I offer test prep for two kinds of testing:
- Kindergarten Testing – For 3-4 yo children testing to get into Gifted & Talented programs or schools, such as Hunter, Anderson, Dalton, etc.
- Standardized Testing – For students preparing for ERBs, Regents, SAT, SATIIs, PSAT, Hunter High School Entrance Exam, etc.
Kindergarten Testing
The process of getting a preschooler into kindergarten, especially a gifted and talented program, can be extremely stressful. These very young children are subjected to a battery of tests ranging over several months. Each test measures different skills and traits. We want to prepare our children for these tests without them fully understanding what is at stake, which is difficult, especially when you have a very smart kid.
Therefore, my approach is to teach and develop skills that will be useful in their lives regardless of the results of the tests. Every child has different strengths and weaknesses, so I offer a highly differentiated program that meets your specific child’s needs. Skills I have taught in the past include:
- verbal expression of complex thoughts
- pattern recognition
- letter and number recognition (plus associated phonemes and values)
- arithmetic
- categorizing (Venn diagrams)
- empathy
- sharing
- inferring stories from pictures
- spatial reasoning
- manners and etiquette
- focusing on what the group is focusing on
- focusing in general
- self esteem and confidence
Rate: $100-180/hr
Standardized Testing
As much as I dislike the system of standardized testing, I actually really enjoy taking standardized tests and have always done extremely well on them. I see these tests as puzzles in which I have to decipher the intentions and requirements of the test makers. This demands a set of skills entirely separate from the content knowledge needed for any given test. I teach my students these skills along with the content. To make the content stick, I use a few strategies, which include visual, spatial, or personified analogy, rote drills, and music, among others.
Rate: $120-200/hr
Want to know more about Miss Birdy?
Check out all my services: Babysitting, Tutoring, Parent Coaching, Birthday Parties, a Summer Camp for kids, and one for grown ups, or have a look at my portfolio!