Testing for giftedness?

[kwg]

Did you find that helpful? Why did you do it?  How has it helped you/your student?

 

 

Just read something that made me rethink my decision not to bother. Ds is 12....

[KTPie]

Here is our experience: http://my-little-poppies.com/giftedness-to-test-or-not-to-test/

[Woodland Mist Academy]

Did you find that helpful? Why did you do it?  How has it helped you/your student?

 

 

Just read something that made me rethink my decision not to bother. Ds is 12....

 

We decided not to have specific testing for giftedness, as there has never been a need. So far, standardized test scores have been sufficient to qualify for talent searches and other programs.

[Gratia271]

It basically confirmed what I already knew.  If I had it to do again, I'd probably skip it. We have also not pursued certain programs for high ability kids for the same reason: there's no real benefit based on our circumstances.  What we have done that has been most helpful in gaining access to opportunities is SAT I in middle school.

[Kathy in Richmond]

It basically confirmed what I already knew.  If I had it to do again, I'd probably skip it. We have also not pursued certain programs for high ability kids for the same reason: there's no real benefit based on our circumstances.  What we have done that has been most helpful in gaining access to opportunities is SAT I in middle school.

 

We never pursued IQ testing (or Davidson YS) here, either. Middle school SATs along with AMC and MathCounts results told us enough. Those scores helped with access to programs like summer math camps. We funneled our limited funds there instead, where we met plenty of like-minded families, and also to online classes (AoPS, PA HSers) & extracurriculars that gave the kids what they needed.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

Now I'm rethinking DYS...maybe it isn't worth the effort of applying...

 

Would those of you who have children who qualified but didn't apply be willing to share why you didn't? You can PM me, if you'd prefer.

 

Sorry for the derail. Back to giftedness testing!

 

 

[quark]

Did you find that helpful? Why did you do it?  How has it helped you/your student?

 

 

Just read something that made me rethink my decision not to bother. Ds is 12....

 

The only reason we went ahead with IQ testing was because we found a very, very cheap way to do it (below $100) at a local university through some cognitive studies at their psych department. Kiddo was very game to try it too (but he doesn't know his score).

 

For me, it was helpful to know that my suspicions were not unfounded. It opened up a world of understanding because I am very new to giftedness never having encountered anything like gifted programming or encouraging gifted kids etc in my home country. Despite already knowing what the test was probably going to say I really needed that validation for myself. I am too susceptible to worrying and second guessing and used to lack confidence in things that seemed obvious enough. It gave me further courage to take risks in challenging him and those risks have thankfully paid off very well.

 

I would totally do it all over again (as long as I am not paying >$100).

 

ETA: I am also very aware of any scores being just a snapshot of how kiddo was feeling, doing on that said one day/ few hours. I have mentioned that to kiddo too. I was in a very anxious position at that time and hence why I needed the validation for myself.

[Arcadia]

Did you find that helpful? Why did you do it? How has it helped you/your student?

.

It helped my 9 year old a lot. My 10 year old was unintentionally overshadowing him and that indirectly let to low self esteem. He had also been tested for ADHD and autism a year before the WISC test.  It was helpful to know his processing memory index was much lower than my older boy. He felt better knowing that he just takes longer to think than his brother and not that he is "stupid".

My 9 year old has never been to a B&M school. His only comparison is his brother. My 10 year old went to preschool for a few months and then to B&M public school for a few years. He kind of knew where he stand academically (win some lose some) among local peers and didn't have the self esteem issue.

Since we sent our 9 year old for WISC, it would be weird to not send our 10 year old since it was a pain but not a hardship to pay. We paid $600 per kid.

 

ETA:

Our reasons are b,c and e on Rivka's list

[Gratia271]

Now I'm rethinking DYS...maybe it isn't worth the effort of applying...

 

Would those of you who have children who qualified but didn't apply be willing to share why you didn't? You can PM me, if you'd prefer.

 

Sorry for the derail. Back to giftedness testing!

 

PM'd you.

 

[Rivka]

Gifted testing is one of the things I do professionally, so here's my two cents.[1]

 

Much of the literature for gifted parents focuses on the importance of testing and identification, because when your child is in the school system testing is pretty much your only hope for gaining access to an appropriate education. (And even then, unfortunately, most school systems don't have all that much to offer.) But when you're a homeschooler, you don't need "permission" from an IQ test to modify your child's education. If you feel like you recognize giftedness, go ahead and act accordingly.

 

I recommend testing:

a) when the family is interested in trying for admission to programs like DYS or PG Retreat.

b) when there is disagreement between parents about whether giftedness is present or how to respond to it.

c) when there is significant asynchrony or suspicion of 2E.

d) when the parent is uncomfortable accelerating without "proof."

e) when the homeschooling parent is struggling to meet educational needs appropriately or to deal with overexcitabilities.

f) when the family is just curious and can afford testing.

