would you have a problem w/ this kindergarten entrance test?

[edamommy]

so my neice is entering kindergarten. In order to "get in" they had to pass a series of little tests. including "skipping", writing name, writing alphabet, etc... their ability to do it or not determind which "group/class" they would be in.

I had such an issue w/ this. I mean, what if my child simply didn't want to skip that day.. .then he'd have to go to the non-skippers group that "needs more help w/ motor skills"?

My MIL and SIL thought me nuts to get so bent out of shape about it... but it seems so very classist and just not fare... what do you all think?

[the_lissa]

I think it is very bizarre.

I also think it is a bad idea to put kids into groups from these tests.

[mightymoo]

My mom was a kindergarten teacher, she ran those tests. At least in my mom's classroom they are not entrance tests, they are assessment tests - they just see where the child is at the start of kindergarten, developmentally. The teachers see children at all levels and can tell whether a child just doesn't want to skip, versus has a developmental issue.

Would you prefer they not test the children at all and just teach them all the same regardless of their needs?

[Penelope]

I'm opposed to merit-based applications for very young kids for preschool or K, because it makes me crazy that somehow skipping (or whatever measure of 'merit' for a very young child they come up with) turns into an academic skill.

But if it's just to assess skill level and teach accordingly, that makes sense to me.

[jellop]

Originally Posted by mightymoo

My mom was a kindergarten teacher, she ran those tests. At least in my mom's classroom they are not entrance tests, they are assessment tests - they just see where the child is at the start of kindergarten, developmentally. The teachers see children at all levels and can tell whether a child just doesn't want to skip, versus has a developmental issue.

Would you prefer they not test the children at all and just teach them all the same regardless of their needs?

I agree with this. I can understand why they'd want to do that - here, we have many children at so many different levels - some who are advanced (can read, write, ect), and some without any of those skills yet - this way some kids don't get stuck (bored) waiting on others to catch up, and some kids don't get left behind - it breaks them into groups where their individual needs can be met more accurately.

[lovingmommyhood]

Originally Posted by Penelope

I'm opposed to merit-based applications for very young kids for preschool or K, because it makes me crazy that somehow skipping (or whatever measure of 'merit' for a very young child they come up with) turns into an academic skill.

But if it's just to assess skill level and teach accordingly, that makes sense to me.

I agree.

[Houdini]

I don't see a problem with the academic stuff....place according to level of knowledge. My two oldest spent the first half of K bored b/c they already knew what was being covered, so they would have been helped by a placement like you describe. My middle son was right on cue and/or needed a little help in some areas, so he would have also benefitted by not being placed with a group of kids who were more knowledgable than him.


I don't see the point of the skipping though....not sure how that will determine anything to help my child in K.

[whateverdidiwants]

The ability to skip has to do with seeing how the brain functions - it's a developmental milestone because both parts of the brain have to work simultaneously to coordinate the movement.

[onlyzombiecat]

It depends on the motivation.

If the test is used solely to determine the level of development so the child can be taught at their level than I think it is fine. Obviously it is not perfect but I hope they would readjust if Timmy refused to skip for the test but later showed great skipping ability.

If the test is to keep a child from going into a school/class to weed out the less advanced so the school/class has a better looking academic record than that would bother me intensly.

[Houdini]

Originally Posted by whateverdidiwants

The ability to skip has to do with seeing how the brain functions - it's a developmental milestone because both parts of the brain have to work simultaneously to coordinate the movement.

I always wondered what the deal was with that request.

[Ruthla]

Assessment tests make a lot of sense. From the OP it sounds like they were doing it to determine who went into which kindy class based on developmental level, not to determine who got into kindergarten at all!

[IansMommy]

Originally Posted by whateverdidiwants

The ability to skip has to do with seeing how the brain functions - it's a developmental milestone because both parts of the brain have to work simultaneously to coordinate the movement.

When I taught K this is what we used this part of the assessment for.
However, it was not the only part of the assessment, and I'd be upset as a parent if it was. In our district, the academic stuff wasn't much of an issue (meaning: if your child didn't know the alphabet, no problem... it's our job to teach it in school anyway).
We used more developmental screenings that assessed certain aspects of development that have been "normed" across different populations. I liked our assessment very much. The results were really used to decide if children who were very close to the cutoff date should enter kindergarten. In the end, the decision was the parents' to make. It was only a recommendation. However, the results of the test were usually dead-on correct.

I am not a big fan of many tests, and obviously, there were exceptions (although very few) over the years. Here's the company/institute that created the assessment our district used:

http://www.gesellinstitute.org/

[candipooh]

I will just tell you that 30 years after I took that "test" I am still a little traumatized about what they said to me because I could not skip. :

[marybethorama]

Wth?

My kids went to an academic (Catholic) kindergarten and they learned most of these things. They also learned to read.

I would not want to send my children to a place like that if the academic skills were required for entrance.

[KermitMissesJim]

There weren't any skipping tests when my son entered K, just math, reading, writing, alphabet.

When I entered K part of my assessment was drawing. I had to draw a picture of my dad. It was a test of memory and attention to detail. I drew in my dad's moustache, glasses, and even his pocket protector...so I guess I passed that. Heh.

I know crawling and skipping are cognitively linked to reading. Maybe that's why they ask them to skip.

[ThreeBeans]

Originally Posted by mightymoo

My mom was a kindergarten teacher, she ran those tests. At least in my mom's classroom they are not entrance tests, they are assessment tests - they just see where the child is at the start of kindergarten, developmentally. The teachers see children at all levels and can tell whether a child just doesn't want to skip, versus has a developmental issue.

Would you prefer they not test the children at all and just teach them all the same regardless of their needs?

:

I'll have to go with your MIL and SIL on this one

Those are totally normal assesment tests so the teacher knows who needs attention in what areas.

[ThreeBeans]

Originally Posted by marybethorama

My kids went to an academic (Catholic) kindergarten and they learned most of these things. They also learned to read.

I would not want to send my children to a place like that if the academic skills were required for entrance.

They aren't. They are ASSESMENT tests, not ENTRANCE tests. There's a huge difference.

[EFmom]

My kids' school uses these assessment tests largely to balance classes and to make sure that they've hired the appropriate number of classroom aides. I don't have a problem with it.

[MilkyMcGee]

I'm probably going to get jumped on for this, but I was a GATE kid, and suffered with boredom in school until I was moved into the special classes.

I have no problem with these assessments. The class can only go as fast as it's slowest student. Keeping the kids in an environment where they'll all learn at their pace is best, IMO.

[TCMoulton]

My daughter had to take an assesment test in April for kindergarten this fall. When I inquired why they did the tests the school secretary (who really does seem to know everything) said that they use the test to determine "at risk" children who would benefit from full-day kindergarten instead of just half-day. The test was part written but mostly oral with a teacher from the school.