Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment Did you worry about testing? Is this normal?

My dd9 goes in tomorrow for the wisc 1V test. Other than preparing her for what to expect it's so hard to be going into a test that you can't "study" for.
I know it's all up there in her head already, and it's about abilities, etc., but am I stressing out for nothing? How did you feel right before your child's test?
I guess I feel that there's plenty riding on the outcome, not so much whether or not she'll qualify for a gifted program because her private Catholic school doesn't offer one...but more as an explanation for certain behaviors she has when in school...I'm wanting to have someone else backing me up that these are perfectly normal behaviors for a gifted child, know what I mean?
Anyway, wish us luck, ok?

I do wish you good luck. The idea of testing is hard. It's like on afternoon is suppose to show/equal a big part of who they are. Try to be relaxed as you can about it on the outside at least that will help your daughter. I felt very strongly that my child's strange behavior was due to stress of inappropriate education and even if they got it wrong on the test I knew.

I'm sure your DD will do fine. Try not to stress over it, because she will be able to pick up on that. I know ... easier said than done. So I wish you luck with getting through the process and also luck for the waiting game of the results. I hear that is pure torture! Did you locate a tester who specializes in gifted?

My DD actually thought that the WISC-IV was fun. Also, the tester gave us an oral report that day so there wasn't much waiting-for-the-results stress. Good luck!

Thanks for those who have responded, it's much appreciated. I'm very aware of not conveying my stress to dd, making it sound fun instead. She loves most types of testing except for timed tests (not too sure who likes those?)
I've been wanting her to have this type of test for years, so yay, it's finally going to happen....and not at my request, but her Drs.
Will let you all know how it turns out......

DS13 tested again a few months ago, and I really didn't worry, but he did. I told him 'it's only a snapshot of how you do on a single day, not a life sentence.'

Let's say that you child has certain strange behaviors - and who doesn't?

She might test in a way that explains them - great!
She might not test in a way that explains them. If that happens, it could be from 2 reasons -
1) She really is unusually gifted enough to need academic accommodation, but she didn't show it for some reason.
2) She really has strange behaviors that have no explanation.

For either reason, post here more about her strange behaviors (use a pseudonym) and we will try to give ideas of real-world things you can try to help you figure out which reason is likely, and to help you figure out what might need to change in her world so that she doesn't act so strangely anymore.

Either way, you won't have less information than you have now - you will either have part of the answer or you will be in the same position you are now - so you can't loose!

Even if her IQ scores show that there is likely to be a fit issue, you will have to do some problem solving to figure out what to do about it.

Anyway - you are taking the correct first step, so give yourself a pat on the back, good for you for hiding your feeling from DD! Of course continue to vent here - sometimes excitement and fear feel very similar, and if you are part of a gifted family, it's no surprise that you are feeling that feeling very intensely!

Love and More Love,
Grinity

Grinity,
Thanks, just got off the phone with a woman who does one-on-one social training skills, recommended by our Dr.
Hopefully will meet with her soon.....I think this will help dd in many ways, maybe even do some role-playing? Who knows....she's an intense kid that not everyone is going to "get", if you know what I mean, and I'm sure you probably do!

Grinity,
An example, dd just got through with her weekly Tae Kwon Do class and told her instructor that , "In sword training, when we hold the sword this way that it's an acute angle."
What? Who does that?
I rest my case...........

Um my kid... sounds like that on a daily basis :-)

"Mommy, it is 7:11 not 7:15. You need to be more precise."

Good luck with testing! I did worry, but only because we had an evil teacher trying to demand we medicate our kid, whom the pediatrician was most definitely not ADHD. We were worried that we wouldn't get answers we desperately needed.

CAMom,
Thanks,
Basically you just have to know your child better than any teacher ever will...they're up against some tough stuff with the likes of us! If I have to I can homeschool, but it's not my first choice because dd is a very social child. I've given up this burden to God..he steers our ship!