Kindergarten gifted testing

Seriously? Testing 5 year-olds to see if they're gifted? How do they do that?

When I was in kindergarten, I sat on Mrs. Gentry's knee, tied a shoelace, identified some primary colors, counted to 10 and sang the ABCs, used scissors to cut out a few shapes, and was deemed ready for big kid school. She was partial to me, because I had good manners, and my Dad coached at least one of her sons. If I remember the report card, I also scored high on being clean, being able to put on and take off my own snow boots, coat, hat, and mittens, and sit like a little lady (knees together, since we had to wear skirts).

Give me any 5 year old over the space of a week, and let me test him/her. I'll bet I can identify at least a dozen "learning disabilities" and half a dozen "gifted tendencies". Anything from having had to eat a not-favorite breakfast, wearing scratchy underwear, running a slight fever, to getting admonished for misbehaving can tank a little kid's test score. If test materials are familiar, a little kid can breeze through.

Puhleeze. Can't we insist that schools stop spending time putting labels on primary school kids? Kids develop physically, mentally, socially, and psychologically on their own time, which may or may not match the school calendar.

I completely agree with not-the-mama and couldn't have said it better myself!

I had my first testing around that time. Back then they skipped me a grade. I had 2 other testings since; one is 4th and 9th grades. I never found there to be enough gifted services for me, so the testing just gave me label that could never really be achieved. A lot of gifted kids get into trouble from boredom. The schools seem to want everyone moderately stupid in the name of equality.

The test they give is supposed to test potential (I don't know how). But it doesn't focus on reading skills, as sometimes good readers aren't gifted as much as read to, or taught earlier. The way they used to test led to early readers being later pulled from gifted programs as others caught up and it became apparent that the child was not in fact gifted, just a gifted reader, so they changed the test.

This test is supposed to show how a child thinks and somehow they know those who test well have the potential to be gifted because of their cognative abilities.

Students that didn't test well this time, might do better later as these abilities develop, but those that did well are supposed to be a pretty sure bet.

This is how it was explained to me at least...

Lovemy4 is a discussion leader for North Central Phoenix, tired mother of 4 great kids and wife to one great husband.

No this does not give an indication of how she will test later on. Some children are quick learners when younger, but even out later. We all bloom at different times.

KarilouMomof2 is a discussion leader for arizonamoms.com living in Tempe. Her daughters are 9 and 6.

Heresy after a couple of education degrees, but we might as well shave all 5 year-olds head and count the bumps as give them any of of tests that are currently available.

All kids can learn. Kids like to learn. Every child is gifted in one or more areas. You cannot tell me that, at age 5, a child has already determined what s/he can accomplish.

I don't think 5 is too early. It is really not a big deal either way (if your child qualifies or not). My daughter did qualify and it was wonderful for her. She was not getting anything out of kindergarten, but we didn't feel that she was ready to skip and go to 1st grade. The gifted program gave her something to look forward to and to challenge the way she thinks. Gifted programs can really be a benefit to kids, even when they are only 5 years old.