Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment How much testing

I am curious how much testing you do of your child? Because this was our first year trying to "figure" DS out, he took the SCAT in winter, WISC IV in spring (first and likely only IQ test), and has been achievement tested on a within district test by his school in June for about 2 hours over two days and again a few days ago for about an hour. He will also likely be taking W-J sometime this summer (waiting for a cancellation slot), although that may not happen immediately.

I feel guilty. If I knew then what I know now about what the school will pay attention to, I would have skipped the IQ testing and had W-J done immediately. SCAT was interesting and his scores there started us on this path, but same story, it wasn't particularly useful to the school (although admittedly my willingness to advocate strongly was in large part based on those IQ and SCAT scores, so not discounting them).

However. . . (you knew it was coming, right?), I am very tempted to sign him up for EXPLORE in winter (we will have to drive a few hours, but not too terrible), and I am also tempted to have him repeat SCAT to have a year to year comparison. He actually liked SCAT (despite all the grown-ups in the testing center) and while I think EXPLORE will be a stretch in terms of focus for 2 hours (he will be in 3rd grade and age 9), I kind of think he will enjoy the various areas (esp. getting to do some science).

So, I guess the question really is, do you worry about burning your kid out on testing? And assuming the baseline IQ and achievement testing is already done, how many/what tests do you think are reasonable (assuming a child who does not appear to have test anxiety - although who knows when it could show up?). Does this question make sense?

Thanks, Cat

We're located in Northern CA and after contacting EVERY talent search listed at Davidson, we found our solution for the EXPLORE through the Belin-Blank Center's talent search:
http://www.education.uiowa.edu/belinblank/TalentSearch/Default.aspx

They will allow you to do the test at your school, provided you can get a teacher, principal, etc., to serve as proctor. This way you avoid the long travel & related costs. You should look into this as you'll avoid all the driving.

Familiar environment & quick commute vs. strange environ and mind-numbing travel there & back.

Total cost is $75 or so.

Win-win-win.

So get in touch with them -- I'm sure they can help you as well.

Wow Dandy, great tip!

Cat - It's normal to be nervous. You should have seen me the first time my 'little baby' took College Board's SAT! But my son always enjoyed the tests - if not the anticipation, then always in retrospect.

Also - don't be too hard on yourself about certian tests being more 'school-friendly' than others. Each school is different, and there exist a myth out in the general world that IQ is the 'test of choice' for measuring intelligence, and therefore that schools would be very interested in IQs.

I think it says more about schools in general that they look at IQ scores and think "Wow - these tests are almost random in how they relate to in-school success, particularly elementary school success." Elementary School just isn't about the skills that gifted children develop before ND kids because school teach to the readiness of the majority of kids that they have.

So sign up the Explore in winter, 6 months is a long time away in kid time.

My DS wants to take the SAT every year, just to see how he is developing over time - he said it's like being inside a giant puzzle.

Love and More Love,
Grinity

Cool doing the test close to home seems like such a better option!

If the tests are different, they represent different experiences & challenges to kids. My kids elect to do them, usually one in fall and one in spring. They like it.

I would wait to do SCAT again till 4th grade (different test) but would try EXPLORE if you child is mature enough to sit through 2 hrs. DS8 did EXPLORE last yr and will do it again this year (I think). Registration through talent search is well before winter (sorry, Grinity)--say Sept or Oct at the latest for Jan or Feb test dates (there are only two dates if you go through a talent search, but you need to pay the talent search fee and get accepted into that before testing--at least that's how it works here).

In 6th grade, consider ACT and SAT. Some wait till 7th grade.

Great feedback and very helpful. I do worry about putting too much on him, yet he enjoyed taking SCAT this year and seems to think it is all pretty fun.

Planning on having him take Explore this spring - as I think he will love the science. SCAT I can think about later, as he can pretty much take that at any time.

Cat

As long as they enjoy the testing and it's not terribly stressful for them or expensive for you, why not test? I don't think you *have* to test, but if you want to test, I don't think there's anything wrong with it.

I was in the talent search way back in the day, so I took a lot of tests. Personally, I enjoyed them. They were a fun challenge, and I really needed more challenge.

I'd say one test per semester is probably just about enough. But that's just my own opinion. I only let my kids be in one sport per semester, too. I figure it's comparable. <shrug>

I thought you have to be in 4th to take the Explore test. My dd is 8 and going into 3rd, so I was thinking the Explore test would be a year off. I'm sure she'll do fine, as she is working at middle school level now in most subjects and does fine testing. Is my timing off here?

C-MITES does it for 3-6th (http://www.cmu.edu/cmites/ests.html), whereas Belin Blank does it for 4-6th (http://www.education.uiowa.edu/belinblank/TalentSearch/)

NUMATS (the eastern end of the Midwest) starts in 3rd, too.

That doesn't mean your child has to take it in 3rd grade, but if she's working at a middle school level, it would be fine to take it this year.