent to the school but I am hoping he will do well enough that I can show the school the results. But if not, it doesn't really matter, he's just excited to take the test and I figure the experience with any standardized testing will be beneficial for testing in the future.

Good luck to your kids!!!

wink smile shocked smirk (Dottie I am going to end up in prison with Incog!!!!) laugh
Posted By: incogneato Re: Explore test questions - 01/04/08 01:17 AM
Yes, EandCmom, but by the time you get there, I will have already escaped!!!!!!!!!!
Incog
Posted By: EandCmom Re: Explore test questions - 01/04/08 01:45 AM
Incog - you are so right! And with the way my brain is working I will NEVER be able to escape!!!!!! wink

Posted By: delbows Re: Explore test questions - 01/04/08 01:50 AM
I sent in my daughter�s grade level test along with a copy of the registration and our email inquiry (with their answer).

I didn�t have the scores sent to my son�s school last year and did not elect that option for any test this year. The school did not initiate the talent search in any way. I learned of them through this board and the YS program last year.

I did share the results of both his SB-5 and EXPLORE (taken last year) with his math teacher and the assistant principle in an effort for collaboration and in hopes of continued math subject acceleration which was really not well supported by most of the grade school level staff despite his success and need. The junior high math teacher and his 6th grade homeroom teacher seem far more laid back about his schedule this year.

BTW, we declined the offer for him to skip 6th grade because the academics and organizational requirements really kick off in 6th grade at this particular school. He does very well academically, but socially, he is far more comfortable with the soon to graduate 8th grade students (in his math class).
Posted By: EandCmom Re: Explore test questions - 01/04/08 02:02 AM
Thank you delbows! I'll send in the same things for my DS.

I'd never heard of talent searches until a month or so ago on this board. I'm very interested to see how this all turns out. Thanks for your help and I hope your kids' testing goes well!
Posted By: delbows Re: Explore test questions - 01/04/08 03:37 AM
Dottie,

Yes, DS is taking the EXPLORE in Jan and the ACT in April. I didn�t learn until a couple weeks ago that he was eligible for either the SAT or ACT through MATS. My preference would be the SAT as it seems more intuitive and less dependent on an advanced education than the ACT. The dates just did not work out for the SAT, so we will see what happens. He is not intimidated by an academic challenge, and may surprise us.

I think that DD�s grade level may be DS�s true academic peer group (3 years older, so you can relax about your DS�s situation). They finally publicized the school national standardized test results for the first time. It is no wonder I have always found DD�s class to be a perfect fit for her. The 8th grade average for the ITBS is the 85th percentile composite score, while DD�s composite landed at the 86th percentile (at one year young). Perfect fit!!! Unfortunately, DS�s composite falls at the 96th percentile (while quite literally hitting the ceiling in math and science) in comparison to his 6th grade average composite of the 75th percentile. His Explore results verify that he has drastically above grade level ability in all four subtests (for a talent search participant). I still second guess whether we did the right thing by keeping him with his grade.


Posted By: delbows Re: Explore test questions - 01/09/08 09:37 PM
DS got the EXPLORE packet today. If you haven't received yours yet, you should get it very soon.
Posted By: Mommy2myEm Re: Explore test questions - 01/23/08 11:06 PM
We got our Explore packet in the mail, finally!!! I looked over the material, blocked out the right answers and had DD take the test. She did well, only missed one math question. She said "now I'm glad I did the Challenge Math book over the summer", LOL. She also liked the science portion, because I wasn't all facts and detail memorization, but more looking at charts and figures. Now she is very excited to take the test on Saturday. Anyone else's DD or DS taking it this weekend?
Posted By: Mommy2myEm Re: Explore test questions - 01/26/08 07:37 PM
Hi Dottie,

Thanks for the wishes!!! What are the impressions/comments your children told you after the test? DD9 was so excited to take a test "you can't fail" as we have referred to it, LOL. DD thought the science was the easiest portion, didn't know all of the math material but could narrow some of them down to 1 or 2 answers. I was afraid she would run out of time, but she said she finished ahead of time and had some time to review answers.

I am so glad we decided to do this regardless of end result. She feels so confident and this has reduced her test anxiety, not added to it. I hope everyone else had a great experience.

