In case you haven’t heard, the latest complicating wrinkle in the use of
IQ-testing for kindergarten admissions (public and private) is that more and
more parents are prepping their kids with workbooks offering similar exercises
to those on the tests.
While testing policy-makers wrestle with what to do
about this, it seems only fair to us that all parents and students have access
to the same materials — or at least the knowledge of where you can find them
(keeping in mind that for private schools, at least, the official policy of isaagny — which establishes
admissions guidelines for private schools– is that tutoring is not permitted.) With this in mind, here are a few helpful guidebooks to look out for, and a profile of Karen Quinn’s recent release, “Testing For Kindergarten.”
Bright City Kids is selling
guides to the Stanford Binet test (used by Hunter Elementary School, the city’s
premiere G &T school administered by Hunter College), and the Bracken test
(which is part of the regular G & T exam used by the city).%uFFFD
Aristotle Circle sells workbooks for the ERBS (the shorthand name for the test used by private
schools) and the BRSA (i.e. Bracken).
%uFFFDAt any Barnes & Noble, you can find affordable workbooks for kids at the Pre-K and K levels offering
comparable exercises in thought activities like memory and sequencing.%uFFFD
Look for books published by brands like Scholastic and Kumon, though there are
others.%uFFFD%uFFFD
Karen Quinn, a local
school admissions expert who has been featured on programs like ABC’s
“20/20” and “The View” and in “The New York Times,” has a new book of
simple strategies to help young children succeed on standardized tests.
Whether your child is preparing for a public school%uFFFD%uFFFD%uFFFD “G & T” test or
a private school admissions exam, the guide, “Testing For Kindergarten,”
helps take some of the stress and guesswork out of the process by
offering everyday strategies for enhancing your child’s learning
experience, like making the most of before-bed reading and tips to
strengthen your child’s memory.
Quinn also throws in fun activities to
help develop your child’s abilities in what she describes as the seven
key areas needed for academic success. An NYC mom of two and one of the
original founders of Smart City Kids, Quinn is best known as the author
of “The Ivy Chronicles,” which took a satirical view of school
admissions. This time, she’s not playing around! For more information, click here.%uFFFD
