Oh screw the WPPSI and all other tests

[Anonymous]

Yeah, but it's a very different type of test. In fact "test" is probably the wrong word. If everyone called it an assessment or an evaluation, people might not get so worked up about it.

[Anonymous]

Lowell doesn't require th WPPSI but they do their own evaulation. They ask the child certain questions and have them draw pictures.its a lot of the same stuff on the WPPSI but atleast from my DS's experience didn't seem as much as test as the WPPSIM I alsi feel having the actual school you are intwrested in doing the evaulation makes a lot more sense in terms of what they are looking for insteady of a test administered by a stranger and subject to their own opinions of readiness..excuse typos ect I'm on a cell phone and can't go back easily and correct!

[Anonymous]

It was totally under the radar/non-stressful for my DC. No big wind-up -- just we're going to take you to see a lady who wants to talk with you and play some games with you. DC was 4 at the time. I think she experienced it as roughly the equivalent to meeting a new and very promising babysitter.

[Anonymous]

Lowell doesn't require th WPPSI but they do their own evaulation. They ask the child certain questions and have them draw pictures.its a lot of the same stuff on the WPPSI but atleast from my DS's experience didn't seem as much as test as the WPPSIM I alsi feel having the actual school you are intwrested in doing the evaulation makes a lot more sense in terms of what they are looking for insteady of a test administered by a stranger and subject to their own opinions of readiness..excuse typos ect I'm on a cell phone and can't go back easily and correct!

[Anonymous]

Lowell doesn't require th WPPSI but they do their own evaulation. They ask the child certain questions and have them draw pictures.its a lot of the same stuff on the WPPSI but atleast from my DS's experience didn't seem as much as test as the WPPSIM I alsi feel having the actual school you are intwrested in doing the evaulation makes a lot more sense in terms of what they are looking for insteady of a test administered by a stranger and subject to their own opinions of readiness..excuse typos ect I'm on a cell phone and can't go back easily and correct!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does testing for schools bother you? We all put our kids through all sorts of tests (medical, hearing, vision). In fact, the school "playdates" are really a form of test too. So why does one extra test that tries to assess the child's aptitude for learning bother you?

Taking the WPPSI is a lot less traumatic (and maybe even fun) for kids than most of the tests at the doctor's office. It's far more stressful for parents than for kids.

Also, I know the tests are questionable in their ability to predict academic success, and I'm sure the schools know that too. But how can anyone object to one extra data point when trying to pick a small class from among dozens of children.

I just don't understand the philosophical objection some people have to the tests. But maybe your objection is not philosophical. I agree that it's annoying to have to arrange for another test, and take child to the test. And I agree it's worrisome for parents to wait for results. If you're venting about those minor annoyances, I totally understand and empathize.

Please tell me that you did not get "stressed out" by your child's WPPSI test. And that you "worried" while waiting for the results. I suspect that the OP is addressing people like you when she vented her annoyance about this area's fascination with testing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does testing for schools bother you? We all put our kids through all sorts of tests (medical, hearing, vision). In fact, the school "playdates" are really a form of test too. So why does one extra test that tries to assess the child's aptitude for learning bother you?

Taking the WPPSI is a lot less traumatic (and maybe even fun) for kids than most of the tests at the doctor's office. It's far more stressful for parents than for kids.

Also, I know the tests are questionable in their ability to predict academic success, and I'm sure the schools know that too. But how can anyone object to one extra data point when trying to pick a small class from among dozens of children.

I just don't understand the philosophical objection some people have to the tests. But maybe your objection is not philosophical. I agree that it's annoying to have to arrange for another test, and take child to the test. And I agree it's worrisome for parents to wait for results. If you're venting about those minor annoyances, I totally understand and empathize.

Please tell me that you did not get "stressed out" by your child's WPPSI test. And that you "worried" while waiting for the results. I suspect that the OP is addressing people like you when she vented her annoyance about this area's fascination with testing.

No, I personally was never "stressed out" or "worried" -- I was just trying to be respectful in my post of the fact that many parents do find the process stressful and worrisome (as reflected by some of the other posts in this thread). Do you disagree with my views? Why do you feel the need to make unfounded and disrespectful judgments about me personally?

[Anonymous]

From a macroeconomics perspective, testing is just an efficient way to allocate resources. There are a lot of people on this planet and they have to be sorted somehow...

[Anonymous]

I personally, completely affronted by the testing due to my OWN feelings of being tested. I am bright, but a TERRIBLE tester and felt VERY judged by even subjecting my kid to it. Needless to say, she scored in the 98th% and I was STILL pissed.

I hate hate hate hate it. But at least she scores better than me.

[Anonymous]

Not sure how old your child is, but the WPPSI is only required for a few Pre-K class admissions. A few great schools that do not require or encourage WPPSI for pre-K are St. Patrick's & NPS. But, those schools require it for K.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I have no objection to testing. I've been tested ad nauseum in my own life and did well on the tests. But not at 3 or 4 yrs old! Thats absurd to me. It's not a good predictor of academic success or lifetime achievement at that age. This is because children change so much in the early years. Their brains are so malleable at that young age.

DS's IQ is higher than the admissions director at the schools he is applying for. So trust me, I'm not worried he'll do poorly. But it is hell for him because he has mild attention issues. I hate making him sit still for ONE HOUR at the age of 4 to take a test. He fights to get through it and I see the anguish in him to sit for one hour answering questions.

That one question where apparently he had to keep answering until he got it wrong went so long that he became exasperated and got out of his chair and wanted to leave the room. That tester kept pushing him to go further. He wasn't getting the answers wrong but he just could not keep going that long.

I was never subjected to any test of any kind at the age of 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6.

[Anonymous]

I agree w/ the PP. I'd love to be a fly on the wall in some of the tester's offices w/ 3 and 4 yr olds. After maybe 5 or 10 mins of questions (if that), I wonder how many kids start looking around the room and asking "What's the stuffed animal up on the shelf? Do you have any kids? Do you have a dog? My dog is named Fido. He's black and kind of old." Do they write that down as being "off task"? To me, that is just being a preschooler.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I have no objection to testing. I've been tested ad nauseum in my own life and did well on the tests. But not at 3 or 4 yrs old! Thats absurd to me. It's not a good predictor of academic success or lifetime achievement at that age. This is because children change so much in the early years. Their brains are so malleable at that young age.

DS's IQ is higher than the admissions director at the schools he is applying for. So trust me, I'm not worried he'll do poorly. But it is hell for him because he has mild attention issues. I hate making him sit still for ONE HOUR at the age of 4 to take a test. He fights to get through it and I see the anguish in him to sit for one hour answering questions.

That one question where apparently he had to keep answering until he got it wrong went so long that he became exasperated and got out of his chair and wanted to leave the room. That tester kept pushing him to go further. He wasn't getting the answers wrong but he just could not keep going that long.

I was never subjected to any test of any kind at the age of 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6.

How do you DC's IQ is higher than the admix directors at the schools to which he is applying?

[Anonymous]

Because we got the results of the WPPSI and his admissions directors tell us so. I know it's killing him to sit through it though because the testadministrator told us so. She said after 13 or so rounds of that one question I mentioned before he was fed up and just left his chair. Why do that to kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because we got the results of the WPPSI and his admissions directors tell us so. I know it's killing him to sit through it though because the testadministrator told us so. She said after 13 or so rounds of that one question I mentioned before he was fed up and just left his chair. Why do that to kids?

First, if DC's WPPSI's results are so high, what are you worrying about? Second, I am intrigued that every admissions director offers his or her own IQ results. I've met with a lot of admissions directors over the years and never had the opportunity to have such a conversation.