I think if we were to repeat this test, we will choose another testing location, though. This was an urban area, and I didn't feel too safe driving to the location. The staff were very nice once we got there, but the drive there was a little scary for me....
Posted By: Mommy2myEm Re: Explore test questions - 01/26/08 08:19 PM
Dottie,

I loved reading your kids impressions. Sorry about your car... How funny for your DS to avoid using scrap paper. DD stated science as the easiest probably because it's her favorite. Maybe she found it more interesting than reading and it "felt" easier.

As far as results, was it closer to 6 weeks last year? They told us 4-6 weeks and I am hoping we would get results before our spring conferences which are at the 4.5 week mark for us. You are correct, I have no idea what to expect, since DD has only done 3rd grade achievement last year. What do you hope to see or achieve with the repeat of the Explore? Their booklet suggested repeating the test under certain circumstances. I would have thought they would be happy to get "repeat customers"
Posted By: acs Re: Explore test questions - 01/26/08 09:35 PM
Originally Posted by Dottie
I was looking at the DYS requirements, and am kind of surprised that the 6th grade scores are so "low". I would expect that your average PG 6th grader (that phrase makes no sense, LOL!) should easily ceiling an average 8th grade test!

I thought that too. I would think there would be a lot of ceiling issues on the Explore, at least for PG-ish 6th graders. Isn't the ceiling 25? We chose the ACT this year because of that (DS is in 6th and could have done either) and, at least on his practice test DS got at or over 25 on 3 of the 4 subtests (all but math) and that was several months ago and I know there are kids who are ahead of DS (not at his school, but in general).
Posted By: Mommy2myEm Re: Explore test questions - 01/27/08 02:14 AM
Originally Posted by acs
Originally Posted by Dottie
I was looking at the DYS requirements, and am kind of surprised that the 6th grade scores are so "low". I would expect that your average PG 6th grader (that phrase makes no sense, LOL!) should easily ceiling an average 8th grade test!

I thought that too. I would think there would be a lot of ceiling issues on the Explore, at least for PG-ish 6th graders. Isn't the ceiling 25? We chose the ACT this year because of that (DS is in 6th and could have done either) and, at least on his practice test DS got at or over 25 on 3 of the 4 subtests (all but math) and that was several months ago and I know there are kids who are ahead of DS (not at his school, but in general).

Do most the talent searches recommend ACT or SAT for 6th graders? For us, it's optional, but I think most do that instead of retaking the Explore.
Posted By: Mommy2myEm Re: Explore test questions - 01/27/08 02:19 AM
Originally Posted by Dottie
Good news! It was closer to 5 weeks. I found an email I sent about the scores dated March 26th, after the late February test date. Here's hoping for 4 this go around....

Thanks for letting me know. I am with you wishing for 4 weeks.BTW I re-read your edited post earlier today and don't worry about how you thought it may come across. I knew exactly what you meant. We know our children's capabilities and want the similar to show on paper. Since I will be advocating for acceleration in math (at least) I hope this would help DH and I when approaching our school.
Posted By: acs Re: Explore test questions - 01/27/08 02:19 AM
Rocky Mountain offers a choice without any advice. I think CTY offers both too, but suggests that very high kids don't take the Explore. I'm not sure about the others.
Posted By: Mommy2myEm Re: Explore test questions - 01/27/08 12:56 PM
Originally Posted by Dottie
Mommy2, if your daughter found the test "comfy" if not easy, at barely 9, I'm sure she did quite well! DDalmost11 was pretty comfy this go around, but last year at almost 10 was somewhat overwhelmed (but still had reasonable scores!)

I think the ACT/SAT is absolutely the way to go for 6th, for the HG+, but maybe not MG. DD took both the SAT and the ACT last year, as a very young 7th grader, and the experience was overwhelming for her. Still, the Explore would have had ceiling issues, so perhaps that was the better choice? I can say for certain that DS9 won't be Exploring in 6th! Our main talent search uses the SAT for 7th and 8th.

Speaking of...there was a boy at the Explore yesterday that was easily taller than me, and probably taller than DD13, so maybe about 5'10". I thought my kids were tall! Do 6th grade boys really get that big? He spoke, and his voice hadn't yet changed, but man did he tower over the other testers!

I think DD9's assessment of the test is partly because she viewed it as a "fun" test that she couldn't fail and it eased any nerves she may have had. She said a couple of the math questions she could narrow down to 2 and then work it backwards from the two answers. Not sure if this was a good strategy, but she said she could make one answer work this way.

