Originally Posted by HowlerKarma
This is an area where educators and administrators may truly be operating at cross-purposes from parents. As a parent I would prefer that there were topics on standardized tests that my daughter felt she "had no clue about" and the earlier in her life, the better.

That is, I would have WANTED her K-3 state tests to have a few topics that she DID NOT know inside and out-- because it might have sent the message that she isn't supposed to "already know" what she encounters in any testing situation.

Yet another way to reinforce perfectionism. Now, teachers and administrators want perfect (or near-to-perfect) scores, not situations that promote growth mindset. I get it, and I understand why they must act in that manner. But it's really bad for gifted learners.

Yes! Maybe include a smattering of a few 1-3 grades above level questions on each topic, that aren't included in the composite score for state testing, but which serve as a basic screen for giftedness and have the dual purpose of deterring perfectionism. It would be cheap and easy to implement. The efficiency and effectiveness of my proposal is probably why it hasn't been implemented; the same agency probably produces the battery of other tools, and a consolidated test would eat into margins.


What is to give light must endure burning.