Happy2BaMom Posted April 23, 2010 Share Posted April 23, 2010 (edited) We know ds, 7, is what is typically considered 'gifted'. Based upon both IQ test and achievement test, he is eligible for Davidson Young Scholars (we haven't enrolled yet because I can't figure out who can write his letter of recommendation...hard to find someone outside of the family who has enough knowledge). Anyway, I mention all of that because it makes what follows so, um, "interesting". When the gifted testing for our school district opened up, we elected to have ds tested. We believe strongly in hsing, but we also like to check out all options, especially given ds' particular gifts. The school district won't take outside test results (why, I have no idea, since both of ds' were administered by licensed, practicing psychologists with Ph.Ds and many years of experience...but I digress). Ds sailed through the academic screening. Then the school district gave the Primary Test of Cognitive Skills as the final screen for entrance into the program. Ds scored in the 40th percentile...yes, 40th! (Since doing more research, I've found that the PTCS is considered somewhat suspect by evaluators and is supposed to be used only as part of an initial group screening tool. We also suspect that ds has ADD and the test was given in a group setting in a classroom at the end of a day.) Now for the funny part...I called the school district Gifted Program Coordinator to double check about whether they would take outside test results, and here's what she said (after saying 'no' to my request)... "The PCTS screens for how gifted children think, because gifted children process information differently. They have special and unique ways of thinking. It is very possible for a child to have a very high IQ and very high achievement scores and not be gifted, or to think like a gifted child." I almost fell off my chair! She is only a para-ed, so I didn't get into it with her, but I wanted to shout...."WTH? Have you read ANYTHING about gifted kids?" Now, granted gifted children can have unique ways of thinking, but given that "academically gifted" is considered by most professionals to be defined by IQ & achievement, I'm not sure how she arrives at the last conclusion (other than to explain why their test is valid). Then I went to the McGraw-Hill PCTS web page. Guess what? PCTS does NOT screen for "how gifted kids think" (but you already knew that didn't you, because there is no such test or no one way that "gifted kids think"!) The only thing that really gets me is the gifted kids who have been lost or wasted because of this kind of thinking and this improper use of tests (and a rather poorly designed test at that). We weren't particularly impressed with the program anyway.... At least now this makes our decision easy! Edited April 23, 2010 by Happy2BaMom clarification Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gratia271 Posted April 23, 2010 Share Posted April 23, 2010 The inconsistencies abound, don't they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 Our public schooled neighbor boy recently scored the highest in his grade on some IQ/gifted screening. His teacher asked his mother how come the boy wasn't in the gifted/talented program and whether she wanted him to be. Mother said yes, so the teacher then questioned the school why the boy wasn't already in the program. "Because he is in special ed." The boy has a lisp and is in speech therapy. But under the school's guidelines, that means "special ed" and he is not eligible for gifted/talented. Yeah. Because everyone knows a lisp decreases your IQ? :glare: It's probably all for the best. Our school's G/T teacher posts on a public website what the children are studying. Her grammar and spelling are terrible. :tongue_smilie: I wouldn't want her teaching my child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizabeth Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 What a load of carp. Get thee to Hoagies website and share your story on the 100 stupid things I heard today section . We always need new ones and never run out of fresh material. Do they send only the dull witted to the ed depts or what? Seriously that is the biggest load of horse pucky I have heard in many months . Wow . That takes the cake . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 The GATE program at the school to which we were zoned up until December did not allow students to participate unless they scored >98th percentile in BOTH math and English on the state STAR tests. So they would deny a kid who is off the charts gifted in one and "only" in the 97th percentile for the other. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.... Posted April 24, 2010 Share Posted April 24, 2010 We also went through the gifted process through our school district. It was three rounds of testing and a face-to-face interview. I kinda thought that was a little excessive for a 5 year-old. But, Geez, I'm just her mom. :tongue_smilie: Turns out...learned an entire wealth of information about gifted kids from an older teacher (she's been teaching for about 25 years) who knew my daughter...after engaging her in a casual conversation in the school hallway. I love that lady! :001_smile: She was very, very encouraging. Isn't that one of the reasons we homeschool?? So they can run like the wind with their schoolwork? (until they get tired...or crabby) :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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