Bad News for Test Prep Parents

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Actually, at least one has a misunderstanding about this, or simply pretends to misunderstand. No one suggests that anything is wrong with hard work and preparation.
People are suggesting that it is inappropriate for people to "prep" kids by using materials that attempt to recreate the AAP identification tests. Prepping kids in this way makes the scores unreliable to the point that some schools are simply not using them anymore. These particular tests are not meant to be prepped for and prepping results in scores that are not useful to the schools.

These threads are only about prepping for the AAP identification tests. They are not about prepping for any other type of testing, nor are they about effective ways to teach math.

More nuaunced malarky. Now we have to have the identification committees throughout the land adjudicate the legality or ethics of preparation on the basis of an identification test. Will this be at the federal level or shall will let each state do their own thing?

What rubbish.

No rubbish, and no malarky. If you read the the OP for most of these threads, they involve the AAP identification testing. Not even terribly nuanced, just fact.

Right, and here's what FCPS says about this:

Here's a link to a FCPS document that includes an explanation of why the test was changed last year:

http://www.fcps.edu/is/aap/pdfs/FAQre2012CustomizedCogAT.pdf

See fourth paragraph, first sentence:

"FCPS staff members chose to administer the custom form of the CogAT this year after it came to our attention that some students, in previous years, had prepared for the CogAT using the exact form of the CogAT being administered in FCPS."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The best test preparation is a good night's sleep and a healthy breakfast.

Hey, homie, tell that to a lawyer or surgeon studying for the Bar or Boards. Unlike your strategy, serious students do not begin prep the night before the test. EvenPeyton doesn't leave his prep until the night before the game!

I wouldn't classify the majority of 7-year-olds as serious students, as much as many parents in this area seem to want to opt out of childhood for their kids.

Nor does FCPS wait till the night before for the prep it authorizes. The teachers show kids what the test creators recommend they see beforehand -- sample problems to give them an idea of what to expect. They're not supposed to need any other advanced preparation.

[Anonymous]

...Perhaps there's no convincing literalist lunkheads such as yourself. But those of us with half a brain can read between the lines. My AART also told me no prep was needed before my child took the test. If you need an outright ban in order to do what's right, I wonder about other choices you're making.

Most learned folk do not find it necessary to consult AART to inquire whether "prep" is needed or when and how to work with your own children on reading, quantitative, and problem solving skills. This learning interactions with one's children are somehow innate and build the foundation and habits of discipline, hard work and prep. Education is a natural habit in some households without the anxiety you exhibit.

No consultation with teachers, AART or stealing questions and answers are necessary.

I am sure athletics, preparation and hard work are a habit with the Manning family also...little anxiety. But the discipline, hard work and prep is a natural habit in that household. No need to cheat or steal the opposing teams' play book. Beat them up fair and square through hard work and preparation. The Mannings are not as foolish as some to think genes, and not hard work and prep, will win them a
super bowl.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous[b wrote:]"Prepping" does not equate with stealing AAP exams and memorizing answers to questions. That is not preparation in the least...it's stealing the test and memorizing answers. [/b]It is far simple to call the latter what is is than to equate stealing the answers to the test as "preparation" or"prep". Is prep for the lawyer, debater, public speaker or brain surgeon stealing answers to the test?

Any child will give this crowd a better definition of "prep" and preparation for a test --- then stealing the answers to test questions. Grow up and move on.

Ah, but I'm sure many of the hair-splitters on this forum would beg to differ. They didn't know the test was stolen or that it was an actual test. Their kids didn't steal, they had nothing to do with it. They were just preparing themselves by practicing questions beforehand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

...Perhaps there's no convincing literalist lunkheads such as yourself. But those of us with half a brain can read between the lines. My AART also told me no prep was needed before my child took the test. If you need an outright ban in order to do what's right, I wonder about other choices you're making.

Most learned folk do not find it necessary to consult AART to inquire whether "prep" is needed or when and how to work with your own children on reading, quantitative, and problem solving skills. This learning interactions with one's children are somehow innate and build the foundation and habits of discipline, hard work and prep. Education is a natural habit in some households without the anxiety you exhibit.
No consultation with teachers, AART or stealing questions and answers are necessary.

I am sure athletics, preparation and hard work are a habit with the Manning family also...little anxiety. But the discipline, hard work and prep is a natural habit in that household. No need to cheat or steal the opposing teams' play book. Beat them up fair and square through hard work and preparation. The Mannings are not as foolish as some to think genes, and not hard work and prep, will win them a
super bowl.

Huh? I never consulted anyone. The AART called me at home to explain the test because we were new to the school from out of the country. So check your assumptions buster. I've got no argument with education as natural part of households -- I think that's pretty standard in an area as well-educated as this one as well as being part of parenthood. As for anxiety, the only anxiety I feel is caused by the growing numbers of parents who seem determined to ruin childhood for kids by pushing the start of this whole crazy race to nowhere ever younger.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't classify the majority of 7-year-olds as serious students, as much as many parents in this area seem to want to opt out of childhood for their kids.

Nor does FCPS wait till the night before for the prep it authorizes. The teachers show kids what the test creators recommend they see beforehand -- sample problems to give them an idea of what to expect. They're not supposed to need any other advanced preparation.

Academic prep and discipline in children is about learning. It has nothing to do with AAP. Why do you think families that value education and spend valuable time with their children in this endeavor at an early age are necessarily preparing for AAP. These families could give a hoot about the low AAP bar or what is needed for that particular test. There is no need to steal test questions for this or any test.
For these families their engagement in education is far deeper than AAP or what is needed for the test or a goon night's sleep followed by ham and eggs.

