Politics & Current Events
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Re: Number of Gifted Kindergarteners Soars
i remember being tested in first grade. i realized much later that it was an IQ test. i was in the G&T program from first grade until it ended in our district after 8th grade. my sisters were both tested and accepted into the program as well. we did some really neat activities, and it was awesome to be around kids who weren't going to make fun of me for doing better on every assignment than they did all the time. we also did cool projects and took trips.
i looked at my cumulative folder in the guidance office during my senior year in high school and saw what my IQ score was, which now reassures me every time i feel like i'm stupid. people say IQ tests and IQ scores aren't worth anything, or don't matter, or aren't "real," but sometimes i just cling to that number to make myself feel better. hahaha
I was tested and moved into G&T classes when I was in kindergarten, which somehow led to me skipping the first grade. The only thing I really remember is my 8th grade English teacher Mr. Walker* making me write a modern version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream." I don't think I got a grade for it, but I somehow meshed my version with "The Outsiders" because I was fascinated with C. Tommy Howell at the time. Along the lines of what Schroeder did in "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown."
*Mr. Walker looked like this and we all had crushes on him:
Also, how are kindergarteners stupid and smart at the same time? Choose a lane!
Oh.My.God.
Test preparation for kindergarten? Those parents have a world of disappointment facing them in the next 20 years or so.
That's what my GATE was through elementry and middle. FSM bless them, too, because I was in trouble all the time for talking for flinging stuff at my classmates before I got moved.
I have no idea what it's like for kids these days, tho.
G&T stuff always cracks me up. i was "gifted" in kindergarten, wasn't gifted when i was tested in 3rd grade, was borderline in 5th grade, and was way gifted to the max when tested in 8th grade. i was the same. i had not prepared for the test at any of those levels. each time i was tested it was because of a teacher suggestion. "gifted" is supposed to be a scale showing advancement as compared to your peers. i didn't get smarter, i just caught up. or had a more filling breakfast. or didn't get distracted and look out the window during the test. or was more or less motivated. who the hell knows? i'm smart, but i'm not special smart like whoa (and i know people who are. like my friend who wrote a 5 act play with proper stage direction in 2nd grade). which makes me think testing 4 year olds (esp. bc "gifted" at 4 years 3 mos could become average at 4 years 10 mos) is just about the stupidest idea ever.
but i feel for these parents. it's either gifted education at public school, or, if you think your snowflake is special or have a shiity local school, $50k/year for private kindergarten. i'd be hiring a test prep service too.
and i feel for the public schools. it's not like they have endless funds to give the kids the proper one-on-one testing that really can suss out "average" from "smart" from "pretty damn smart" from "like whoa smart."
I was confused by this, also, especially because the only thing the article mentioned about the G&T program is that it was at an accelerated pace. My thoughts on what should go into the testing vary with what the program actually entails. Sigh...I need to do more reading on our local school's policies and programs before DD starts K in a year, back when I was in school it was just the AG program a few times a week, and it was designed as Sibil said to keep kids who got the material faster from being bored. Some of that was oriented toward different ways to look at things, creative approaches, etc., but it wasn't because that was how the AG kids learned best, it was that it was seen as beneficial and engaging and there wasn't time to cover it in the regular class.