DD9 is also very tall, but not THAT tall, LOL. She is all legs and I suspect she will be taller than me in the next 2 years. I'm only 5'3" so its not that hard to do, but I think she got DHs genes when it comes to height.
Posted By: delbows Re: Explore test questions - 01/27/08 02:15 PM
Hi all,

My DS11 really enjoyed to Explore test again yesterday. It was his second time taking it and he felt very confident that it went well. However, he did not bring a watch, and ran out of time for three questions overall, he thinks in science and reading. He has always had a slow and methodical work style, so I understand how it happened.

We signed DS up for the Explore because our talent search (through Belin-Blank) only offers the Explore to sixth grade students. We later learned that the Midwest Academic Talent Search offers the SAT or ACT, in addition to the Explore, to sixth grade students who score at or above the 97 percentile on grade level, so we signed him up for the ACT later this spring. I really wish the PLAN test was available to middle school kids.

Both our kids have a tendency to miss easy questions, while correctly answering some more advanced questions, so I don�t expect a perfect score in any sub-test. Well, maybe math could be a possibility, but he fluctuates between 100% and 85% on his school math tests due to simple mistakes. However, they aren�t allowed even calculators at school; much less multiple choice for tests, so maybe the simple mistakes won�t be a factor on the Explore.

In any case, we haven�t made a big deal of this test this year. Aside from testing last year, his prep consisted of reading the Explore booklet on the way to the testing site. He has been completely task saturated with his science fair project for the last several weeks.

I�m glad all the kids enjoyed to test yesterday and my advice to those whose children will test in February is to BRING A WATCH!
Posted By: cym Re: Explore test questions - 01/27/08 02:55 PM
I drove 3 hrs to another state for DS 9 to take the EXPLORE, stayed in a hotel, delivered him to the test, and upon picking him up, he said, "I got a zero on the English section because I didn't fill in the bubbles--I had all my answers on the scratch paper." My adrenalin pulsed. Then, after a moment, he said, "Only kidding." I told him I hated his sense of humor.

Posted By: Kriston Re: Explore test questions - 01/27/08 03:30 PM
Grrrr! That's just mean!
Posted By: kimck Re: Explore test questions - 01/27/08 06:33 PM
Oh cym - what a little bugger! Talk about a heart attack.
Posted By: Mommy2myEm Re: Explore test questions - 01/27/08 10:47 PM
Originally Posted by Dottie
We'll have to talk numbers in a PM when the time comes! It's interesting to me, with three kids, to compare their actual scores with their perceived performance. My oldest always tends to call things "extremely hard", yet does fairly well. DD10 is always overly confident, saying she did good, when she does more average. DS9 probably has the best feel for himself, but I've learned not to predict scores based on THEIR comments alone!

By the way, how's the calculator working out? Which one did you get?

We ended up with TI-83. Although DD uses only the functions up to square root and exponents, she still loves it. And I love that it'll take her through high school and hopefully college!!!

Posted By: Mommy2myEm Re: Explore test questions - 01/27/08 10:48 PM
Originally Posted by cym
I drove 3 hrs to another state for DS 9 to take the EXPLORE, stayed in a hotel, delivered him to the test, and upon picking him up, he said, "I got a zero on the English section because I didn't fill in the bubbles--I had all my answers on the scratch paper." My adrenalin pulsed. Then, after a moment, he said, "Only kidding." I told him I hated his sense of humor.

Sounds like something DD would do. I would have gotten a few gray hairs from that comment!! crazy
Posted By: Mommy2myEm Re: Explore test questions - 01/27/08 10:51 PM
Originally Posted by Dottie
Hey, here's something I meant to ask earlier...ask your kids if you would about surveys they might have taken. My kids took one on being GT and friendships. I pilfered one on the way out the door, and it was an interesting survey. This might have been something specific to C-MITES though.

Between that, the test, the break, etc....I'm thinking it's not that big of a step (time wise) to roll right into the SAT or ACT.

DD9 said she was asked about friendships also. Mainly if she had friends in school, if she had difficulty making new friends, maintaining friendships etc. DD doesn't have a "best friend" in school this year and is not invited to parties etc. this year. But she still feels that she has friends and answered all questions positively. She must be an optimist or something, LOL.
Posted By: Mommy2myEm Re: Explore test questions - 01/27/08 10:54 PM
Originally Posted by Dottie
Ah...more "bad" news.....while our February scores did come in 5 weeks, my friend's January scores (last year) took the entire 6 weeks to the day, eek .

How hard is it to run a bubble sheet through the machine?

