OLSAT test-prep poll: voters split
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We asked readers to weigh in on test-prep for children who will take the OLSAT exam as part of the gifted and talented application process.
More than half of the poll’s respondents, 56%, supported preparing their young children for G&T testing, although as many people were enthusiastic (28%) as resigned (28%) to the test-prep reality. Another 26% rejected the very idea of OLSAT test-prep, while the balance, 16%, thought it an unnecessary (and entirely optional) part of the process. See the results here. We’ll be curious to hear how families feel their test prep (or lack thereof) affected their kids’ experiences at the actual test.
This week, we’re asking readers what they think of the deep education cuts Mayor Bloomberg outlined in his budget address: 15,000 DOE jobs at risk, including thousands of teachers. How will these cuts affect you?
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We won’t really know how the budget cuts will affect us until we learn what they are, and it seems quite likely that right now the Bloomberg administration is using the fear of large cuts as a tool to try to lever more money from Albany. A few days ago, I heard Chancellor Klein warning that schools serving the middle class will suffer disproportionately in the coming year, because Albany has tied the City’s hands with regard to use of funds. Since Chancellor Klein usually likes to denounce middle class parents as a self-centered and unreasonable group, seeking more than their fair share of school resources, you know something is up when he is trying to rouse up the middle class to complain more.
Having said that, I think we can all be sure that class size will continue to increase and funds for non-academic subjects and afterschool activities (to the extent there are any) will be cut. What won’t change — vast amounts of money spent on more new systems for testing and measuring the kids and the schools, six ways to Sunday.
Comment by bkparent — January 31, 2009 @ 7:58 am
So you tutor your child for the OLSTAT and then they get admitted to a school in which they cannot handle the work.
Comment by Anonymous — January 31, 2009 @ 6:31 pm
I’m not sure how budget cuts will affect us. The economy alone is affecting our own household, so I’m assuming schools will try to get stronger parental involvement in raising funds. Though the time and money it takes to get involved can be costly on family time, etc., though I’m a huge box-top fan. I’m not a huge brownie-making fan, though I do it for the school. As I said, however, the economy affects us and I’ll probably have to take in more work, so how much money and time can we give school when our household is under an economic tight fist?
As far as the OLSAT prep. I never did it for my child. I didn’t even know it existed until after son took test. He scored high and I attributed it to a good-night sleep and no pressure. It doesn’t freak me out, however, because I doubt if these prep tests do anything but have children used to doing it. I am wary of them, however, because it seems to put a lot of pressure on parents and kids. I voted against them saying they were probably a waste of time and money. I don’t know if this is really the case, though.
Comment by me — February 1, 2009 @ 3:34 pm
At first I was very wary of tutors or test prep for my child. So i asked around and was told some good information, what’s good for my child may not be sufficient for your child. One person said a good rest, some educational puzzles they sell online worked for me. Another said they felt more comfortable with their child getting familiar with the format of the test, being in the room with a stranger (proctor) and following directions. For me, I felt the test prep. I did with my child helped dramatically, I bought some material from Think Tonight, and my son was still having some difficulty then in January someone told me about Young Scholar and I called them and they came in and did some one on one tutoring with my child, I think the combination of the two gave my son the confidence that he needed, because when he went to take the test he behaved just like he was in a session with the another young scholar tutor. So different strokes for different folks. For me the home tutoring worked. P.N
(please forgive me if this is not the right web address)
http://www.anotheryoungscholar.com
Comment by P. Neiderman — February 3, 2009 @ 4:04 pm
Unwary readers please note–P. Neiderman, aka HappyDad, shills for that program all over this site. I’m not saying it’s a good or bad program, just that it’s a program that likes to get free advertising by posing as assorted satisfied parents.
Comment by Jennifer — February 5, 2009 @ 9:43 am