Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion How do you track your DC's academic progress?

I was just thinking...one thing that I use to track DS7's progress in math, is word problems. I find difficult, beyond grade level word problems (Singapore is my favorite right now), and hand them to DS to solve without my intervention.

It sounds simplistic, but it really gives me a lot of information about DS's thinking. Singapore is very analytical (I'm sure there are other great math curriculums). Some of the word problems, even at the fourth grade level (what we're working through) are challenging. It shows me that DS is able to complete about 70% quickly, without any instruction or input, but some of the multi-step, challenging problems require me to suggest strategies.

This may not be what you're looking for, but (at least in math), obtaining a math work book above grade level (something hard like Singapore or the AoPS) that emphasizes solving applied (not calculation) type problems will quickly reveal some strengths and weaknesses.

My DD is in K, and they did reading assessments three times: August, January, and May. I could see clear progression in that area, she was L in Aug, N in January, and T in May (DRA levels).

I have also noticed an increase in her vocabulary, which is one thing her teacher differentiated for her this year. While other kids were learning to read, DD was learning to identify words in the course of reading that she didn't understand the meaning (she could "read" it, but not know the definition. DD has a habit to skim past words rather than try to find out what they mean).

In math, we also do word problems at home. DD loves them. We use Singapore Math, EPGY, and various other word problem worksheets to supplement at home, where I can directly see her progress.

I am hoping once she is out of K, she will have more differentiation for math as well. I didn't push very hard this year, since DD does have a visual-spatial weakness and they worked with her on that, but I am expecting them to meet her on her actual level next year in terms of concrete math skills.

How does this work?

I just gave BJU a lot of personal information to set up an account only to be told that they will only ship materials to a registered Iowa tester!

I think this makes complete sense-- it's like contest math, but the junior edition, as it were.

As for tracking progress ourselves:

we tend to look at samples of DD's work for school-- in her most appropriate classes, or with those assignments where she has worked at HER level (not necessarily at the level of the class or the assignment).

This is how I'm reasonably confident that her analytical ability using the scientific method was at college level back when she was about 9. Given an open-ended assignment, she designed something that had different treatment groups, valid controls, etc. And knew what it all meant, was able to present results graphically (though she lacked the statistics that she would have needed to discuss significance in differences with treatment groups).

In another example, when I look at her writing, there are clear signs of progress-- I estimate that she's well into college level ability there as well at this point.

Sometimes such progress comes in large jumps. Now that we've gotten used to that, and now that DD has the metacognition to 'feel' that happening, we know to look.

The ERB will give you some better indication of how they are doing depending on the type of school you are at. The school can get scores normed against nation norms - based on kids form random public schools at their grade level taking the test, then against suburban public schools - based on the schools in more well-to-do neighborhoods with a higher level of education and then finally, against Independent nation norms - which is against schools like Philips Exeter and other elite private schools that use this test. The scores will probably be in the 99% for the national norms, but as the normed groups get more defined, they will probably drop - it basically zooms in on the top scores and separates them out more. I find the most beneficial ones to look at at the scores against the independent schools because those are the most selective schools and therefore will give you a better idea of how your child compares to elite school scores.
I know there are people who will say that those schools are not all geared towards gt kids, and I agree, but in terms of a score that you have access to, this is a good one to see more in than the standard Iowa scores.