Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment EXPLORE: Wondering if this is normal?

DS8 completed his test today. I am so relieved it's over...I feel as if I've been holding my breath eversince we signed him up for it a few months ago.

He is normally very mathy and loves science too but funnily, he found the language and reading components easier. He left a few questions out for math (6 or 7 I think) and science too (maybe 2 max). He refused to use the calculator for math (he thinks of it as cheating) and has always disliked timed tests so I'm wondering if these factors could be the reason he ran out of time.

I'm glad he's taking it easy since he normally hates to run out of time and will get upset. Anyone else experienced all this?

I'm guessing results will take a while, but does anyone know how long?

We're celebrating by watching some of his favorite oldie movies!

Hi LDmom,

My DS9 took Explore in Jan. He is a mathy kids too, and he said the exact same thing as your DS. He had no problem finishing the reading and language sections, but didn't finish the science and said the math was "harder than he expected," which didn't really surprise me since I don't know that he has ever really taken a test that has challenged him in math until this. I was a little surprised he didn't finish science, because he tends to be speedy (often too speedy) and he is great at extrapolating information, but who knows?

I believe the scores come out in late March. It seems so long to wait (esp. for those of us who took it in January), but I am just trying not to think about it, and it is making me not jump the gun in terms of going to the district with them (better to wait until closer to the end of the year I think for changes related to next year, at least in my experience in my district). We hope to use the scores to advocate for some science acceleration (he goes up 2 years in math right now and we would like him to do the same for science, or whatever matches the grade level of math he is in), so we will have to see. And if they are really great, use them to apply to DYS.

Anyway, let's hope they are prompt at getting them out, I seem to remember last year that they were delayed in some cases.

Cat

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Hi all:
My dd11 is taking the test soon. Did you do anything special to prepare for the Explore?

My dd11 is taking the EXPLORE test Saturday! She is calm and very matter of fact about it. She LOVES to be tested. (A very foriegn concept for me.) She has used the study guide that they sent and I wonder if it gave her a false sense of security since it was easy for her?

I asked her if there was anything she needed to prepare and all she wanted was a basic calculator and new pencils.

Saturday for our dd too.

On the practice test, she did best in the science and English sections. At school she is most accelerated in math and reading. So who knows...

I'm a little worried about testing burnout, as there's also standardized testing this week at school, but no school Friday. I tried to schedule them to not coincide. Oh well.

I just had him do the practice test and make sure he knew how to use the calculator (he wanted to take his new fancy one, I wanted him to take the barebones one because he is simple to use and he would be less likely to make mistakes, he got his way because the old one starting having solar charging issues).

I'm don't believe in having him prep for tests at this age (unlike studying for SAT), because I want to use the results to give me a sense of appropriate placements, and if I hothoused him it would give me somewhat inaccurate numbers. I guess if he came back this year with nearly but not quite there DYS qualifying numbers, I might be tempted to have him take it again and do a little studying, but then again, maybe not.

I totally agree.