Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Manhattan Parents Hiring Test-Prep for 3 Year Olds

Panicked Manhattan Parents Hiring Test-Prep Companies To Give Their 3-Year Olds An Edge


http://www.businessinsider.com/henr...o-give-their-3-year-olds-an-edge-2009-11

and:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/nyregion/21testprep.html?_r=1&hp


Read the article. Its real easy to differentiate the GT from the hot housed. Unless the hot housed have been give a cheat sheet.

Sad, but also as mentioned in the article, a reflection of the current state of our schools. In many districts "normal" classes are not competetive and challenging enough to properly prepare children. We are lowering our standards across the board, not just with gifted, and eventually we will suffer as a nation. Students who once would come to the US from other countries to study are quickly finding other programs that are taking over in a area once dominated by the US, particularly at a University level.

I'm sure it doesn't take much for the teachers to figure it out once the kids are in the class.

Interesting article, Austin. I've heard that NYC school admissions are out of control. But check out the Bright Kids website - their FAQS add to the paranoia.

Including, no less, specific "training" for the SB-5. Wow.

And how will this affect the SB-5? What does it mean when a kid has been prepped for the SB-5 and scores a 140 vs the kid who goes in cold and gets a 140?

I found the first few paragraphs of the NYT article interesting. The testee knew her letters and numbers, but fell apart when it came to the proportions analogies - ie the cake/piece of cake and loaf/slice example.

Here is the website I think you referred to in your comment.

http://www.brightkidsnyc.com/

I have to believe it dilutes the selectivity of the the program that has a 140 (for example) cut-off for admission. To what degree? Tougher question.

And depending on the coached kid's natural ability, might need constant coaching to "keep up" with the "natural" 140's in the classroom.

�You can see that when I scaffolded her cheated and gave her the answer, she knew it,� Ms. Resnick said.

Well, that is how books teach analogies. When I was in school, we never had instruction in analogies, but now I see it in my son's various courses. The exercises ask the child to identify the type of analogy (part to whole; synonyms, antonyms, etc.), and then give the answer. I don't think that's different from explaining to a three year old what they are. There's a difference b/n saying it's the bread and saying how are they related, part to whole, etc. In any event, the whole situation is out of control. I have friends applying to 12 kindergartens for their children, hoping to get into one. (They also ask me what I did to make DS so smart, lol) I feel badly for everyone in this situation and I see it starting to move from the city to the suburbs. btw, where we live, some private school admissions seems to be as much about the parents as about the kids - in my opinion, of course. I really don't begrudge the parents for trying, but I feel sorry for everyone involved, except for the test prep companies which are preying on the parents' insecurities, and the admissions offices which create the hysteria in the first place. I have to say - that's one of the most amazing things about the DYS program, having dealt with private schools around here - they're looking for reasons to admit kids, not deny them.