NNAT question pattern

[Anonymous]

Since the creators of ability tests did not intend for people to prep - remember this is an ability test not an achievement test - your child's score is really NOT an accurate picture of their aptitude or potential if you prepared.

[Anonymous]

I guess my question is what is prep? Doing puzzles helps develop the skills for the test. Is that prepping? Playing some of those Think Fun types of games also helps. Is that prepping? Tantagrams -- is that prepping? What exactly is prepping (absent getting copies of the actual test)?

[Anonymous]

I do not working on puzzles, etc is prep...the issue is The people that buy sample tests...

[Anonymous]

Where do you even buy a sample test?

[Anonymous]

My son had a full score of 160 on NNAT in Feb 2011 for 2nd grade,did not take COGat not accepted at AAP. WEe did do some prep and I think it does help, but he would have done good anyway in NNAT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son had a full score of 160 on NNAT in Feb 2011 for 2nd grade,did not take COGat not accepted at AAP. WEe did do some prep and I think it does help, but he would have done good anyway in NNAT

Wow, I have never heard of a child scoring 160 on NNAT and not getting into AAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son had a full score of 160 on NNAT in Feb 2011 for 2nd grade,did not take COGat not accepted at AAP. WEe did do some prep and I think it does help, but he would have done good anyway in NNAT

Wow, I have never heard of a child scoring 160 on NNAT and not getting into AAP.

Yes we appealing now awaiting results.

[Anonymous]

Slightly off-topic question, but did this year's second graders take the NNAT this year or in first grade?

It seems as though they've moved the timing of this test around.

I ask because we were in FCPS for K and first grade and I don't recall seeing an NNAT score for our child. We left the area and are now returning back -- I'm preparing the file for immediate placement review and wonder if there is a test score out there for DD from when she was in FCPS as a first grader, or if they moved the timing of the test and she did not take it.

[Anonymous]

Prior to the 2010-2011 school year, the NNAT was given in 2nd grade. This year, it was given to both 1st and 2nd graders to facilitate the transition to testing in 1st grade. From this point on, the NNAT will be given in 1st grade and the CogAT will be given in 2nd grade.

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I am the OP. I dont understand why people have harsh and so opinionated about somebody who they barely know. Just because a parent wants to be involved and help their child in every way, doesn't make the person a pushy, bad parent.

I have my son who is in AAP. He score 156 in NNAT without any help. Not to brag, He is really a gifted and a very smart kid. It takes less than 1 day for any teacher to realise his potential. I didnt have to do anything to help him.

My daughter on the other hand is a studious kid but not a "think outside the box " person. She does well, whatever she knows and taught. I would like her to get a comfortable feeling about "tests". I will help her to practice the bubble sheets (answer). what kind of questions may come and how she can handle in her own way without getting scared or surprised. She will be assuming that it is one of the fun stuff she did during summer with me and feel comfortable while doing the testing.

I dont care what other people think. Every parent does whats best for their child.

[Anonymous]

The thing is there are parents that hire tutors from these tests, and those companies promice 15-30 points, which creates additional ambiguities in test evaluations. That is why some high scores are demised.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I am a Tiger Mom. I had my son do workbooks a little bit the summer before he took the NNAT. He got extraordinary score (140) but he may have done that anyway, without practice, who knows? I know I did all I could do to help him do well, and if I hadn't and he bombed, I be blaming myself. Do what works for your family. Good luck.


And yet my son got a 143 without wasting a minute of his childhood.

The thing is...it is not an achievement test, it is an ability test. There is no "helping him do well." There is no information to memorize and no concepts to master. Either your child is wired in a way in which the patterns make sense, or he isn't.

There is no "bombing" the NNAT or the CogAT. Again, it is an ABILITY test. A score in the low 100's would be how you would expect most kids to do. A score above or below average is not indicative of how much they know or how well they will do in life.

And lastly, "blaming yourself"??
Seriously???
You would "blame yourself" if you hadn't wasted your child's summer prepping him for an ability test and he had scored merely "average" or even "superior"??

This goes beyond Tiger Mom. This sort of attitude is damaging to a child.

She said her kid did workbooks "a bit" over the summer. That is "wasting his childhood?" Give me a break.

In any case, you CAN prep for this test and improve scores. Otherwise people wouldn't bother with test prep. I think this is very typical Tiger mom, not beyond.

[Anonymous]

I don't care what other parents do. The truth is, if 50% of the kids in Fairfax County score in the 98% of the national percentile, then Fairfax County will pay for 50% of their kids to get a gifted eduction. The kids are not competing with each other for open slots, people! Who cares if Tiger Mom hires a tutor and gets her kid in? I agree that each family has their own philosophy on this and it's really no one else's business or concern.

[Anonymous]

I've seen some discussion about practicing with the bubble sheets. The note that came home about NNAT said that the kids would mark directly in the booklet (first grade.) What is the standard?

[Anonymous]

They do not use bubble sheets for the NNAT or the CogAT in fairfax county. In both tests, the kids mark their answers directly in the booklet.