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06.11.08, 19:13 PM NY Schools
61 replies
ERB - to prep or not to prep. Fess up - did you and how did DC do? [ Reply | Watch | Flag ]
NY Schools 06.11.08, 07:13 PM Flag
 

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We decided not to. I'm so the type to get caught and Ds's school advised us not to. I'm worried that someone might have a bridge to sell me though. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:15 PM Flag
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OP - I feel like DD would totally rat us out! [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:22 PM Flag
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hire a tutor - seriously [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:15 PM Flag
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But how do get passed the tester asking DC if s/he has ever played these types of games before? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:19 PM Flag
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There's nothing wrong with having done these types of games before. What is usually the red flag to testers is WHO DC plays these games with. If it's Mom, Dad, or my babysitter, then fine. If it's "my tutor" then yes - big problem. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:39 PM Flag
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I disagree with the poster above me. It's more complicated than just who the dc does the games with, and dc doesn't need to say anything for the tester to know; they can tell from dc's behavior and performance. If the tester sees signs of prepping, it'll be noted on the report. But they don't come right out and say, "I suspect the dc has been prepped." It's subtle, but the schools know how to read between the lines. For instance, the tester always comments on whether the dc listened carefully to the directions before beginning the tasks. If dc just jumps right in and still performs well, the tester will comment that the dc seemed familiar with the tasks. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:59 PM Flag
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do you know this for a fact, that they don't come out and say it? Because seeming "familiar with the tasks" sounds pretty subtle. Would the admissions people pick that up? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 08.08.08, 11:31 AM Flag
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I really want to hire someone to do ERB prep with my DC. Any suggestions? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:36 PM Flag
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define prep. sending dc to preschool, reading to dc, doing puzzles, etc, yes. grilling and tutoring dc-no [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:15 PM Flag
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^^96 (2 years ago). younger dc to go through process next year [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:16 PM Flag
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I will define it as: Hiring a tutor. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:16 PM Flag
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no. 96 [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:17 PM Flag
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OK [ Reply | More
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General Topics 08.02.12, 05:06 PM Flag
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No prep, great teachers, we read a lot and ignore her a lot - 96 [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:15 PM Flag
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prep would have\ given her a 98 or 99 [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:21 PM Flag
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It probably would have, but she got into out FC. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:23 PM Flag
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^^^^ our [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:25 PM Flag
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Great teachers usually means that your preschool does prep-like work in the program, right? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:43 PM Flag
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No, it means that they are great teachers. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 08.08.08, 11:34 AM Flag
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No prep. Dc watched a ton of TV if that counts. 99 [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:22 PM Flag
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Funny you should say this - ours watches a ton of PBS, also got a 99 with no prep. There's a lot of good stuff on sesame street/Word World, etc. that certainly isn't hurting this cause. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 07:46 AM Flag
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Actually funny anecdote--I remember when we attended the Hunter admissions open house and the PTA president described the kids and said "they love to spend time watching TV" My tv-loving daughter scored 99 and got in to Hunter. I have actually heard that for very young kids to actual understand a tv program is a sign of intelligence. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 08:34 AM Flag
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What about brain quest, mighty mind, etc. Are these considered prepping? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:25 PM Flag
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No. Hiring OT/psychologist is. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:27 PM Flag
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What about using a teacher, not a psych? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:29 PM Flag
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I think hiring anyone is prepping. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:29 PM Flag
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no prep. dc took as a young 4 over the summer because we figured he was such a smart, verbal kid, why wait. also felt no need to prep. dc never had shown an interest in puzzles or art. should have realized that meant he probably was not yet doing much with visuospatial stuff developmentally yet. score was 99 verbal (highest possibel, hence supporting our feeling he was a smart, verbal kid); 76 performance (should have realized) and 95 overall. ended up at TT nonetheless. later took SB and scored 99.9 (6 months later). later re-took erbs just to see if performance score had improved, and he was 99x3. guess the TT school could see he was smart, and took a chance on him despite his low performance sub tests. so you never know. if I had it to do over again, I might have pushed visuospatial stuff like puzzles to see if I could rush the development along...or maybe I wouldn't. maybe it would have made no difference since he wasn't ready for that stuff yet. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:26 PM Flag
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I'm sure it was obvious from his playdate. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:29 PM Flag
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yes, and a number of months had passed by the time he interviewed. also psd discussed sb results taken in the fall with the schools who had concerns about the split. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:37 PM Flag
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boy or girl? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 08:09 AM Flag
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Good thing I wasn't UB'ing the months before DC took test (last year) - or I may have been tempted to try to practice with workbooks, etc. Being on the boards now I feel like I was a bit naive. My prep was going to be getting DC to sleep by 9pm for the few weeks before test since his bedtime had slipped to 10pm. I thought he'd test in Oct or November but he took the test w/o notice in September, so we hadn't even started the new bedtime routine. DC scored 99V/99P. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.11.08, 07:35 PM Flag
