Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Inflating Test Results??

So I'm new to this and still trying to wrap my mind around things...

Our DD will be 5 in November, and last month she has the WPPSI-3 and WIAT-2...turns out DD is HG. I've always just thought of her unusual development as cute and as a little advanced but "gifted" never crossed my mind and I'm wondering if there are things that I could have done with her that could unwittingly artificially inflate test scores?? I know it sounds like a ridiculous question but I'm trying to get a grip on what this means for her education for the next few years as our local school district has no programs whatsoever for advanced learners until grade 5 and even early kindergarten entry is not an option. And I'm not faring much better in finding a school option for her in any of the parochial schools. I guess I'm wondering if there is any validity to the claims that "everything even out by third grade"?

In my experience, there is no validity to the statement "everything evens out by third grade" when it is applied to a gifted child, especially one with parents who give a darn about their child's education.

At the end of K, when my wife and I first initiated talks of grade skipping, my daughter's principal voiced this statement with accompanying nods from her kindergarten teacher and school counselor. So we pulled our daughter from that (public) school and enrolled in a new (private) school. Two whole-grade accelerations later (skips of 2nd and 6th) and she's still ahead of the kids in her current grade.

As far as everything evening out, I think the gifted kids who are ahead in K, 1, or 2 will only be caught by grade 3 if they are left untaught and unmotivated.

--SF

Yeah, if gifted kids have evened out with the rest of the class by third grade, it's because the school hasn't taught them anything for three long years. And at that age, three years feels like a lifetime.

Once somebody finally starts teaching them, they run right past the class again.

And often Depression and Clinical levels of Anxiety have set in. So maybe then you'd see depressed test scores, but I don't count that as 'evening out' since once a child is returned to an environment where they can learn again - after a bit of kicking and screaming - they go back to being well above even.

I think the point of IQ tests is to distinguish between kids who are 'very enriched' and might even out, and kids who are Gifted. I don't think that the tests are perfect, but good enough to make decisions with.

I don't think you 'accidently enriched' her. Try it with a neighbor's kid, and you'll see that it 'takes 2 to tango.' I think that as long as parents enjoy spending time on activities that happen to build intelligence they can give small boosts, but not enough to change from MG to HG.

A happy, relaxed, confident child who hasn't had their natural curiosity 'disuaded' out of them will probably score better than a child who is chronically sad, bored and lonely. But that doesn't mean that she isn't as gifted as the tests say, just that the scores are reflecting her natural abilities.

My .02
Grinity

This is true... I can only speak for myself, remembering being a bored, miserable kid who quit participating in 4th grade. I was just done. Looking back at my own experience really fueled me to pursue the right path for my kids from the beginning. If a child is bored and unchallenged from the start it can only bring problems down the road.

also what you said about it taking 2 to do the enrichment tango LOL so true, anyone with more than 1 child can tell you that! You can lead a horse to worksheets...