Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree that teacher observation should be a minimal part of this--although it should be included.

As a teacher in a different system, I always liked looking at the results of standardized tests. When I taught a child who did well in class, but did poorly on a test, I usually figured that the child tested poorly.
However, when a child who was not performing well in class scored high on a test, it was a red flag to me that I needed to do something different.

I do think the standardized tests are good indicators. It bothers me that parents are sending first graders to prep for them. This really does invalidate the tests. We always gave some kind of practice test in the classroom so the kids would understand and be comfortable with the testing procedure. But prepping for the CogAt?--this is just wrong.

One problem I have with the AAP program is that once kids get in it, they are safe. If FCPS is aware that kids are prepping, then they should carefully reevaluate the students every year.

Teacher, well said! My DC was slow in reading but received a 99th% score on NNAT. His second grade teacher did a beautiful job motivating him and now he is doing very well in almost all subject areas. Some teachers really use the test well and recognizing the strength of the kids.

Anonymous wrote:I agree that teacher observation should be a minimal part of this--although it should be included.

As a teacher in a different system, I always liked looking at the results of standardized tests. When I taught a child who did well in class, but did poorly on a test, I usually figured that the child tested poorly.
However, when a child who was not performing well in class scored high on a test, it was a red flag to me that I needed to do something different.

I do think the standardized tests are good indicators. It bothers me that parents are sending first graders to prep for them. This really does invalidate the tests. We always gave some kind of practice test in the classroom so the kids would understand and be comfortable with the testing procedure. But prepping for the CogAt?--this is just wrong.

One problem I have with the AAP program is that once kids get in it, they are safe. If FCPS is aware that kids are prepping, then they should carefully reevaluate the students every year.

In a fit of paroxysmal emotional purging the hidden plain truth emerges. The entitled culture feels vulnerable and threatened by the new culture defined by preparation and hard work.

In every zip code in America the children of recent immigrants are outperforming children of the entitled culture. This has created an ever expanding performance and acheivement gap in education as the entitled culture witnesses in every zip code these children taking their self anointed spots in every AAP, gifted program, IB, AP and Honors program in the land.

This is the root cause of this furor. And the entitled culture will go to any unethical length to disrupt this trend -- including voter fraud and suppression.

Anonymous wrote:So who's complaining about Asians?
Whites? Blacks? Latinos?

Anonymous wrote:

The sad commentary is that it comes back to this:

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.

Parents may read this statement and question the acceptability or worth of CogAT test materials.

And that is why some on this forum perversely opine that Asians don't (or shouldn't) "count" as minorities for the purpose of any affirmative action points.

Anonymous wrote:

Hmmm, it sure would be interesting to see the IP addresses of the posts about "Americans and cultures."

They did not originate from this poster and never would.