 

For what it's worth? My own children have never been tested. I am comfortable treating both of them as gifted without an IQ score.

 

(...Well, I gave my son the WPPSI when I first bought the test kit, because I needed practice. But that would hardly be considered a valid administration.)

 

 

 

[1] I actually charge a lot more than two cents. :tongue_smilie:

 

 

[Lawyer&Mom]

I was professionally tested when I was five. I took a free but fairly involved online test when I was 18. I got the exact same score. So I feel like I have a pretty good idea what my IQ is.

 

I'm glad I know, because it has helped me contextualize how I fit into the gifted world. I know how many standard deviations I am above average. It explains how I didn't always fit in, even with other smart kids.

 

I never took the SATs in middle school, so I don't know if they could have provided some of that same context.

[kwg]

Thank you! After thinking about it some, I think I am worried about ds being so internal lately- but really how would testing help with that?  I also worry some about his motivation.  

[SKL]

I have been debating this in my mind for years.  Recently my 8yo daughter started asking me about it.  I told her I'd do it if she wanted me to push for her to get into the gifted program.  (I don't think it is a fit for her, honestly.)  But, the problem I see now is that if she knows it's an IQ test, that might skew her score.  She is not a "good test taker" as they say.

 

It would be an ego boost for me I'm sure, especially since I told the gifted teacher my kid would surely qualify.  :/  (She found the 2nd grade standardized tests "boring" and didn't do so hot.)  But my pride is my problem, not my kid's.  ;)

[Arcadia]

But, the problem I see now is that if she knows it's an IQ test, that might skew her score. She is not a "good test taker" as they say

My kids won't told it's an IQ test. We just said it is a strengths and weakness test. So they didn't ask for a score :)

Don't know if that will help for your daughter.

[madteaparty]

I don't believe in gifted testing personally but we had to take the CTY one so he would take a class that I could not find elsewhere. The same child that passed the SCAT bombed, spectacularly, the OLSAT just a couple years prior ( we were trying for public school K). You can see the source of my skepticism.

[kwg]

I know what you mean about accuracy of tests. My ds took the woodcock Johnson and I was there to hear his answers...in one section, he had to think of a wrod to fill in the blank.  He kept saying "actually I think that is fine the way it is".  I had to just start reading my book bc the tester said " you mean you pass?" and he said "I mean the sentence makes perfect sense without adding anything" 

 

 

[Arcadia]

I know what you mean about accuracy of tests. My ds took the woodcock Johnson and I was there to hear his answers..

I agree though.

I was close by when my boys took the WISC test and I felt there was a bias towards an enriched home environment. Since my boys are a year apart, I get to hear almost the same questions for two mornings. My older did first as he is good at not blabbing out the questions. I was trying hard not to laugh over their answers.

 

The psych that did the WISC for my boys was also more patient and observant than the psych that did the ADHD and autism screening for my younger boy. So the psych matters too. I was much more interested in the processing speed and working memory scores though and I told that to the psych when making the appt. for testing.

[EndOfOrdinary]

The biggest thing it did for me and kiddo was to eliminate all doubt. We used above level standardized testing. The results were very blatant. Up until that point Dh was very negative about the word "gifted", felt Ds should just be in public school, would not even insider anything but me just over compensating for Ds and basically cheating for him by inflating what our son could do. Dh felt very strongly that those sorts of behaviors are what all homeschooling parents do and everyone just wants to think their homeschooler was *so* special. It was actually so negative that it was becoming a problem. Once testing was done, without me even there, by a colleague of Dh's, in a nationally normed standardized test, and Ds performed so well, Dh shut up pretty quickly. This allowed the proof necessary for Dh to let go of Ds' schooling looking just so. Now Dh just stays out of it completely.

 

For me, it got me completely over my gifted denial. Some of the denial came from hearing Dh's negativity and had me questioning myself, but more of it was me having to come to terms with my son not being just a little different. For everyone else that was obvious. So testing basically cleared away any doubts and gave me more strength within myself to say, " I'm not worrying that math seems to be rather ridiculously hard right now" or " he does not have to prove himself by memorizing 900 Latin words this year." Test scores make people happy and that means they leave you alone for being different. Whether people want to admit it or not, being different means you feel conformance pressure. Test scores killed that because it was obvious Ds was never going to be normal.

