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Help for Hyperlexia (Thoughts on Gilman’s The Anti-Romantic Child)

If you have, or work with, hyperlexic or other special needs children, you will be interested in Priscilla Gilman's new memoir, The Anti-Romantic Child. The book is about Gilman's experience shepherding her young hyperlexic son, Benj, through babyhood, preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school.  Gilman covers in great detail Benj's developmental delays, social skills deficits, experiences with pediatricians, … Continue reading Help for Hyperlexia (Thoughts on Gilman’s The Anti-Romantic Child)

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ERB / WPPSI Kindergarten Test Prep: Best Toys for ERB Block Design

Here are some toys and workbooks that will help your preschool-aged child do better on the ERB (WPPSI, ECAA) block design subtest and NYC private school kindergarten interviews. These may be especially helpful for doll-players and other children who don't take naturally to manipulatives like blocks and Legos.  And if your children already play with … Continue reading ERB / WPPSI Kindergarten Test Prep: Best Toys for ERB Block Design

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NYC Kindergarten Private School Interview: Does My Child Need Playgroup Assessment or Coaching?

A client asked me today if her four-year-old needs kindergarten interview/playgroup assessment and coaching, a service offered by a test prep company. No!!! Speaking as an educational consultant who makes her living helping families succeed in and manage the stressful private school admissions process, I try to make my clients' lives easier, not harder.  Kindergarten … Continue reading NYC Kindergarten Private School Interview: Does My Child Need Playgroup Assessment or Coaching?

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Big ERB WPPSI News: WPPSI-III Becoming WPPSI-IV?

When New Yorkers talk about the ERB for entry into preK, kindergarten, and 1st grade, they are referring to an exam that consists of subtests from a longer exam, the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI).  This delightful so-called IQ test developed by David Wechsler in 1967 has gone through several iterations including … Continue reading Big ERB WPPSI News: WPPSI-III Becoming WPPSI-IV?

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Private School Reference Letters: Stressing People Out for Hundreds of Years

In Boswell's Life of Johnson, James Boswell recounts how an acquaintance asked the eminent Samuel Johnson for a reference letter to help her son get into school.  Johnson refused to do the lady the favor, writing her: Madam, I hope you will believe that my delay in answering your letter could proceed only from my … Continue reading Private School Reference Letters: Stressing People Out for Hundreds of Years

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ERB / WISC Workbook Now Available for 2nd – 4th Grade NYC Private School Admissions

Bright Kids has released the first workbook specifically targeting the WISC, the test required for 2nd-4th grade admission in NYC private school. ERB/WISC-IV Preparation Guide Bright Kids says: The objective of The Bright Kids ERB/WISC-IV Preparation Guide is to provide practice material to help children succeed on this test. This is for children entering 2nd … Continue reading ERB / WISC Workbook Now Available for 2nd – 4th Grade NYC Private School Admissions

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Do NYC Private Schools Teach Reading in Kindergarten or First Grade?

Times writer Sarah Maslin Nir addresses a key issue on many prospective private school parents' minds today, when NYC private schools teach reading:  Reading at Some Private Schools Is Delayed. At some, often more progressive private schools, teaching reading has historically been on a more relaxed timetable, sometimes not until first grade.  In the last few … Continue reading Do NYC Private Schools Teach Reading in Kindergarten or First Grade?

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Kindergarten Redshirting: Should I Hold My Child Back? He Has a Summer Birthday.

Kristina Dell, of Newsweek and The Daily Beast, authored this insightful story today: The Problem With Holding Kids Back from Kindergarten. Dell writes: Holding back kids so they'll enter kindergarten at the ripe old age of six has become such a common practice there's even a term for it: redshirting, a word borrowed from the sports … Continue reading Kindergarten Redshirting: Should I Hold My Child Back? He Has a Summer Birthday.

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?

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Manhattan Homework Helper: Help or Hindrance?

Reached your limit with Junior? Ever wondered if you should hire a homework helper?  If you live in Manhattan, Brooklyn or Westchester, you're not alone.  (But according to Sarah Maslin Nir's New York Times article Like a Monitor More than a Tutor if you live in Florida, you are.) Her article explores pros and cons of the … Continue reading Manhattan Homework Helper: Help or Hindrance?