I could have done without that info, LOL. Couldn't they just run the bubble sheets through the machines, let us know the answers right away and then send us the comparative stuff later? whistle
Posted By: cym Re: Explore test questions - 01/29/08 12:54 PM
I've thought about the SAT/ACT, but don't want to push too much for DS9. I actually asked him and he said, "Can I just take it next year?" It's such a long test and the writing part of SAT intimidates him. If the EXPLORE shows something absolutely stellar, maybe I'll reintroduce the subject.

DS9 finished all the tests, though his reality is sometimes different from everyone else's. When DS13 took EXPLORE at age 10 he did not finish and he came out exhausted and "beat up" (saying it was much harder than sample material). Granted DS13 had not been introduced to algebra, while DS9 has. I guess we'll see.

I can't correlate for the same year EXPLORE/ACT, but 3 yrs ago DS13 scored 20 composite on EXPLORE (22 on English, 17 math, 19 reading, and 21 science). A year later he took ACTs and had 26 composite and a year after that his composite was 30.

Posted By: Ania Re: Explore test questions - 01/30/08 05:44 PM
DD10 took Explore for the first time last Sat. She was also given the questions about friends and school, but her impresion was that those were pertaining to kids in gifted programs.
Her first impresion was that Science was the most difficult and that she was mostly guessing that section. Followed by Math and then LA. She did have plenty of time to answer and she also felt that the questions in the booklet send home were much, much easier.
We are not really hoping for great results, she is being accomodated as of now so nothing is really riding on those numbers. She took the test mostly because she wanted to follow her older brother (he tok Plus in 5th rade). She says she wants to do it again next year :-)
Posted By: Grinity Re: Explore test questions - 01/31/08 02:42 AM
Ania,
I'm glad to hear that DD wants to do it again next year! What better pat on back could you want? I'm glad to hear from you!
Grinity
Posted By: TJS Re: Explore test questions - 01/31/08 04:10 PM
My DD10 took it for the first time also last Saturday. She finished all the sections except for Science. She missed 8 because she decided to get up and go to the bathroom! The really frustrating part is that she said that the Science was the easiest.

Oh well. She's hasn't tested much before this, other than grade level achievement tests at school. Also, I wasn't looking for much from this test other than a gauge of what her strengths and weaknesses. I already knew science was a strength.

At least she learned that in the future she needs to go to the bathroom before the test. (I did ask her, she said she didn't have to go.)
Posted By: cym Re: Explore test questions - 02/01/08 12:57 PM
TJS, I feel for you!
Posted By: EandCmom Re: Explore test questions - 02/23/08 06:24 PM
Well we are back from Explore. I got to hear all the "friend" questions at the beginning as we were allowed to stay in another section of the room. It was very interesting to hear.

My DS thought the science was the hardest but he didn't think the rest was too bad. He had to miss a basketball game to take this and was a little upset about it. But when we left he said "I don't care if I have to miss another basketball game next year I definitely want to do this again!" LOL!!! He thought it was such great fun. Even if he doesn't do well, I'm just glad for the test taking experience for him. I figure the more tests like this he gets under his belt, the better he will do later on in life.

Dottie - hopefully your scores will come soon!!!! smile
Posted By: acs Re: Explore test questions - 02/23/08 07:24 PM
Hi EandCmom,

I'm glad your son was able to focus on the test and not the game he was missing. Ever since we signed up for our test date I lived in fear that some cool opportunity would present itself for that day and we'd have to make a hard decision. We were lucky in that it turned out to be a dull Feb day with nothing to compete with the test.

How did you explain his absence from the game to his fellow players and coach? We were trying to fly under the radar and didn't want to have to answer any questions about the test. Did you 'fess up or did you come up with a bland excuse?

The science section is last, so I think part of its challenge is stamina, since they have worked hard on the first 3 sections. At least, I know it was for DS; he said it was harder to focus on because he was tired.

Good luck waiting! I'm glad it was a positive experience!
Posted By: EandCmom Re: Explore test questions - 02/23/08 07:49 PM
Thank you acs!!

The explaining of his absence from the game is actually a funny story. I wanted to fly under the radar too and I told my DH to tell the coach that we had made previous plans and DS wouldn't be at the game, and that is what I told the other parents too. No one questioned me further. Well last night the team had practice and my DS went to the practice. After the test today we had enough time to go to see about the last 15 minutes of his team's game. So I told him it might be a little awkward with us walking in that late and people might question where he had been. He said "oh, I told them last night". I asked what exactly he had told them. He said "I told them I was taking the 8th grade ACT for fun." His coach asked why - was he in 8th grade? He said he told him that it was just a fun test to see how much stuff you know. In fact he had a couple of the other kids wishing their moms knew about this and had signed them up!!!! LOL!!!

