What would you do?

So, we live in Chicago and the public schools are not great but we live in one of the better districts. I do not want to send him to private school because it is a lot of $ (25-50k).

He was skipped to pre-k even though he can't go to K next year. His school now does private K. The director there told me if there are any open slots (kids the right age go to K first), he wants to put him in Kindergarten. He's been thriving in pre-k. Excited, studying his words (he's only gotten one wrong on his "tests" all year and he obsessed about it for a month. But he is short for his age, so he is shortest by inches.

His teachers also told me that he'd be a great kid to take the test for the "gifted schools"-public magnet school. the test is in January 2012. It would probably mean doing extra work at home to prep (I think it's called OLSAT). I think there are 50 or 100 spots and 3600 take the test.

I am a little paranoid about pushing him and I want him to enjoy being a kid (which he is). Is it ok to put him on this track? I don't want him to feel disappointed if he doesn't get it. He went nuts over that one spelling word, I can't imagine what he'd do if he didn't get into the school. Or should I just not tell him about this test?

Question is: what would you do?

Don't get me wrong, I am super proud of him but I want to do what's best for him emotionally also!

Re: What would you do?

I probably wouldn't do the test since he was so stressed out about the spelling test. But my dd has severe anxiety issues so that's probably coloring my opinion.

steph4777 has a son in Kindergarten in Chicago, maybe FM her since she would know better about the school system specifically.

Good luck!

Re: What would you do?

My son is in G & T program here in NY, so I am not sure if it would be the same kind of test in Chicago.

I had the same worries as you, but my son loved preparing for the test. He was convinced that we are playing a game the whole time. We got 7 folders in the mail from the Dep of Education and each of them contained a different kind of set of exercises.

I also never referred to any of the test related activities by their real name. We always called it "the red folder game" and he really enjoyed them as if it really was a game.

So, what i am saying is that maybe if you try that approach it in a very casual, easygoing way, it won't stress him that much. I think in these situations, the most important thing for the parents is to just let their child do what they do, prepare them as best as they can and hope for the best. I feel like parents get so obsessed with those G & T placement tests they wound up the kid with just their own jitters.

Just try it and see how it goes, know that you did your best by your kid and let it be what it will be, KWIM?

Re: What would you do?

Re: What would you do?

1. I'm shocked that he has tests in pre-k, but especially spelling tests! The trend is to put spelling on a back burner and have students learn from their own mistakes in writing, not to have a predetermined list.

2. I would be more apt to put DS in a G&T program. What is his maturity level? Boys boy at the end of the year going into Kindergarten usually have the toughest time adjusting.

3. ITA - don't tell him about the test, just prepare him like a game and have him take the test. He most likely will never know the results or what he got right/wrong, so that shouldn't be an issue.

Re: What would you do?

The spelling tests are sort of optional I think. I hear the teachers ask if so and so took it this week.

I have no idea what his maturity level is. He's a typical kid that doesn't listen when he's missed his nap at home. The last meltdown they told me about was in the fall and it was because he couldn't write something and he got frustrated. They never tell me about behavior issues. He has friends and holds his own. The only kids I cam compare him to are patients and they are horrible at the doctor because they are uncomfortable. He has one cousin that's younger but he is not a kid to compare maturity with.