There are two truths about prepping:
1) I helps on the test
2) it does not help outside of the test

It skews the results for everyone else, and results in other measures being factored in more strongly.

My DD did not prep, got good *but not great* scores, but got a great GBRS, and is doing fine. I do not have to remind her to do her school work, and only help her when asked.

I have met the tiger moms that are prepping there kids, always pushing them. The kids are not happy. Period.

Life is too short to worry about the score on a 3rd grade test.

Hard work and prepping helps for the specific task at hand and may not help for other non specific (outside) tasks (prepping for a physic test may not necessarily help you for Shakespeare if you did not read the plays).

Sure, hard work and preparation will unmask lesser efforts by the lazy. What's wrong with this, or do you prepare to hide behind a dark cloak of mediocrity?

I do not agree with you that hard work and preparation makes for unhappy children. On the contrary, in my personal educational life these traits have fueled confidence, success, expertise and more happiness. Therefore, I will prescribe the same for my children, patients and clients.

There are two truths about prepping:
1) I helps on the test
2) it does not help outside of the test

It skews the results for everyone else, and results in other measures being factored in more strongly.

My DD did not prep, got good *but not great* scores, but got a great GBRS, and is doing fine. I do not have to remind her to do her school work, and only help her when asked.

I have met the tiger moms that are prepping there kids, always pushing them. The kids are not happy. Period.

Life is too short to worry about the score on a 3rd grade test.

Prepping is a good thing.

Part of the purpose of school is to prepare kids for life in the adult world. I know in my business if you have a "test" scheduled, you better be prepared.

Study, hard work, and preparation are good qualities and are encouraged in my family.

I respect your right to disagree and in your family you may choose differently. So let's make a pact, I'll raise my kids and you raise yours.

Of course, the adult naysayers prep in their own spheres; but, somehow are intimidated and petrified when other kids beat out their kids on tests so they come up with silly and assinine excuses and rationalizations about ill gotten rewards from prepping...to the degree of teasing out levels and degrees of prepping. This paradoxical foolishness amongst "grown" adults borders on childishness. As Donald Trump is apt to say: "You're fired". Poor performance is not tolerated whether you prep or not.

If the goal is for young children is to learn why all the fuzz about hard work and preparation? There is no task, ability, performance, aptitude that cannot be improved by exposure, preparation and hard work -- physical or mental. What is so threatening about hard work and preparation to DCUMMIES? Is not the issue here how schools go about selecting students -- and not the lack of virtue in hard work and preparation? Hard work and preparation tis a good thing for the citizenry! If the bosses demand this -- must be good for the economy and our system of capitalism. Is there any virtue in lack of preparation and lassitude in our children, players and work force?

Preparing for a subject test by studying notes and class materials is one kind of "prep."

Preparing for a standardized test by understanding the directions and working a few sample questions is another kind of "prep."

Preparing for a standardized test by doing hours and hours of old tests and learning the "tricks" of answering the questions is a third kind of "prep."

It is only the third kind that people object to because it doesn't seem to be the type of preparation the test makers expect the test takers to have had. The test then becomes a measurement of something it was not meant to measure and the results don't necessarily mean what they appear to mean.

If the test writers have to constantly change the test because people are preparing in ways the test writers consider inappropriate, it will cost the school districts more money to purchase the tests, which will end up costing us, the tax payers, more in the long run.

I do think if the schools are going o prep then all of them should prep. It is not fair to others in FCPS.

Prepping is a good thing.

Part of the purpose of school is to prepare kids for life in the adult world. I know in my business if you have a "test" scheduled, you better be prepared.

Study, hard work, and preparation are good qualities and are encouraged in my family.

I respect your right to disagree and in your family you may choose differently. So let's make a pact, I'll raise my kids and you raise yours.

Anonymous wrote:The teachers help all the kids prepare by given them sample tests a week before these tests. It helps all the kids to know what to expect.

I helped my kids prepare by giving them some additional sample tests I downloaded off the internet. I also gave them various worksheets the summer before 2nd grade so they could do better on the test. They got into AAP and are doing extremely well. Who doesn't want the best for their kids education? IQ is both nature and nurture.

I don't think this is true in all schools. It wasn't in my son's school. FCPS need to be informed of this (being prepped by teachers in some schools) and this should either be done in all schools or none.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When people are messing with the efficacy of the objective tests, there is nothing the county can do but rely more heavily on the subjective measures.

+1

+2

GBRS is subjective. But, the tests, with some kids prepping and some not are not measuring anything meaningful.

Anonymous wrote:When people are messing with the efficacy of the objective tests, there is nothing the county can do but rely more heavily on the subjective measures.

No system is perfect. So there's appeal and WISC.
Play your game.

Anonymous wrote:When people are messing with the efficacy of the objective tests, there is nothing the county can do but rely more heavily on the subjective measures.

+1

When people are messing with the efficacy of the objective tests, there is nothing the county can do but rely more heavily on the subjective measures.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bottom line. I prep, you prep, he, she or it preps .... they prep and we all prep.
Some are clearly more succesfull at prepping than others.

And the FCPS central selection committee is very much aware of the prepping that does go on and makes their eligibility decisions accordingly.

Game. Set. Match.

This is why you will often see people with high test scores (or more specifically one high test score) and low GBRS found ineligible. The committee assumes that kid is prepped. No, it's not fair to the genuinely gifted kid who just doesn't display outward gifted behaviors, but that is the system that the preppers have set up for all of us to deal with.

I see it more of problem in flawed GBRS scoring.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bottom line. I prep, you prep, he, she or it preps .... they prep and we all prep.
Some are clearly more succesfull at prepping than others.

And the FCPS central selection committee is very much aware of the prepping that does go on and makes their eligibility decisions accordingly.

Game. Set. Match.

This is why you will often see people with high test scores (or more specifically one high test score) and low GBRS found ineligible. The committee assumes that kid is prepped. No, it's not fair to the genuinely gifted kid who just doesn't display outward gifted behaviors, but that is the system that the preppers have set up for all of us to deal with.

Anonymous wrote:Bottom line. I prep, you prep, he, she or it preps .... they prep and we all prep.
Some are clearly more succesfull at prepping than others.

And the FCPS central selection committee is very much aware of the prepping that does go on and makes their eligibility decisions accordingly.

Game. Set. Match.