Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment WPPSI done, waiting for report...

So we went ahead and did the WPPSI yesterday, and I don't know how useful the results will be...the only score I remember was FSIQ 123--the others were around 115-120ish. But the tester said that dd would frequently say stuff like, "No, you tell me!" or "you show me!" (she can be very silly and I can totally picture her doing this even when she did know the answer, she does it at home with puzzles etc. that she can complete by herself) and then at the end she asked what the candy in the jar was for--tester said it was "for kids who tried their hardest. Did you try your hardest?" dd said no. Tester said there were times she was very surprised by the stuff dd did know the answer to.

So...I think it would be highly likely that if she had cooperated fully the scores would be higher, but prob. she would turn out to be sort of MG rather than higher. I am in a classroom with kids who are identified as gifted frequently, and I just don't see how this kid could *not* be. But maybe she is the McGyver type, as Grinity called it in another post.

In the short term it won't make a difference because I think that for now and next year her multi-age class is a good fit. It would be nice to have her officially qualify for gifted programs to give us more options in the future (I really don't care about the label except if it were to help get her an appropriate level of challenge).

I just can't imagine what it is like for the kids who are in the 99.9%, because I know that I am not and my kids are not, and I still don't think that a typical ps classroom is the right fit.

I hope that when the full report comes back those of you with wisdom to share can help me out and I can still hang out here!

Thanks!

p.s. I think I have learned my lesson, and in the future will be spending the $ to get a tester experienced with gifted kids though!

The good news is that you know that at minimum she is very bright, and that for now you have a good fit classroom situation. Interestingly, I bet that testers who 'get' gifted kids are better because they are safer for intuitive and emotionally sensitive kids who are already used to 'covering up a bit' for folks who don't really 'get' just how gifted a kid can be.

You really have no idea what the highest possible score your DD could do- only that her EQ antenna are working.

I think that some girls do 'silly' to ward off danger, the way some boys to 'though guy.' I think I'm one of those girls - even though here I do a lot less of it than IRL. A good number of my 'humor Alerts' are all about the lifetime habit of 'don't attack, It's only silly me.'

Love and More Love,
Grinity

Thanks Grinity. It is amazing to me that she is already covering up. I also wonder if the pictures she has been bringing home from school lately, which are basically scribbles, (compared to the very detailed drawings she does at home) have anything to do with this.

Exactly! Just keep praising her EQ abilities - those are important to - but be warned - you must keep her in a placement where she can blend in with other kids who are just like her. Not easy to do, but possible.
((shrugs))
Grinity

Thanks again Grinity--
Saw this on another thread, aculady's words, but this seems totally like my dd, and IMO would also have been a factor in her performance:
"Another thing to think about is that lots of gifted kids really dislike being asked to demonstrate their knowledge just to "prove" that they know something or can do something. If your child can count, and has shown you this before, he may "guess wildly" because he is feeling insulted that you think he can't, or feeling resistant to be being asked to "perform", or because he thinks it is funny to give an obviously ridiculous answer."

I guess time will tell. While dd10 is pretty intense, she seems to be optimally gifted and I get her and get how to help her and it seems pretty clear how to advocate for her. Dd4 is a conundrum to me--I think I was hoping having her tested would explain some things but I guess there aren't any easy answers with kids.

That was a very reasonable hope - too bad there is no garentee!

I do know a few moms of DDs with similar personalities this who did eventually settle down enough to test in some very high LOG ranges. So there is hope.

I guess I would just keep track of all the puzzling things DD4 is up to and post them here - one of us may well remember the time that we did that and what we were thinking. It doesn't mean that you aren't as gifted as DD4, BTW - there is so much variability amoung gifted kids that it's very possible to have a kid-parent team who are gifted 'in different ways' and are harder to read.

Trial and error - my favorite!
Grinity

I am very new to this form and hoping that posting a related topic here is okay. My DS is 5.9 & in kindergarten now. Our school is rolling out a new program for GAT for next yr.
While not required, many are seeking private testing to secure a spot in the class (size of class is limited to 18--thus competitive). I know my DS is bright but am nervous on how he'll do for testing. He's scheduled to take the WPPSI with a seasoned psychologist who frequently does testing for gifted.
I've seen your recent posts re: ceiling is smaller/less room for error on the WPPSI, but I really don't want to wait until he's 6 (end of July), b/c I'm unsure the school will accept gifted results that late/that close to school beginning.
Obviously the test is expensive & I'm hoping we aren't wasting $$ but this is important to us. Right now our child is not being challenged at school. (now getting bored and not paying attn)

Any words of advice for those who have taken the WPPSI? B/c the WPPSI is only standarized up to age 7, isn't it an easier exam than the WISC? Are WPPSI results sufficient IQ scores to carry all through the school years or do you have to retest?
Any advice in general is appreciated.