Spectrum testing

We had Jordan tested for the Spectrum program, which is what they call the gifted-and-talented program here. He scored high, but not high enough to qualify. We were initially tempted to just take that at face value. Of course we think he's brilliant, but even if we're right he seems fine where he is; I'm irritated with pushing kids too fast academically anyway, he's on the young side for kindergarten (a midsummer boy), and although Dale and I were identified as gifted and got a lot of benefit from that, back in our day they didn't test you until middle school. So we were just going to call it good.

On the other hand, though... The test was a group test, and was a scan-tron. For five-year-olds? How accurate can that be? And although I don't need him to go faster or get into college sooner or any of that, I do hope for him to be in a cohort of engaged students, and if he got some of the better teachers that would certainly be a good thing. So when we learned that one of his best buddies tested in, and his other best buddy scored much higher on a private test than the school test and is appealing to be admitted... we were swayed. Although it is a chunk of change, we're going to have him tested privately. If he tests well, he can stay with his buddies (and maybe have a good cohort generally, with better teachers); and if he scores the same as he did on the school test, we'll have our doubts relieved about the testing conditions.

The whole thing makes me think about what I want for Jordan (and later Aaron), in school. I think a huge thing that school is for is to learn about society: not in social studies class, but in how the school and the people in it function with each other. I would like for them to be engaged - to participate in what's going on, and through that maybe even find some knowledge or skill that excites them. And I would like them to enjoy themselves - to have some fun, to have good friends, to have positive relationships with adults, to not be anxious. Reading? It'll happen.