MrSmith Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 I just started working with my DS (7 last week) on analogies. I noticed he has a tendency to "overthink" the relationships. For example, in the following set: [saw, knife, glue, scissors], he says the knife doesn't fit because you can build stuff with the others :001_huh::lol:. I'm guessing the correct answer is 'glue' because you cut things with the others. So...how do I convince him that the obvious is most likely correct? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 Saw, knife and scissors have blades, glue does not. However for analogies I just let my boys substantiate their choice with logical reasoning. I rather they can reason the answers they pick out than just pick the correct answer. For my 7 year old, his analogies workbook ask him to state the reason for his answer. Is your son thinking of a chef knife? A craft knife or a Swiss knife can definitely be used to build things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrself Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 :iagree: I forget exactly what the choices were, but the other day my ds was making his choice based on a fruit scientifically defined - seeds on the inside. I told him his reasoning was correct - but I did explain that if it was a standardized test other 4th graders would probably not be familiar with fruit used that way and was there something more obvious. Nicole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSmith Posted October 31, 2012 Author Share Posted October 31, 2012 It was a butter knife... I actually do not have any issues with his answers per se, precisely because he reasons them out. I am proud of his creative thinking. Sadly, however, I am talking about certain tests. Such tests require a specific answer (which I think clearly stifles the creativity of a young child, never mind the irony of the child's incorrect answer in relation to what the test is supposed to measure). On such a test, his answer would be considered incorrect. So really I am just trying to help him find the answer the tester wants to see, but in such a way as not to make him rigid in his thinking. Does that make sense? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 So really I am just trying to help him find the answer the tester wants to see, but in such a way as not to make him rigid in his thinking. Does that make sense? If you are using the analogies book/worksheets to prep your child for the logic portion of a GATE program screening test or whatever test, than just tell your child that you are doing test taking skills. Public schools do teach test taking skills and a 7 year old is able to understand when to give the tester the answer they want and when it does not matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSmith Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 If you are using the analogies book/worksheets to prep your child for the logic portion of a GATE program screening test or whatever test, than just tell your child that you are doing test taking skills. Public schools do teach test taking skills and a 7 year old is able to understand when to give the tester the answer they want and when it does not matter. We are learning that it isn't just the analogies on standardized tests. It's pretty much any time he is required to rationalize a relationship between sets of objects or ideas. For example, yesterday his vocabulary book had these terms, and he was to write down the relation: [President Senator Governor] I would have said 'government jobs', but no. DS says "rare". Why? Because (and I quote his wisdom on this) "they are rare jobs. Not may people can have those jobs". :lol: I am not sure what to make of this. As long as I can remember, he has always been this way. I think this was why his PS kindergarten teacher was such a big fan of his (we had words with her after school every.single.day. from Feb to June) :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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