 

For Ds, testing allows him to be ten. My son worked really hard the year he was 8 to become as normal as possible. He studied conversation, slang, pop culture references, went fully gifted kid neurotic on being normal. That means he can turn on ten years old very easily. We have had a couple instances of Ds being told that his environmental work was really just me. Having tests scores has pretty much made those people look like idiots. It isn't like I carry scores around in my pocket, but when needed I am able to use the information to squish naysayers.

[imagine.more]

I know what you mean about accuracy of tests. My ds took the woodcock Johnson and I was there to hear his answers...in one section, he had to think of a wrod to fill in the blank.  He kept saying "actually I think that is fine the way it is".  I had to just start reading my book bc the tester said " you mean you pass?" and he said "I mean the sentence makes perfect sense without adding anything" 

 

This totally cracks me up, love it :)

[lisabees]

Two of my kids were tested, because they were identified through the public school system.  I didn't bother with the others.  

 

I teach in the public school system and see many "gifted" kids who seem more like above-average kids academically.  They may be a year ahead in math or like to read a lot.  They don't think differently, they aren't curious, they are apathetic about school. Maybe their "giftedness" is in other areas?  Maybe a brick and mortar school squelches any desire in learning?  I am not sure.

 

In my experience, "gifted" kids - no matter where their passion, interest or talent lies - drag you on paths you never expected.  These are the kids who benefit from the freedom to explore and the support of a parent or curriculum to nurture it.

 

To me, a score doesn't necessarily matter.  If a kid needs more - or less - or deeper - of something, we should provide it.

 

 

 

ETA:  I keep editing this post; I don't want it to come across differently than intended.

 

 

 

[Runningmom80]

Now I'm rethinking DYS...maybe it isn't worth the effort of applying...

 

Would those of you who have children who qualified but didn't apply be willing to share why you didn't? You can PM me, if you'd prefer.

 

Sorry for the derail. Back to giftedness testing!

 

I keep going back and forth on it.  For the record, DS has only ever had achievement scores that qualify.  For some reason his IQ tests are always a few points shy, minus the one that was completely off the mark, and not reliable for various reasons.  So a lot of my hesitation is the whole WTH to put in the portfolio question.  BUT, even if we had the IQ scores, I'm not sure if I would apply.  My DS is not the driven, motivated, miserable without challenge kind of GT kid.  He's the leave me alone so I can draw a comic book and build Lego stuff kind of kid.  Because of this, I've been able to find enough things to keep him occupied and for the most part, challenged.  Also, being that we home school, I don't really need any advocacy help. 

[Woodland Mist Academy]

I keep going back and forth on it. <snip>

 Because of this, I've been able to find enough things to keep him occupied and for the most part, challenged.  Also, being that we home school, I don't really need any advocacy help. 

 

I hear you! I have similar thoughts.

 

I've been thinking of the cost/benefit ratio.

The portfolio costs no money, but it does cost time.

The benefit? I think that's hard to determine. Some families have found many benefits, others not so much.

 

I will say that I've always been somewhat resistant to talent searches in general. In the end, however, we've used something from every single one DD has joined -  classes, camps, etc. Sometimes we had no plans of doing anything with the program, but applied just in case. We were later glad we did.

 

I have some qualms about the whole "giftedness" concept, so on one level I wrestle with that. On another level, my mantra is to seize opportunities because you never know where they might lead.

 

Good luck deciding!

[kiwik]

my kids attend B&M school. I tested them because my family is littered with kids who were clearly very bright but had given up by high school. I tested because I got comments but the kids seemed normal to me. I assumed they were about 90%ile.

 

eta. to remove detail.

[SeaConquest]

The most inexpensive testing option for us is Dr. David Palmer in Laguna Beach, but I can think of a million other things I'd prefer to do with that $600 in my pocket. So, our current plan is to take the COGAT and ITBS next year in 1st grade. If the scores are high enough, we will apply for Mensa youth membership (since another poster mentioned that the annual convention will be in San Diego in 2016 -- thanks for that tip). We will do the SCAT in 2nd for CTY, and the Explore/Aspire + portfolio in 3rd for DYS. I don't really see 2E issues with my son that would make expensive psych testing seem worthwhile.

[Rivka]

$600 for a straight-up IQ test? Dude. I need to raise my prices.

[Arcadia]

$600 for a straight-up IQ test? Dude. I need to raise my prices.

Nah. You need to move to a higher COL area :lol: $600 was actually the cheapest quote I got.

[SKL]

I think my brother paid $50 for his son's, though that was about 12 years ago.

 

For me it's not the money, it's more that I'm not sure the test would be accurate because my kid is weird.  :P  So I'd rather not have a piece of paper if it's going to be inaccurate.

[SeaConquest]

Nah. You need to move to a higher COL area :lol: $600 was actually the cheapest quote I got.

Yes. David Palmer is the cheapest option in Southern California that I've found.