abacusmom Admissions, Books, Brooklyn Private Schools, Children's Books, Educational Consulting, ERB Prep, ERBs, Kindergarten, Manhattan Private Schools, NYC Private Schools, Parenting, Private Schools, Reading, Riverdale Private Schools, School advisor, Westchester Private Schools

ERB / WPPSI III Practice Tests? Bright Kids or Aristotle Circle ERB Workbook?

People often ask me where you can find ERB / WPPSI III practice tests. Two companies sell them, Aristotle Circle and Bright Kids.  The next natural question: Which ERB workbook to get? Aristotle Circle's costs $200 more, but is a little longer and more brightly colored.  Families I have worked with have used both Bright … Continue reading ERB / WPPSI III Practice Tests? Bright Kids or Aristotle Circle ERB Workbook?

abacusmom Admissions, Books, Brooklyn Private Schools, Children's Books, Educational Consulting, Educational Toys, ERB Prep, ERBs, Kindergarten, Learn to Read, Manhattan Private Schools, NYC Private Schools, NYC Public Schools, Parenting, Private Schools, Public Schools, Riverdale Private Schools, Special Needs Manhattan, Special Needs NYC

Private School Kindergarten Interviews: Books and Crayons to Help Your Preschooler Develop His Fine Motor Skills (Handwriting)

At the student interview, private schools typically ask preschoolers applying to kindergarten and prekindergarten to draw pictures and write their names.  Many parents, seeking to ensure that their children's fine motor skills make the cut, seek out books and tools that help develop handwriting and drawing skills.  Here are some that we recommend to our … Continue reading Private School Kindergarten Interviews: Books and Crayons to Help Your Preschooler Develop His Fine Motor Skills (Handwriting)

abacusmom Admissions, Books, Brooklyn Private Schools, ERB Prep, ERBs, ISEE Prep, Kindergarten, Manhattan Private Schools, NYC Private Schools, Parenting, Private Schools, Riverdale Private Schools, School advisor, Westchester Private Schools

NYC Private School Kindergarten Admissions Books

Dear Abacus Mom, Our family will shortly be applying to NYC private school kindergarten.  What books do you recommend? Downtown Mom Dear Downtown Mom, Manhattan and Brooklyn families we know applying to private school kindergarten have typically liked to stock up on the following books: Testing for Kindergarten  If you do everything Karen Quinn recommends … Continue reading NYC Private School Kindergarten Admissions Books

abacusmom Admissions, Books, Brooklyn Private Schools, Educational Consulting, ERB Prep, ERBs, Hill Schools, ISEE Prep, Kindergarten, Manhattan Private Schools, NYC Private Schools, Private Schools, Riverdale Private Schools, Westchester Private Schools

ISEE: Are ISEE Scores Coming In Low Again?

We are hearing preliminary reports that ISEE scores are coming back low for a second year in a row.  We are on the case and will keep you posted on ISEE news. Right now we are working with Manhattan families interested in strategizing last minute details now that they know ERB and ISEE scores.  We … Continue reading ISEE: Are ISEE Scores Coming In Low Again?

abacusmom Admissions, Books, Brooklyn Private Schools, Children's Books, Kindergarten, Learn to Read, Manhattan Private Schools, NYC Private Schools, Parenting, Private Schools, Riverdale Private Schools, Westchester Private Schools

Little Kids are Too Sophisticated for Picture Books

Julie Bosman has a wonderful article in the Times today, Picture Books No Longer a Staple for Children.  Apparently younger and younger children are reading chapter books.  Bosman cites Pushy Parents as one reason for the trend: Some parents say they just want to advance their children’s skills. <One parent> said her youngest son, Laurence, started … Continue reading Little Kids are Too Sophisticated for Picture Books

abacusmom Admissions, Books, Brooklyn Private Schools, Educational Consulting, Kindergarten, Manhattan Private Schools

Sick of Writing Private School Essays and Gearing Up for Private School Interviews?

What are you waiting for?  Now is the time to read the humorous kindergarten admissions lit novel, Where Does Caitlyn Go To School? This book is a great break after a hard day essay writing.  Even better, GothamSchools says, Where Does Caitlyn Go To School? is "a new comic novel that doubles as a private school admissions manual".   … Continue reading Sick of Writing Private School Essays and Gearing Up for Private School Interviews?

abacusmom Admissions, Books, Brooklyn Private Schools, ERB Prep, ERBs, Hill Schools, ISEE Prep, Kindergarten, Manhattan Private Schools, NYC Private Schools, Private Schools, Public Schools, Riverdale Private Schools, Westchester Private Schools, Westchester Public Schools

OLSAT, Stanford-Binet, ERB, ISEE, SSAT: All Together at Last

Looking for admissions test prep books?  Here's a library of popular workbooks available now: Public School G & T Core Concepts Practice Test (Bracken) OLSAT Test Preparation Guide for Entry into Kindergarten and First Grade Hunter Elementary School Stanford-Binet Workbook Private School kindergarten : ERB / WPPSI Aristotle Circle ERB Test Prep Workbook Bright Kids … Continue reading OLSAT, Stanford-Binet, ERB, ISEE, SSAT: All Together at Last

abacusmom Admissions, Books, Brooklyn Private Schools, Children's Books, ERB Prep, ERBs, Hill Schools, Kindergarten, NYC Private Schools, Parenting, Private Schools, Riverdale Private Schools, Westchester Private Schools

ERB: The Great ERB Test / Test Prep Debate

Yesterday I received an irate email from a prominent Manhattan tester.  She disapproves of my blogging about the Stanford-Binet and other test prep books now available. Here's how I see it: I am against private and public schools using so-called "intelligence" tests to determine which four-year-olds are worthy of admission. Some children go through their … Continue reading ERB: The Great ERB Test / Test Prep Debate

abacusmom Admissions, Books, Children's Books, NYC Public Schools, Public Schools

Applying to Hunter College Elementary School? Taking the Stanford-Binet Exam?

Hot off the press!  Hunter College Elementary School requires that kindergarten applicants take the Stanford-Binet exam as their first step in the admissions process.  For the first time, a commercial company, Bright Kids NYC, has published a Stanford-Binet test prep workbook.  The cat is out of the bag. Stanford-Binet Workbook (Bright Kids NYC)

abacusmom Books, Children's Books, Kindergarten, Learn to Read, Parenting

Bestselling Learn-to-Read Phonics Books / Readers

Eager to help your child learn to read?  These are the phonics books and readers that parents we know are using to help their young children improve their reading skills: Bob Books Set 1 Bob Books Set 2 Explode the Code 1 Explode the Code 2 Little Bear Boxed Set Richard Scarry's Best ABC Video … Continue reading Bestselling Learn-to-Read Phonics Books / Readers