I was flabbergasted to say the least. But no one asked where we had been. I guess when you teach your kids to be honest, they will be honest. Anyway, I can't stop giggling about it now - so much for flying under the radar!!! smile
Posted By: EandCmom Re: Explore test questions - 02/23/08 10:25 PM
Anyone else take the test today? If so, what did your kids think??
Posted By: Kriston Re: Explore test questions - 02/23/08 10:30 PM
Originally Posted by EandCmom
Thank you acs!!

The explaining of his absence from the game is actually a funny story. I wanted to fly under the radar too and I told my DH to tell the coach that we had made previous plans and DS wouldn't be at the game, and that is what I told the other parents too. No one questioned me further. Well last night the team had practice and my DS went to the practice. After the test today we had enough time to go to see about the last 15 minutes of his team's game. So I told him it might be a little awkward with us walking in that late and people might question where he had been. He said "oh, I told them last night". I asked what exactly he had told them. He said "I told them I was taking the 8th grade ACT for fun." His coach asked why - was he in 8th grade? He said he told him that it was just a fun test to see how much stuff you know. In fact he had a couple of the other kids wishing their moms knew about this and had signed them up!!!! LOL!!!

I was flabbergasted to say the least. But no one asked where we had been. I guess when you teach your kids to be honest, they will be honest. Anyway, I can't stop giggling about it now - so much for flying under the radar!!! smile


Ya' know, sometimes I think there's a lot to be said for just being matter-of-fact about stuff. If you just state the facts with quiet confidence and don't act like you're doing something to be embarrassed about, then--surprise!--there's nothing to be embarrassed about! People tend to react to you based on the way you present yourself.

Of course, I was probably 30 before I figured that out! smile It sounds like your DS is WAAAAAAAAY ahead of the curve on that life lesson! <patting EandCMom's DS on the back>

Great story!
Posted By: EandCmom Re: Explore test questions - 02/24/08 12:42 AM
Kriston - I think you're right. When you're just matter of fact about things, people just take them at face value and don't think another thing about it.

I will give my DS a pat on the back from you - Thanks! smile
Posted By: Kriston Re: Explore test questions - 02/24/08 03:13 AM
<grin>
Posted By: doodlebug Re: Explore test questions - 02/24/08 04:21 AM
The child has to be enrolled in third grade to take the EXPLORE, right? Has anyone's kiddo taken it in third when they were accelerated? I'm wondering if my son should try next year or wait until he is in fourth (since he'll be a young 3rd grader).
Posted By: Kriston Re: Explore test questions - 02/24/08 02:47 PM
Now you've caught my eye for my DS for next year. How would one get a younger child in? Any ideas? How much does the test cost?
Posted By: EandCmom Re: Explore test questions - 02/24/08 03:09 PM
We registered through BESTS and it was $55. My DS was by far the youngest child taking the test yesterday. Most looked to be in about the 6th grade. Maybe look at their web site and see about younger children taking it???
Posted By: Kriston Re: Explore test questions - 02/24/08 04:15 PM
Hmmm...

Thanks! I'll do that. smile

What's BESTS? Please forgive my ignorance.
Posted By: Kriston Re: Explore test questions - 02/24/08 05:58 PM
He's a May BD.

Thanks for the link and the help. I confess, I've been only peripherally following this thread because I thought it didn't apply to DS6 (and three-quarters!). Suddenly I perked up and started paying attention.

"Oh, yeah! He might wanna do stuff like this early."

