Although--is it possible to prep for IQ tests in the same way? The content is very closely guarded, right?
In general:
- achievement test prep is fine and provides accurate results
- IQ test prep is not OK as it does not provide accurate results While private schools may do their own thing, often justifying high tuition by creating a marketing situation in which demand exceeds supply, a shortage of seats in private schools may indicate that there is sufficient demand for an enterprising capitalist to invest in opening another local school offering advanced academics.
On the public school side, rather the current "divide and conquer" practice of having families compete with each other for a seat in an academically advanced program, consider what fixing this rut in the road would look like.
Instead of accepting the all-or-nothing gatekeeper approach by tests and lottery, might the supply of advanced academic education be increased to meet demand? Ask yourself:
Is there a building shortage? (Y/N)
Are there enough school buildings, classrooms, and seats for all children? (Y/N)
Is there a teacher shortage? (Y/N)
Are there enough teachers? (Y/N)
Is there a shortage of continuing education credits? (Y/N)
Are there enough professional development programs for teachers? (Y/N)
Are there enough self-education (autodidactic) opportunities for teachers, including Davidson Educator's Guild and YouTube videos, SENG webinars (SENGinars), free information on Hoagies, expert blogs, parent forums, local and regional parent group meetings, and more? (Y/N)
With a sufficient supply of buildings, classrooms, seats, teachers, and teacher educational opportunities, the solution to fixing this rut in the road may be utilizing more of the available resources (buildings, teachers, continuing ed opportunities) to offer more units/sections/classes as advanced academic education, individually tailored to each student's progress... Re-purposing general ed seats for advanced academic seats to meet demand.
In increasing supply to meet the demand, some elements might include:
Cluster grouping in each subject by readiness and ability.
Use of online programs which allow students to progress at their own pace.
Establishing relationships with nearby college/university for upper level classes as needed.
Considering "school within a school" concept when appropriate.
Innately gifted kids, hothoused kids, those with high potential from impoverished backgrounds would all benefit. Moving the ceiling up helps all kids, as hard workers in the middle may see that there is something to strive for when the ceiling is lifted.
These are not new ideas, they have all been implemented previously to some degree. Here is one book which may be of interest:
Inevitable, Mass Customized Learning, Learning in the Age of Empowerment, by Charles Schwahn & Beatrice McGarvey (link-
http://masscustomizedlearning.com/) Some may especially enjoy the chart on Control Theory / Support Theory found on page 83. A snippet from a statement of strong belief on that page, reads, in part:
"...Teachers are intelligent, capable, and caring people who would love to have all intrinsically motivated learners who would achieve and achieve... but they work in an outdated, ingrained group-paced system that makes it
nearly impossible to take advantage of our natural motivation to learn."