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Just the normal stuff. Lots of reading her whole life, plus workbooks (because she likes them and because she needed some practice on the fine-motor aspect of things) and a fair amount of games and puzzles last summer before she took the test in the fall. 99. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:22 AM Flag
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What are 'workbooks'? Can you give examples? TIA [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 07:48 AM Flag
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The Kindergarten Zone ones were good. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 08:13 AM Flag
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We did not, and dd got a 99. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:29 AM Flag
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No prep. 96. Got into FC school. Scores were also amazingly even, which I am told schools like more than anything else (subsets ranged from 91 to 99, scores were 95/95/96). [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 07:34 AM Flag
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Which school may I ask? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 07:44 AM Flag
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No prep, 84. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 07:48 AM Flag
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btw, sb was 96 and erb a few years later were 99.9 [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 08:14 AM Flag
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No prep beyond lots of talking and reading to dc. Got the fabled 99x3 score. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 09:02 AM Flag
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Yes we got some help getting DD ready for her ERB's and she did great. Even though they keep trying to tell us that you can't prepare for it since it is an IQ test, it actually seems like a skills test for the most part, so I say prep, prep, prep. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:00 PM Flag
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Do not prep! This is HUGE! I know 3 kids who are caught prepping by the tester. You may be ruined all your effort. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:09 PM Flag
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no prep. 97. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:24 PM Flag
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Can you please share how these kids were caught by the tester? I'm planning on prepping this fall, and I want to know how to prevent that happening. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:42 PM Flag
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Just don't prep. It is cheating! [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:52 PM Flag
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Some kids tell tester(or tester ask kids) they previously played "this kind of game". [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 05:55 PM Flag
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MANY kids have these kinds of games. And there is nothing odd about that. This does not come off as a problem, or the child and parents "cheaters". Just comes off as caring parents who like to work with their children on skills. Nothing wrong with that. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:18 PM Flag
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Ah - there's the true response. To you it's not about whether kids can be helped do better - it's just that you have resentment towards kids who step over yours due to having been prepped. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:14 PM Flag
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Yes, that folks with money who can afford tutors, preppers, etc. have advantages. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 08.08.08, 11:33 AM Flag
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np. I posted above. Your dc doesn't have to say anything for the tester to figure it out. They can tell from the dc's behavior as much as anything else. And the tester will never come right out and say they think the dc has been prepped, but there are comments they can make that the schools know how to interpret. They'll take an extra close look at dc during the playdate, and if what they see doesn't mesh with the ERB scores, you're toast. Ditto for dc's preschool report. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:04 PM Flag
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But if the child is prepped, child will do well at the playdates too. It's basically the same skills they're looking for at school playdates as are on the ERB test. Being "familiar" with these activites and skills is not wrong - at all. Most of the TT preschools do all of this stuff repeatedly with their three and four year-olds. Those kids are the most "prepped" in the city. But for kids who are at sweet play-based preschools, make no mistake - they need prepping. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:11 PM Flag
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Can you explain exactly what happened? And were those children shut out of schools? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.01.12, 06:34 PM Flag
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Prep for sure. Depends on the age what is appropriate. For the youngest you want to be sure they separate from you well when beginning the test and can hold a pencil. As they get older they actually need to know things - math, reading comp, vocab, captial of Greece. It is not only an IQ test no matter what anyone tells you. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:10 PM Flag
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studies show that for older kids (over the age of 8)prep effects scores very very little, except in block design. Smart kids do well. Other do less well. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:12 PM Flag
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^^^^fwiw, starting in 2nd grade and through admissions for 5th grade, the erb does ad one achievement component: the CTP reading comprehension test. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:15 PM Flag
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What you are suggesting is not "test prep." BTW, how did your admissions season go? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:27 PM Flag
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Good to know we have different opinions of preparation. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:29 PM Flag
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My 8 year old just took the erb and did not mention block design - but did mention she did not know the captial of Greece. Every child should have an idea of what they are going to be expected to do and what will happen - this is prep. I fail to understand how informing your child of these things will not in the least make the exam a less stressful experience. When is being prepared for and exam NOT a good thing? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:22 PM Flag
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I think what you metioned is being "prepared"....but it isn't studying for an iq test. Reading comp is worth doing a few worksheets as it is achievement based. The quesiton you mention (and was mentioned by my dd as well) is part of general information...unless you have the test questions nfornt of you , you can't "prep" for it. Having a kid who reads, alot, in a well-rounded manner, like many high IQ kids, will help [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:34 PM Flag
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I am confused to the difference in "being prepared" and "preparing for" a test. Or am I missing your point. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.12.08, 06:44 PM Flag
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Show dc the example questions on the ERB website so they are familiar with the style of the questions. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.01.12, 07:12 PM Flag
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