My children, students and fellow teaching colleagues do not need your pity. We all do fine without your incessant, fawning, infantile, advice, and guidance on matters related to teaching, learning and education.

Anonymous wrote:My kid is a top age group swimmer today and loves it; however 4 and 1/2 years ago he cried incessantly when he went for swim lessons to the point we had to stop. As parents, we felt he needed these life skills in the water and we went back again to the lessons with several instructors (some told us it was hopeless) and the screaming. Finally, he overcame his fears, developed growing confidence and stroke mechanics in the water, and now swims 1 to 2 hours per day 4 to 5 times per week and loves it. I suspect the results of his effort feeds his confidence and love for the sport. In retrospect, I glad we as parents followed our instincts and guts with this and not the kids wishes early on.

Oh the "real and true" benefits of "swim prep"

It's true humans enjoy what they are good at. In any endeavor the early phases are hard, be it schooling, swimming, hockey, whatever. Kids don't yet have the notion of what's important and will be happy watching TV. As parents, we feel it's important to push them to be good at the things that matter in life.

While I don't care what sport my kids play. They must play and practice some sport.
While I don't care what subject they want to learn. They must learn and study.

Call it prepping if you want, but my K & 1st graders do 2 hours a day of sports and 2 hours a day of studying. They may not know who the Kardashians are but TV is unimportant in life. I think it will work out for them in life. If you think it's unfair to your kid because they don't that's OK. I'll get over it. OK, I'm over it....

Anonymous wrote:

I'd be interested which school your child attends. I've been able to learn of wealth of things from all of my kids' grade school teachers -- even the young ones without kids. Sounds like your attitude isn't helping and as other reader noted perhaps you should look into home schooling. No school is perfect, but given the constraints on public schools and their teachers, they do a damn fine job here.

I would never attempt to kill your messenger or source of valuable information; but in my lifetime, my children's grade school teachers were not the source of my wealth of information. Please don't hold this against me. We all get our information and intellectual sustenance from a variety of agents and methods...depending on our deficits and needs.

looks like you missed "humility in your acquisition of knowledge. i pity your kids and the teachers who have to deal with you.

I'd be interested which school your child attends. I've been able to learn of wealth of things from all of my kids' grade school teachers -- even the young ones without kids. Sounds like your attitude isn't helping and as other reader noted perhaps you should look into home schooling. No school is perfect, but given the constraints on public schools and their teachers, they do a damn fine job here.

I would never attempt to kill your messenger or source of valuable information; but in my lifetime, my children's grade school teachers were not the source of my wealth of information. Please don't hold this against me. We all get our information and intellectual sustenance from a variety of agents and methods...depending on our deficits and needs.

Anonymous wrote:

People know the difference between general practice and preparation and "test prep."

If people didn't know the difference, there would not have been so much bristling at the idea of asking the school AART to take a look at their CogAt prep materials. They wouldn't feel the need to hide what they are doing from the school.

If people truly felt it was fine, they'd tell their child's second grade teacher all about it. But they don't, because they know it would affect the teacher's view of the reliability of the child's score.

There's a very good reason that "test prep" is referred to as scamming or gaming the test.

My child's second grade teacher could not find her way out of a brown paper bag. Sometimes this 24 year-old (sans children) needs as much direction as my 7-year-old. I would not seek her counsel on any educational matters.

From what I hear public school education (as opposed to private) from K to 12 is all about gaming the test and leaving no child behind. So you comment has no relevance because the system by its very design and outcome measures is to game the test. The Superintendent and teachers are all illicit in this goal and end game when they are not social engineering their classrooms!

I'd be interested which school your child attends. I've been able to learn of wealth of things from all of my kids' grade school teachers -- even the young ones without kids. Sounds like your attitude isn't helping and as other reader noted perhaps you should look into home schooling. No school is perfect, but given the constraints on public schools and their teachers, they do a damn fine job here.

If I had such disdain for the teachers and the school system, I would get my kids out! I would quit my job or go to part time and I would homeschool my kids.

No amount of money would be more important to me than getting my kids out of a system that I had such a low opinion of. My kids mean way more to me than that.

Good for you and the Boston bomber. To each your own. I subscribe to neither avenue.

Anonymous wrote:

People know the difference between general practice and preparation and "test prep."

