Filed under: testing mom | Tags: ivy chronicles book, karen quinn, OLSAT test prep
If you’d like to receive my NYC gifted & talented newsletter or receive OLSAT prep practice test questions email me at skipper646@gmail.com.
I recently had the pleasure meeting Karen Quinn who recently wrote a book “Testing for Kindergarten”. The book outlines strategies to help your child ace the tests for gifted and talented qualification. Karen also wrote an amazing book a few years ago titled “The Ivy Chronicles”. Check-out Karen’s site for further details. You’ll be hearing much more from me about Karen in the coming months as G&T testing process begins in NYC.
Karen is in the process of launching a new test prep board game coming out in the next few weeks! Readers of my blog will receive a special promotion to buy the game for OLSAT, WPPSI-III, Stanford-Binet, and ERB testing skills in a fun and educational way.
Karen has even created this video on OLSAT and ERB test prep questions with her dogs in the video below. Just watch the video below with your child and read the story out loud to your child from the video. After the video, ask your child the questions below the video player!
1. What is the name of the black dog? Bronco
2. What is the name of the white dog? Honey
3. What do these two dogs like to do together? Kiss
4. What shape does Honey like to walk in? Circle
5. When Honey walks in a circle, how does she feel? Happy
6. How many kisses did Bronco give Honey in the video? 6
7. Does Honey walk in a straight line when she’s happy? No.
Can you draw a straight line on this piece of paper?
8. Does Honey walk in a square when she’s happy? No.
Can you draw a square on this piece of paper? (If your child can’t do this, draw 4 dots for her to connect)
9. Does Honey walk in a triangle when she’s happy? No.
Can you draw a triangle on this piece of paper? (If your child can’t do this, draw 3 dots for her to connect)
10. Does Honey walk in a circle when she’s happy? YES!
Filed under: tests | Tags: how many students received 99% on OLSAT, OLSAT test scores NYC
If you’d like to receive my NYC gifted & talented newsletter or receive OLSAT prep practice test questions email me at skipper646@gmail.com.
It looks like our pre-schoolers are getting smarter this year, at least when it comes to taking the OLSAT test for the NYC gifted and talented program. The NY times recently wrote an article with the breakdown of how 34% more students received 99% on the OLSAT this year compared to last year’s OLSAT test. It also seems there must be something good in the water in District 2 as the #1 district with the highest number of 99% for the OLSAT test. In case you’re wondering, district 2 covers downtown in Tribeca, Battery Park City, Financial District, then goes up through mid-town west then snakes over to the UES. Continue reading
If you’d like to receive my NYC gifted & talented newsletter or receive free OLSAT practice test questions email me at skipper646@gmail.com.
There’s a recent NY Times article that discusses the equity of G&T testing for NYC gifted and talented program. The article hones in on the fact the OLSAT and BSRA tests are the sole criteria used for the gifted and talented program. The article brings up the issue we all deal with on how “fair” is the OLSAT test. In the past the G&T process was de-centralized and there were teacher’s assessments and individual interviews with the children. Now it’s based upon the OLSAT test given to students with no outside criteria taken into consideration. No system for G&T entry can be a perfect and the current system could use improvements but due to the DEO cut-backs and lower funding the standardized test for all students seems to be the best solution in my opinion- at least for the short-term.
It seems like these “for profit” test prep centers for 4 year olds who do OLSAT test prep would offer subsidies for those parents who may not be able to afford it but the article didn’t mention that happening.
Read the article on gifted and talented testing in the NY Times.
Filed under: NYC Gifted and Talented Program | Tags: gifted and talented, OLSAT test
If you’d like to receive my NYC gifted & talented newsletter or receive OLSAT prep practice test questions email me at skipper646@gmail.com.
Thanks to everyone for their nominations for NYC Gifted and Talented Blog Reader’s Choice for G&T Teacher of year. Most of the people who nominated a teacher didn’t give much explanation of why that teacher should receive this award so it was difficult to tell the full impact the teacher with those particular nominations. Also, several parents voiced their complaints about their particular G&T teachers (many from NEST) which really wasn’t the purpose of the nominations.
After much deliberation with myself, I’m pleased to announce that Ms. Dana Kaplan from P.S. 33 Chelsea Prep has been selected by the readers of this blog as the NYC Gifted and Talented Blog Reader’s Choice for G&T teacher of year!
NYC Gifted and Talented Program and Testing 