Middle school magnet testing for Takoma/ Eastern: have you received 'invite'?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did hear girls talking about this test at a recent sleepover. Not sure about trolls on this thread, but I did my research, had my daughter try out SCAT test format to understand directions and save time on test day.

We all took PSAT and some form of SAT's and improved scores from one to other - because being familiar with test format is key to success in standardized school environment. So let the parents of genius kids yell and throw fits, we the educated parents will learn the system and guide our kids as we see fit. I usually get test prep books on Amazon - hey it's better than TV or video games anyways! Even if competition is fierce , our kids are only getting smarter.

The winners aren't allowing sleepovers...

People may think you are joking about this but my daughter is in the TPMS Magnet and we have tried inviting different magnet school friends over for a sleepover quite a few times. Each time they were not allowed because of a family rule against it. Another was not allowed to attend her birthday party because of some rule about distance from home. They are all nice kids with nice parents who we have met at school events. While I'm not raising my child this way, I can respect it. It's just their culture. Now, I know that my experience is just with 1/2 dozen or so kids but I still feel like it's worth pointing out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did hear girls talking about this test at a recent sleepover. Not sure about trolls on this thread, but I did my research, had my daughter try out SCAT test format to understand directions and save time on test day.

We all took PSAT and some form of SAT's and improved scores from one to other - because being familiar with test format is key to success in standardized school environment. So let the parents of genius kids yell and throw fits, we the educated parents will learn the system and guide our kids as we see fit. I usually get test prep books on Amazon - hey it's better than TV or video games anyways! Even if competition is fierce , our kids are only getting smarter.

The winners aren't allowing sleepovers...[/quote]

What does it even mean?

I think this refers to moms like the one in Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother who never allow their kids sleepovers or social lives.

[Anonymous]

My kid tested today 9am til 12. Various bathroom / water breaks. Math had 6 sections, whole exam was 3 separate types. Nothing like the SCAT apparently (which my kid took over the holidays). There were spacial, math and language questions. All multiple choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid tested today 9am til 12. Various bathroom / water breaks. Math had 6 sections, whole exam was 3 separate types. Nothing like the SCAT apparently (which my kid took over the holidays). There were spacial, math and language questions. All multiple choice.

At the information night they said there would not be a math section. I guess they were still figuring it out and in the end it changed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid tested today 9am til 12. Various bathroom / water breaks. Math had 6 sections, whole exam was 3 separate types. Nothing like the SCAT apparently (which my kid took over the holidays). There were spacial, math and language questions. All multiple choice.

At the information night they said there would not be a math section. I guess they were still figuring it out and in the end it changed.

My son said the math section was abstract, e.g., what is the value of the circle if circle squared equal triangle plus ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you finding that many of the kids in your school are talking about the test all the time? DS says people are obsessing about it over lunch and comparing notes. We are in a Wootton cluster ES, if that matters. Terribly concerning. Is what MS will be like??

Not in my child’s experience

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid tested today 9am til 12. Various bathroom / water breaks. Math had 6 sections, whole exam was 3 separate types. Nothing like the SCAT apparently (which my kid took over the holidays). There were spacial, math and language questions. All multiple choice.

At the information night they said there would not be a math section. I guess they were still figuring it out and in the end it changed.

I think that is true, no math, if you only test for Eastern. My kid tested for both Magnets. Math, English and Spacial reasoning, as I said above.

[Anonymous]

Seems like everyone who took the test, was recommended to test for both programs.

Anyone hear of someone recommended for only one of the schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid tested today 9am til 12. Various bathroom / water breaks. Math had 6 sections, whole exam was 3 separate types. Nothing like the SCAT apparently (which my kid took over the holidays). There were spacial, math and language questions. All multiple choice.

At the information night they said there would not be a math section. I guess they were still figuring it out and in the end it changed.

I think that is true, no math, if you only test for Eastern. My kid tested for both Magnets. Math, English and Spacial reasoning, as I said above.

NP here -- At the information night, the question/answer about whether there was a math section was not about the Eastern test. Rather, the representative said that there would be no quantitative section, period, just verbal and non-verbal (which I took to mean pattern recognition, forming cubes, etc) and that was repeated when she was answering individual questions off the podium. That of course seemed crazy at the time, and I'm glad they rethought matters, but it is in fact different from what they said.

[Anonymous]

^^ eh, semantics...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did hear girls talking about this test at a recent sleepover. Not sure about trolls on this thread, but I did my research, had my daughter try out SCAT test format to understand directions and save time on test day.

We all took PSAT and some form of SAT's and improved scores from one to other - because being familiar with test format is key to success in standardized school environment. So let the parents of genius kids yell and throw fits, we the educated parents will learn the system and guide our kids as we see fit. I usually get test prep books on Amazon - hey it's better than TV or video games anyways! Even if competition is fierce , our kids are only getting smarter.

The winners aren't allowing sleepovers...[/quote]

What does it even mean?

I think this refers to moms like the one in Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother who never allow their kids sleepovers or social lives.

This is pretty common in some cultures (speaking as someone who married into one myself, although we don't have those rules in our household). It's just a foreign concept to them and a way to control bad influences as well - why would someone want to sleep somewhere other than their own bed? What are they doing at night that they can't do in the daytime? I have seen it backfire with child rebelliousness a number of times and have the unintended effect (not just sleepovers, but other control of social lives), but it is a child rearing choice, just like so many others. We all do the best we can based on what we know.

My child got invited to take the test, and took it by her own choice (we did not influence her at all-in fact, I had a number of heart to hearts with her on why she wanted to do it). She's only interested in TPMS magnet because she is very motivated in the sciences and wants to be challenged more than she has at her elementary school. However, our home middle school is fantastic. So, I am struggling on if it is worth it, between the upheaval in social life (but she actually is extremely adept socially so I'm not too worried) and the exhausting bus schedule (although I also had a long bus ride growing up living in a rural area so feel that is also doable). I've read so many positive posts on here about TPMS magnet that I told her there are no bad paths here - if she gets into magnet, great. If she doesn't, great. She's got amazing options. I also have been coaching her not to be too upset if she doesn't get in, as well. She said she'd be sad, but she's pretty resilient. I think I've been worrying more about it than she has because I just don't want her to get too anxious about it.

[Anonymous]

Some of you people are sick! Let your kids be kids and stop creating pressure on them when there should not be!! Normal 5th graders don't sit around and obsess over magnet programs unless their helicopter parents have made a big deal about it.... I had two conversations with my child.

Me: Are you interested in the magnet program? There is a test you have to take?
Them: Maybe. Will take the test so I have an option.

Day of the test after not mentioning it again!

Me: Have fun in the testing...try to focus and do you best.
Them: Cool

[Anonymous]

My DD came home today and asked why I signed her up for this testing. I do not recall signing her up for this and would not sign her up for this test as we have no plans for her to go to magnet schools. I am upset that she basically missed half the school day and wasted her time. Did this happen to anyone else?

[Anonymous]

You were supposed to sign & return the form if you wanted to opt out.

[Anonymous]

Hey all - MoCo tweeted a couple days ago that the results will be mailed on February 9, in case anyone was wondering.