For folk like Phelps and Peyton (with all their superlative gifts you are drooling over) their preparation, discipline and hard work is not about their work ethic and habits...that they will crush their opponent is immaterial. They are simply wired to prep and work hard...plain and simple. That their approach to life. One doesn't have to invoke stealing the other team's play book and cheating to explain why some children and their families work hard and prep. You don't have to join them. There is free choice.

[Anonymous]

Ah, but I'm sure many of the hair-splitters on this forum would beg to differ. They didn't know the test was stolen or that it was an actual test. Their kids didn't steal, they had nothing to do with it. They were just preparing themselves by practicing questions beforehand.

The process of learning is all about inquiry and asking questions. Do you know who Socrates was? Now you want to ban those who teach children from asking questions because of the "AAP"? Or is it you wish to ban learning that does not occur in a FCPS school? Paranoid indeed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I wouldn't classify the majority of 7-year-olds as serious students, as much as many parents in this area seem to want to opt out of childhood for their kids.

Nor does FCPS wait till the night before for the prep it authorizes. The teachers show kids what the test creators recommend they see beforehand -- sample problems to give them an idea of what to expect. They're not supposed to need any other advanced preparation.

Academic prep and discipline in children is about learning. It has nothing to do with AAP. Why do you think families that value education and spend valuable time with their children in this endeavor at an early age are necessarily preparing for AAP. These families could give a hoot about the low AAP bar or what is needed for that particular test. There is no need to steal test questions for this or any test.
For these families their engagement in education is far deeper than AAP or what is needed for the test or a goon night's sleep followed by ham and eggs.

For folk like Phelps and Peyton (with all their superlative gifts you are drooling over) their preparation, discipline and hard work is not about their work ethic and habits...that they will crush their opponent is immaterial. They are simply wired to prep and work hard...plain and simple. That their approach to life. One doesn't have to invoke stealing the other team's play book and cheating to explain why some children and their families work hard and prep. You don't have to join them. There is free choice.


Who are you arguing with? This thread is specifically about AAP prep and not how parents educate their children. Please tell me you're instilling some common sense and ability to understand written material as part of the academic work you're doing with your kids.

And free choice ends where you start to harm others -- drilling for a screening test that measures abilities to answer problems you've never seen before warps the outcome for all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Ah, but I'm sure many of the hair-splitters on this forum would beg to differ. They didn't know the test was stolen or that it was an actual test. Their kids didn't steal, they had nothing to do with it. They were just preparing themselves by practicing questions beforehand.

The process of learning is all about inquiry and asking questions. Do you know who Socrates was? Now you want to ban those who teach children from asking questions because of the "AAP"? Or is it you wish to ban learning that does not occur in a FCPS school? Paranoid indeed.

Again, huh? Those were examples of the rationalizations people would use to explain away stolen tests, not a ban on inquiry. Think you're projecting that paranoia. More proof to me that most of the parents on this forum are wannabe AAP parents as opposed to the real thing.

[Anonymous]

Huh? I never consulted anyone. The AART called me at home to explain the test because we were new to the school from out of the country. So check your assumptions buster. I've got no argument with education as natural part of households -- I think that's pretty standard in an area as well-educated as this one as well as being part of parenthood. As for anxiety, the only anxiety I feel is caused by the growing numbers of parents who seem determined to ruin childhood for kids by pushing the start of this whole crazy race to nowhere ever younger.

I did not know you were ruining childhood for your kids by "pushing the start of this whole crazy race to nowhere ever younger". Why do you follow the crowd? You should know better.

[Anonymous]

Again, huh? Those were examples of the rationalizations people would use to explain away stolen tests, not a ban on inquiry. Think you're projecting that paranoia. More proof to me that most of the parents on this forum are wannabe AAP parents as opposed to the real thing.

Because parents ask their children questions (or quiz them) you automatically think these questions are stolen from a bank at the AAP? Paranoia. These parents must be cheating, huh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Huh? I never consulted anyone. The AART called me at home to explain the test because we were new to the school from out of the country. So check your assumptions buster. I've got no argument with education as natural part of households -- I think that's pretty standard in an area as well-educated as this one as well as being part of parenthood. As for anxiety, the only anxiety I feel is caused by the growing numbers of parents who seem determined to ruin childhood for kids by pushing the start of this whole crazy race to nowhere ever younger.

I did not know you were ruining childhood for your kids by "pushing the start of this whole crazy race to nowhere ever younger". Why do you follow the crowd? You should know better.

How do you spell "obtuse"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Again, huh? Those were examples of the rationalizations people would use to explain away stolen tests, not a ban on inquiry. Think you're projecting that paranoia. More proof to me that most of the parents on this forum are wannabe AAP parents as opposed to the real thing.

Because parents ask their children questions (or quiz them) you automatically think these questions are stolen from a bank at the AAP? Paranoia. These parents must be cheating, huh.

Defensive much? Or is it just that you have problems with reading comprehension?

[Anonymous]

I hope the kids at least are learning some reading comprehension. They could practice by reading the first post on a thread and figuring out the subject.

[Anonymous]

Who are you arguing with? This thread is specifically about AAP prep and not how parents educate their children. Please tell me you're instilling some common sense and ability to understand written material as part of the academic work you're doing with your kids.

Really!