Your independent guide to NYC public schools

you are correct with Einstein's problem - true gifted children have difficulty with regular school since they teach to the average student and offer no stimulation to someone such as Einstein, who wanted to work on his own ideas and concepts - but our children that are willing to be challenged deserve teachers that will offer that challenge, the reason why NYC attempts to boost the average classroom with these programs. Did you know that research shows that effort, not intelligence is the greatest predictor of educational and life success? contact me privately and i will send you the link...

I agree with improving the classroom environment and being sure not to bore the kids who need challenge. As I said, my son is at NEST and is the beneficiary of this. My point, inartfully made, was that testing is not the way to choose--rather, observation of the kids to see if they are truly "gifted." The fact that the folks above went to such lengths to go to SAT-style prep classes--for 4 year olds!!!--is appalling and a sign of the desperation this city creates in its parents, thus undermining the purpose of the tests. If everyone can take a prep class and increase your score by a large amount--what does it say about the test.

Moreover, one of the test prep places mentioned above claims, on its website that 50% of its tutees scored 97% or up. Sound like a fair test?

Your last point I am familiar with and I think my daughter, who did not score nearly as well as my son, will in fact be a more successful student because she's way more hard working and energetic in her school work.

I would not call all of the test prep for the OLSAT "SAT style", the one I know about in Manhattan is called "Play Prep" by Manhattan Edge and it is fun for kids with games, etc. The biggest benefit is learning to follow directions being given to your child from a stranger (just like the test), besides learing what weaknesses your child has - benefits that will last beyond the OLSAT test.

Einstein's IQ was around 160. The OLSAT tops out at around 140 (99th percentile) and then you 'need' other tests to differentiate from there.

As another person pointed out, nearly failing out of school is common among gifted people as there is no reason for them to do the work as they already know it. Hence the need for specialized education.

For anyone who honestly thinks that the OLSAt tests anything other than the ability to take the test and follow directions, see the link to an interview with a tester. Tragic. In Klein world, intelligence=following directions, hence my point made above that evaluations are waaayy more important in determining a child's level than these tests--yet Klein abolished them

Also--Sirmaus, don't confuse the OLSAT with an IQ test--it's not.

edgeforlife.wordpress.com/

Yes, I read that the other day - it was excellent - maybe in Klein's world he is just sorting out children that are able to follow directions and listen as the ones most likely to be successful in school - not neccessarily the gifted ones. But for my girls, I would prefer them to be in a class filled with children who listen and follow directions than one that is filled with children that cannot. Any thoughts on that?