Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OH. MY. GOD.
If you need to find a test center, your child doesn't belong in AAP.

This is a misunderstanding of AAP. AAP is for academically advanced students, not gifted students. That includes children who are prepared to work hard to do advanced work and are capable of it. Hard work and conscientiousness pretty much always trumps "gifted ability" so I don't know why the idea of preparing for a test (which usually involves just reviewing a couple of nnat / cogat books with your child and not some type of intense coaching sessions, generates such an intense reaction here.

Because at the end of the day, there are kids in Gen Ed who could have successfully done the work, and there are kids in aap who are struggling with the work. An even playing field would be better...

Anonymous wrote:OH. MY. GOD.
If you need to find a test center, your child doesn't belong in AAP.

This is a misunderstanding of AAP. AAP is for academically advanced students, not gifted students. That includes children who are prepared to work hard to do advanced work and are capable of it. Hard work and conscientiousness pretty much always trumps "gifted ability" so I don't know why the idea of preparing for a test (which usually involves just reviewing a couple of nnat / cogat books with your child and not some type of intense coaching sessions, generates such an intense reaction here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OH. MY. GOD.
If you need to find a test center, your child doesn't belong in AAP.

Yet so many kids do test prep, just as so many kids get extra coaching for athletics. Just be quiet and let people choose the right support for their kids.

To be fair, I roll my eyes at the kids with private coaches in ES for any sport. I roll my eyes at most travel programs, especially the parents who are willing to pay what they do for their kid to be on the B or C team for 8-year-old soccer/baseball/basketball.

I understand enrichment and additional sports for a kid who loves it and is asking for it, that would include the kid on B and C team for travel. That is supporting a kids interest. Test prep in second grade, AoPS or RSM or Kumon for a kid not interested in math to make sure they take Algebra 1 in 7th grade or forcing a kid to play a travel sport when they are not interested makes little sense to me. I do keep my opinion to myself, it is not my place, but they both cause me to internally roll my eyes.

Kids who are especially gifted at a sport, academic area, instrument, or art are rare and pretty easily spotted. Most the kids prepping for the test for AAP or working with a private coach are not going to find their way into an Ivy or with a D1 scholarship. Let the kid follow their interest, expose them to different options, support them at home. But that is what we do.

And yes, we know the really smart kids in AAP and who are ahead in math. We know kids playing travel sports who love it, they eat it up. We also know kids who are in over their heads and are struggling and are not happy. They are in the accelerated math classes because they want to keep up with the other kids, but they are working their butts off for a B- while the other kids are getting A's with little effort. But their parents won't let them drop down because then their kid isn't in accelerated math. Or the kid is riding the bench on travel sport and not having fun but the parents won't let them move to rec sport because the coaching isn't as good. It's kind of stupid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OH. MY. GOD.
If you need to find a test center, your child doesn't belong in AAP.

Yet so many kids do test prep, just as so many kids get extra coaching for athletics. Just be quiet and let people choose the right support for their kids.

Nah, we're gonna call out the toxic academic arms race type behavior which is harming our kids and schools, thanks. This isn't about "choosing the right support for their kids", it's about trying to get a leg up on other kids by hyperfocusing on test performance at an early age to a developmentally inappropriate degree. Test prep for a test you aren't supposed to prep for isn't a sport and it isn't academic enrichment.

Anonymous wrote:OH. MY. GOD.
If you need to find a test center, your child doesn't belong in AAP.

Yet so many kids do test prep, just as so many kids get extra coaching for athletics. Just be quiet and let people choose the right support for their kids.

OH. MY. GOD.
If you need to find a test center, your child doesn't belong in AAP.

The teachers will review questions and format before the test. It will be fine.

Anonymous wrote:I can’t find ngat books—- seem to get directed to nnat and cogat…

NP. Thats likely the point..

I can’t find ngat books—- seem to get directed to nnat and cogat…

Anonymous wrote:What...what happen to NNAT? Is NGAT replace NNAT in FCPS?

Is it a hybrid of cogat and NNAT?

From my experience if you are high school grade you are more than enough to prep your child NGAT or any other second grade test.

Just get NGAT books and do it with your child. The test is going to be administered over school computer so online test prep site is also helpful. Google yourself.

It is not rocket science.

What happened to cogat? Replaced by ngat? Why so?

What...what happen to NNAT? Is NGAT replace NNAT in FCPS?

At this age, the only prep that seems useful is exposing your child to the types of questions. There are a few NGAT books on Amazon. Get a book or two for NNAT, NGAT or CoGat. They are all similar in topic. Put some time in to explaining a few questions and how they work. When your child shows they know WHAT the question wants you to do and they can tackle a few on their own successfully - that's all you can do. I don't think that a prep center will do more than that and learning from a parent can be very fun and put your child at ease.

I’m sure I will get flamed for asking this, but I do want my kid to prep for the new AAP testing. Does anyone know of any prep centers offering NGAT prep?