I got such good advice when DS6 was going to take the SB5, that I thought I'd ask the question again now that he's going to take the WISC, even though I'm a great deal more sure of my footing these several months later...

Does anyone have any suggestions that you think will help DS's test day go as smoothly as possible?

Any reminders for me (like make sure you find allow plenty of time to find the place!), or things that I should be sure he knows how to do so that he doesn't get confused by the test's directions?

He's scheduled for testing next Monday, Jan. 28.

Thanks, all!

I'd tell him that he needs to try and answer every question, even if he thinks it's too obvious. Be sure that he is comfortable asking for time to use the bathroom or take a break.

I'm sure he'll do well!

Good Luck DS-of-Kriston!
No new insights, just try for
fun, but not fun at the tester's expense
relaxed, but not too relaxed.
Maybe explain, "being in the zone" kind of like a robot that doesn't have to worry about why certian questions are being asked, just calmly and seriously taking what comes.

Remind him that there are supposed to be questions that are way too easy, and way too hard.

See if you can get the testers to look at his old scores so that they can properly select the starting places, and not bore him to tears in the early parts.

Anyway - Best Wishes,
Grinity

Make sure he tries to answer the difficult questions too, even if he is less than certain of the correctness of his response.

No new advice but good luck to your son!

Thanks, everyone! I always love these reminders. I appreciate the help.

Just wanted to wish you good luck. Like others said I think you need to explain to him that there will be very easy and boring questions and they are there so everybody could answer at least a few questions. Then there will be questions he won't be able to answer but that's completely normal and he should just try and see.

Mention the break to both him and the psychologist. My son refused to take a break for his achievement test when offered. Silly kid.

Good luck. Fingers crossed that he is in good mood, does his best and everything goes smoothly.

Kriston,

How did the testing go for your son? Was it a better experience this go-round?

Hi, all!

I just thought I'd offer a review of the GT school we visited today. (With my apologies to those who already saw it on the NING forum.)

It was a good school visit. I have to discuss it with DH tonight, naturally, but I didn't see any major impediment to the school for DS6. He seemed to fit in well, and the set-up of the school seems like it would allow him to progress as he needs. Plus I think it will require a bit more of him in terms of knuckling down to business. (I have to sit on him to get his work done!) But the set-up seems totally workable for us. It's a big relief. Hooray!

The one funny: the director of the school--who homeschooled two of her own kids--asked me if I planned to HS part-time all the way through high school, because the school is not allowed to grant a diploma under those circumstances, even if he's taken all the required courses. I chuckled and said, "He's 6.5. I don't yet know what we're doing with him next year, let alone what we're going to do wth him in 10 years! One thing at a time, please!" LOL! *Everyone* wants to know what you'll do in high school when you're HSing, and it's just a crazy question at this stage in the game! Who the heck knows!?! One day at a time!

But other than that minor funny, it was a good visit, and DS6 seems to think that attending part-time is a pretty okay idea. (He'd prefer HSing over full-time GT school though, interestingly...)

I'm so relieved! I worried that it would be a lousy fit, and then I didn't know what we'd do! But I think this might work out for us. I hope so!

Thanks for all your help and support along the way.

Sounds promising! Do you see the light at the end of the tunnel?

I

That's great. What a wonderful combination and on top of that in g/t school. Right now p/t homeschooling looks like the best option for us. There are few schools which may allow us to do that, but I am not sure if any of them will be a good match and if we could manage the logistic part of it.

What will your son's schedule be? 1/2 day each day? What subjects will he take at school?

Their core curriculum is on MWF, with the "elective"-type classes (art, music, P.E., etc.) on TTh. So he'll attend full days on MWF--taking care of the academic stuff--and I'll supplement the rest after school, on his off days and/or on the weekends. Since there are plenty of reasonably priced art, music and P.E. opportunities around, it seems like a pretty decent deal for us.

He'll take math, science, reading, LA, and social studies at school. I'll do the other stuff.

There are several benefits to the full-day half-the-week schedule: 1) less driving! (The school is 25 minutes of highway driving away), 2) more time for field trips, skiing, HS groups, etc., 3) less pressure to get homework done EVERY night, and since DS6 is pokey about doing homework, that is a serious consideration!

I think P/T school/HS is one of the best options out there for a lot of these kids! If you can swing it, I recommend at least looking into it. They get the social, they get another teacher besides Mom, and they get to have a more traditional learning environment at least part of the time. But they also get the challenges they need and the time to pursue their own projects. The best of both worlds, at least potentially.

I'll let you know!

Hey Kriston - that sounds fantastic! I hope it works out well with the curriculum content, acceleration options, etc. It sounds like a perfect set up for YOUR time management and sanity too. You'll have to keep us posted.

Kriston - this sounds wonderful! I'm so glad you found something that will work out for both your DS and for you. Hey, maybe now you'll have time to finish your book!!!

Wow - what a great set up! And if they can't really accomidate him academically, you can always do a swap and send him on TTH without interrupting any friendship that may develop. Hope it doens't come to that, though.

Smiles,
Grinity

Kriston-

It sounds like the best of both worlds. Good luck, and I would love to hear more once he's enrolled.

I'll certainly keep you all updated. I'm really hoping the curriculum moves fast enough to keep him challenged. But that and the money are my only concerns, I think. (3 days a week still isn't cheap!)

And I like the thought that if the academics don't work for him, we could go to the 2-day schedule instead. That's smart, Grinity!

Anyway, thanks for the support, everyone!