Help with GT program

[No Name Mom]

There are simulated CogAT and NNAT practice tests available at:

Mercer Publishing :: Product Information for the CogAT & NNAT Practice Tests
Mercer Publishing :: Test Prep for the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT®*)
Mercer Publishing :: Test Prep for the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test®* (NNAT®*)

The company says that they are allowing you to ensure that your child understands what each test area is asking so that they do not miss complete sections because the directions were not well explained (or understood) on exam day.

Whether you agree with prepping your child for the exam or not, your child's scores are being compared with the kids in the class that did use the prep materials.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by mississippimagnolia

If she isn't in the gifted programs now, she'll have other opportunities. In middle and high school, there are honors, AP and IB courses. There are college programs during the summer. If you look, you'll find tons of ways to supplement her education if you feel she isn't getting enough at school.

I wouldn't push this. Trying to coach your daughter will simply cause both of you way too much stress.

I can second this. I have one who went through GT and the other who didn't. They also ended up going to different schools all the way through since the GT center was in a different area and he wanted to follow his friends to a different middle and high school than my daughter attended (resulting in my driving him to school since they didn't offer bus service). To be honest, I didn't see a whole lot of difference in outcomes as the non-GT child took IB, went to a great university (JMU) and now has a very good job in DC. There are lots of opportunities regardless of which track their on.

[Chanie]

Originally Posted by claremarie

"In my classroom, and hopefully most classrooms, the work is modified and the different levels are accomodated."

That is supposed to happen. But, in our experience, it doesn't. The class sinks to the level of the least able student, and those who can do the work easily are sitting in the back of the room, drawing pictures or reading a novel tucked into the math book. Only the most gifted and energetic teachers are able to get students in the same room to work at different levels, without resorting to "well, now do the even problems if you've finished the odd ones" with the bright students.

I can't agree more with this.
As much as I want my daughter to stay in her language immersion school, the not quite "gifted and energetic" main teacher bored her exactly the way you described.
I'm still not sure if she'll be accepted into GT even though her cogAt score is in 99 percentile.
She is quiet in class so the teacher doesn't think highly of her "at all".
And I think this teacher will be one of the few teachers,if not the only, who
have to complete the recommendation/evaluation forms for GT committee.
I absolutely agree that if the kids were gifted they would find their own way to shine through but I just wonder if GT still is the easier and better choice for them.... From confused and hesitant mom

[marie5v]

Originally Posted by Chanie

I can't agree more with this.
As much as I want my daughter to stay in her language immersion school, the not quite "gifted and energetic" main teacher bored her exactly the way you described.
I'm still not sure if she'll be accepted into GT even though her cogAt score is in 99 percentile.
She is quiet in class so the teacher doesn't think highly of her "at all".
And I think this teacher will be one of the few teachers,if not the only, who
have to complete the recommendation/evaluation forms for GT committee.
I absolutely agree that if the kids were gifted they would find their own way to shine through but I just wonder if GT still is the easier and better choice for them.... From confused and hesitant mom

I really don't believe much in the GT program. As a teacher I saw a lot of kids in GT who weren't all that gifted, and plenty who were gifted but weren't labeled that way. Given that the majority of kids in the centers are there by parent placement and not teacher placement, the whole idea of them being gifted centers at all is questionable. I think the big difference is that at a GT center a child is surrounded by capable students, while at a regular school they may be surrounded by low-performing students. That affects what the classroom teacher can teach, and in a regular school with large numbers of low-performing students takes attention away from average and good students (teachers are only accountable for getting low students up to average). It also reduces the "diversity" that a child is exposed to (good or bad, matter of opinion and depends on the child). Some students really shine in a situation where they are more advanced - they take advantage of leadership opportunities, they take advantage of the extra time to pursue their own interests - and others just sink to the lowest common denominator. Often it's the latter whose parents are really determined to get them into a GT center.

[Shalini Iyer]

I felt the same about my older child. I still feel guilty. As much as the school and educatiors say there is no real preparation - that is not true! You can prepare for the test and I know many kids that do. Being familiar with the format and training your mind to flip, rotate, find similarities etc and think critically will let your child be more prepared for the test.

I am preparing my 2nd one for Cogat this year. Not going crazy with it or anything. Bought a book from Amazon - 4 Practice tests for Cogat and he does a few pages out of the 300 page book everyday. I am not sure if Smart Cookie! Publishing has a book for 3rd grade a well. The book is around $25 - my child enjoys it - so, what could be wrong. He will be in a better position to take the test that will qualify him for an appropriate program.

I say, find books, practice and retest. Infact just get the grade 2 practice tests to start with and see how he does in them. And then you can move onto grade 3 if he is interested/motivated. Starting with gr.2, will increase his confidence level.

[Shalini Iyer]

Agree with you Nonamemom! You are competing with kids that are prepared for the test. I did not like Mercer myself. Happy with the one called 4 Practice Tests for Cogat. I suppose Mercer is just one per book. I think the practice with more questions is really what drives the concept home. Any book with a lot of relevant content will be good.

[CAVA1990]

Another dead thread.

[jpktch]

I want to add: even though I teach in the gifted program, basically not all are gifted but are high end learners, I feel that too many kids are pushed to be in the program. My son tested for two years, after being in Montessori school first, and finally qualified during his fifth grade year. I never pushed it but every year when he got the letter that said that he did not qualify, he was devastated to the point of tears. I tried and tried to convince him to not test for it but they would pull him out every year anyway right after standardized test scores came in and, of course he wanted to do it.

To make a long story short, he continued doing the advanced classes through 8th grade but once he started high school, I told him to take the pressure off of himself, enjoy life a little bit and take only the honors classes that interest him.

He is doing just that and is much happier. I find, too, that he is learning so much on his own just out of his natural curiosity and interest in topics.

From all perspectives in the situation, I say don't push it and don't make it into a big deal. Let kids be kids and don't push the whole GT thing so that they don't feel like a failure if they don't make it. JMHO