COGAT test name changed to Fairfax Abilities Test in FCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad I'm not alone!
Both of my kids tested into AAP with 99th percentile scores on both NNAT and Cogat and they spend way too much time on their iPods and watching TV. We didn't prep at all, and we probably didn't even get to bed on time.

It seems like ignoring the kids may be the best strategy yet.

You probably let your kids goof off because they tested into AAP. If they weren't good students, I seriously doubt if you would let them continue the tv watching or ipod playing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SO? Did anyone order it? What does the test look like?

Nope, I just checked the site and it is nearly $50. Too expensive and too close to the real test. The school is doing some practice test so kids should be fine with the format.
BTW, I showed the AAP info letter from our school to a friend and she asked if the wording is different this year from the past years. Somehow she has an impression that the test in the past was to identify "potential", but this year it says 'developed skills". Anybody has an idea about this?

Seems like your ES is prepping the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are all schools supposed to practice the cogat? My child hasn't said anything about practicing at school yet, and they're supposed to take it next week.

I heard that all schools have practice sessions.

LOL!

So these anti prep parents should protest at the school to stop prepping the kids.

If it's not Ok for parents to "prep," then why should the schools?

Laughable.

[Anonymous]

The schools are explaining in advance how the tests work so that kids understand the directions and how to mark their answers and they go over some sample questions provided by the test company. This takes up a small proportion of normal class time and is not at all comparable to the hours and hours of time that some parents have admitted spending "prepping" their kids for these tests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The schools are explaining in advance how the tests work so that kids understand the directions and how to mark their answers and they go over some sample questions provided by the test company. This takes up a small proportion of normal class time and is not at all comparable to the hours and hours of time that some parents have admitted spending "prepping" their kids for these tests.

prepping is prepping, and it seems like your school is doing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The schools are explaining in advance how the tests work so that kids understand the directions and how to mark their answers and they go over some sample questions provided by the test company. This takes up a small proportion of normal class time and is not at all comparable to the hours and hours of time that some parents have admitted spending "prepping" their kids for these tests.

Aren't there instructions for kids to read on their own or do the tests come without instructions?

Shouldn't kids be able to read and understand the instructions by themselves in 2nd grade?

[Anonymous]

Things the kids might not be able to read well at the age of 7. Or they might misunderstand the questions. They might not know how to fill in the "bubbles".

The point of the overview the schools give is so the test is measuring Cognitive ability rather than the ability to follow instructions....it is different.

But then,you think the only kids that should understand the instructions are the ones who took the mercer test.

In my DD's case (years ago), my daughter had a question, and the teacher was not allowed to answer. It went down hill from there. Teacher actually noted that to us when we discussed the scores. In the parental referral, the school noted the potential problem with her test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The schools are explaining in advance how the tests work so that kids understand the directions and how to mark their answers and they go over some sample questions provided by the test company. This takes up a small proportion of normal class time and is not at all comparable to the hours and hours of time that some parents have admitted spending "prepping" their kids for these tests.

prepping is prepping, and it seems like your school is doing it.

Answer to your question bolded above.

[Anonymous]

Yes, a very small amount of class time is very different from the hours parents spend going over books with copies of old tests.
Explaining directions is very different from sitting down with a child anf answering old test questions to the point where they become memorized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Things the kids might not be able to read well at the age of 7. Or they might misunderstand the questions. They might not know how to fill in the "bubbles".

The point of the overview the schools give is so the test is measuring Cognitive ability rather than the ability to follow instructions....it is different.

But then,you think the only kids that should understand the instructions are the ones who took the mercer test.

In my DD's case (years ago), my daughter had a question, and the teacher was not allowed to answer. It went down hill from there. Teacher actually noted that to us when we discussed the scores. In the parental referral, the school noted the potential problem with her test.

As you said, your school goes over sample problems from the test. That's not filling out bubbles.

and, you even met with the teacher to discuss the results?

Give it a rest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, a very small amount of class time is very different from the hours parents spend going over books with copies of old tests.
Explaining directions is very different from sitting down with a child anf answering old test questions to the point where they become memorized.

Why does it matter if those old problems are memorized? Each year's test probably has different problems.

For a person who supposedly didn't prep, you seem obsessed with those who supposedly prepped their kids.

You're the worst type of parent....stop obsessing over other kids/parents and just worry about your own snowflake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, a very small amount of class time is very different from the hours parents spend going over books with copies of old tests.
Explaining directions is very different from sitting down with a child anf answering old test questions to the point where they become memorized.

Why does it matter if those old problems are memorized? Each year's test probably has different problems.

For a person who supposedly didn't prep, you seem obsessed with those who supposedly prepped their kids.

You're the worst type of parent....stop obsessing over other kids/parents and just worry about your own snowflake.

Typically, the "prepping" parents use language that indicates that they see life as a competition and their aim in "prepping" is for their snowflake to beat all the other snowflakes.
So, if anything, it would appear that it is the "prepping" parents who are obsessed with the other kids/parents in their hopes for their snowflake to outdo the others on the test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The schools are explaining in advance how the tests work so that kids understand the directions and how to mark their answers and they go over some sample questions provided by the test company. This takes up a small proportion of normal class time and is not at all comparable to the hours and hours of time that some parents have admitted spending "prepping" their kids for these tests.

Aren't there instructions for kids to read on their own or do the tests come without instructions?

Shouldn't kids be able to read and understand the instructions by themselves in 2nd grade?

Isn't CogAt/FxAt an aural test?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The schools are explaining in advance how the tests work so that kids understand the directions and how to mark their answers and they go over some sample questions provided by the test company. This takes up a small proportion of normal class time and is not at all comparable to the hours and hours of time that some parents have admitted spending "prepping" their kids for these tests.

Aren't there instructions for kids to read on their own or do the tests come without instructions?

Shouldn't kids be able to read and understand the instructions by themselves in 2nd grade?

Isn't CogAt/FxAt an oral test?

[Anonymous]

Typically, the "prepping" parents use language that indicates that they see life as a competition and their aim in "prepping" is for their snowflake to beat all the other snowflakes.
So, if anything, it would appear that it is the "prepping" parents who are obsessed with the other kids/parents in their hopes for their snowflake to outdo the others on the test.

You appear to be obsessed with the word snowflake. Err, that and you appear to have some anger management issues...

Just try to relax and repeat to yourself, my children will do just fine in watered-down AAP.