If people didn't know the difference, there would not have been so much bristling at the idea of asking the school AART to take a look at their CogAt prep materials. They wouldn't feel the need to hide what they are doing from the school.

If people truly felt it was fine, they'd tell their child's second grade teacher all about it. But they don't, because they know it would affect the teacher's view of the reliability of the child's score.

There's a very good reason that "test prep" is referred to as scamming or gaming the test.

My child's second grade teacher could not find her way out of a brown paper bag. Sometimes this 24 year-old (sans children) needs as much direction as my 7-year-old. I would not seek her counsel on any educational matters.

From what I hear public school education (as opposed to private) from K to 12 is all about gaming the test and leaving no child behind. So you comment has no relevance because the system by its very design and outcome measures is to game the test. The Superintendent and teachers are all illicit in this goal and end game when they are not social engineering their classrooms!

If I had such disdain for the teachers and the school system, I would get my kids out! I would quit my job or go to part time and I would homeschool my kids.

No amount of money would be more important to me than getting my kids out of a system that I had such a low opinion of. My kids mean way more to me than that.

People know the difference between general practice and preparation and "test prep."

If people didn't know the difference, there would not have been so much bristling at the idea of asking the school AART to take a look at their CogAt prep materials. They wouldn't feel the need to hide what they are doing from the school.

If people truly felt it was fine, they'd tell their child's second grade teacher all about it. But they don't, because they know it would affect the teacher's view of the reliability of the child's score.

There's a very good reason that "test prep" is referred to as scamming or gaming the test.

My child's second grade teacher could not find her way out of a brown paper bag. Sometimes this 24 year-old (sans children) needs as much direction as my 7-year-old. I would not seek her counsel on any educational matters.

From what I hear public school education (as opposed to private) from K to 12 is all about gaming the test and leaving no child behind. So you comment has no relevance because the system by its very design and outcome measures is to game the test. The Superintendent and teachers are all illicit in this goal and end game when they are not social engineering their classrooms!

Anonymous wrote:People know the difference between general practice and preparation and "test prep."

If people didn't know the difference, there would not have been so much bristling at the idea of asking the school AART to take a look at their CogAt prep materials. They wouldn't feel the need to hide what they are doing from the school.

If people truly felt it was fine, they'd tell their child's second grade teacher all about it. But they don't, because they know it would affect the teacher's view of the reliability of the child's score.

There's a very good reason that "test prep" is referred to as scamming or gaming the test.

Do you tell your kid's teacher about every single thing your kid does outside of school?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is he good at basketball?

really good, yes, thanks for asking. Due to the love he has for it and hundreds of hours practicing.

Go to VA Public ABP thread.

ABP

Advanced Basketball Program

well this does bring up that PP's kid was a bit of a late bloomer, so what difference did it make he didn't pick it up instantly? The one naysayer we have here keeps saying test prep isn't real learning and doesn't identify those who who can learn new material "quickly." So what?

On the contrary, the never-would-be-swimmer was swim prepped towards excellence despite not learning "quickly" out the outset. Sometimes passion and quick learning isn't innate and spontaneous but requires nurturing and patience and not quitting or giving up -- like wine.

Many children do not know what their passion, likes, loves, and strengths ultimately are at so young an age. And performance at tasks (mental, intellectual or physical) at a young age does not rule out those domains for practice, preparation, preservation and future flourishing success. Parents will follow their natural instincts in mentoring and exposing their young children to the world.

People know the difference between general practice and preparation and "test prep."

If people didn't know the difference, there would not have been so much bristling at the idea of asking the school AART to take a look at their CogAt prep materials. They wouldn't feel the need to hide what they are doing from the school.

If people truly felt it was fine, they'd tell their child's second grade teacher all about it. But they don't, because they know it would affect the teacher's view of the reliability of the child's score.

There's a very good reason that "test prep" is referred to as scamming or gaming the test.

Anonymous wrote:Must be swim and math scamming and simply not following the rules.

Mon dieu...unethical!!

well this does bring up that PP's kid was a bit of a late bloomer, so what difference did it make he didn't pick it up instantly? The one naysayer we have here keeps saying test prep isn't real learning and doesn't identify those who who can learn new material "quickly." So what?

Must be swim and math scamming and simply not following the rules.

Mon dieu...unethical!!

... works for math too