Duh. I swear, just when I think I'm over my GT denial, it pops up again! :p
Posted By: Kriston Re: Explore test questions - 02/24/08 06:24 PM
Do you think it's worth the risk, given DS6's problems with speed? I'd hate to set him up for failure and waste a year of eligibility.
Posted By: kimck Re: Explore test questions - 02/24/08 08:02 PM
Hmmm ... interesting! We may be eligible next year too. DS will be 8 in October. And we may be homeschooling in the fall. It's either that or a grade skip (to 3) at this point. Our school is very anti grade skip though. And a grade skip may be too little too late.
Posted By: Kriston Re: Explore test questions - 02/24/08 08:06 PM
So have you moved closer to making any decisions about next year, kimck?
Posted By: kimck Re: Explore test questions - 02/25/08 12:59 AM
I'm definitely leaning homeschool for at least a year and see how it goes. DH still wants to investigate a few more options. I've just come to the conclusion, we would be much better homeschoolers that advocaters! When the school drops the ball more than a few times, it is so discouraging. And it buys us some time to really get a feel for DS's needs. We also have a couple possible longer term travel opportunities that would be much easier if we were homeschooling!
Posted By: Kriston Re: Explore test questions - 02/25/08 01:29 AM
Makes sense. And I think you're smart to view it as a grand experiment. Worst case: you do something different next year. <shrug> No biggie. This is reality, not some theoretical statement you're making about education. Do whatever works for the time being; you can always change to something else later.

The bright side of HSing ridiculously bright kids is that it's hard to do worse than the schools were, assuming you're not pulling the child out of a great school situation. (And no one I know has ever done that!) If you do better than the school, then it's an improvement, and you've hit a "best worst option"!

I know I've shared this many times, but because it was so pivotal to my willingness to HS, I can't help reminding you yet again of my DH's wisdom: "Give DS6 a developmentally appropriate book and let him play the rest of the day and he'd be better off than he was at school."

It really took the pressure off!

Let me know if you want to talk method or curriculum or whatever.
Posted By: fractalmom Re: Explore test questions - 12/09/08 08:38 PM
from the website

:Prohibited Calculators

These types of calculators are prohibited:

*
Texas Instruments: All model numbers that begin with TI-89 or TI-92
*
Hewlett-Packard: hp 48GII and all model numbers that begin with hp 40G or hp 49G
*
Casio: Algebra fx 2.0, ClassPad 300, and all model numbers that begin with CFX-9970G
*
calculators with built-in computer algebra systems
*
pocket organizers
*
handheld or laptop computers
*
electronic writing pads or pen-input devices�The Sharp EL 9600 is permitted.
*
calculators built into cellular phones or other electronic communication devices
*
calculators with a typewriter keypad (keys in QWERTY format)�Calculators with letter keys not in QWERTY format are permitted.

Calculators Permitted with Modification

These types of calculators are permitted, but only after they are modified as noted:

*
calculators with paper tape�Remove the tape.
*
calculators that make noise�Turn off the sound.
*
calculators that can communicate wirelessly with other calculators�Completely cover the infrared data port with heavy opaque material, such as duct tape or electrician's tape (includes Hewlett-Packard HP-38G series and HP-48G)
*
calculators that have power cords�Remove all power/electrical cords.
Posted By: az1 Re: Explore test questions - 01/13/09 01:34 PM
I have read this looong thread and have a quick question. My DD is taking the EXPLORE on January 24th. I found the list of prohibited calculators but there are so many choices. Does anyone have a calculator they can recommend a to me? I'm looking for the exact name, model number so I don't get the wrong one. My DD is 9 and in 4th grade. I would like the calculator to last her a few years but don't want to spend a lot of $$$$.

Thanks so much!

Posted By: ColinsMum Re: Explore test questions - 10/19/11 08:01 AM
Originally Posted by Dottie
Hmmm, I know you said you don't want to spend a lot, but I have to still recommend a graphing calculator for the fun and the mileage! There is soooooooo much to learn on those, and mathy kids in particular really enjoy them. The "cheap" but good one is the TI-83, that will still set you back a good $60 or more.

You really don't need that for the Explore though, and literally any basic "scientific" calculator is worth the money these days. You can get some pretty generic ones now for about $20 (guess).

Once the kid is doing algebra though, the graphing calculator is a huge enhancement. I think our schools start playing around with them in 7th (non-algebra) grade.
FWIW, DS7 doesn't have a graphic calculator yet. He has a cheap (8 pounds IIRR) scientific calculator which is all he's going to need in a test situation for some time, and for graphics exploration he uses Geogebra - which is free, and which I highly recommend. Maybe graphical calculators do a lot of other stuff I don't know about (I've never owned one!) but the stuff I hear people talk about can all be done in Geogebra, and surely it's better to have it on a full size screen... So there's another option to consider.

[ETA: Ah. Very old thread, resurrected by spammer. Sorry! Regardless, I still recommend Geogebra :-) ]
Posted By: aculady Re: Explore test questions - 10/19/11 12:31 PM
Thanks for the recommendation.
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