Let's start with Abigail

Got bunches to catch up on so I'll start with Abbie. She'll be in 4th grade next year and our system goes through 5th in elementary school. So in 2 short years she'll be off to middle school. It's unfortunate that in our area of mostly an upper middle class population, our middle school is considered sub-par by many educational professionals as well as parents. I have been fretting over this for the past year or so wondering what we would do since I am not willing to sacrifice her education. Based on the school's standardized testing, Abbie did not qualify for the advanced classes. I admit I was bummed by the results. It just didn't gel with all the 'A's she was bringing home on her work. I even started considering home schooling her since Cameron will be starting kindergarten that year and I could devote my full attention to her.

About 3 weeks ago, I finally decided to schedule her to be independently evaluated by a professional educational testing provider. I'd gotten the number from a friend and heard from several moms that he was wonderful. I made the appointment for the day after the End of Grade testing was over. I figured she'd already be in test-taking mode and we'd have plenty of time to get results back before school was out.

Mr. Haire came to the house to do the testing. The boys and I stayed downstairs so we wouldn't distract her. It took about 2 hours and had an Aptitude/IQ portion and an Academic Achievment portion. Mr. Haire could assess the Aptitude portion immediately, the rest would take about 2 weeks. The final report would show her grade level ability, learning style, her innate strengths and areas needing improvement.

Her final results showed that she had actually placed in the 99th% of students her age. I was blown away. Her overall grade performance level was 7.7 meaning that she correctly answered questions that were directed towards 7-8th graders.

The testing showed that she is a hands-on visual learner. She needs to work on "word-attack" skills. That was a new one for me. Just means that she hasn't developed skills to help her figure out how to spell words that she does not know. She's a superb reader but has problems with phonetics, probably why she doesn't have good "word-attack" skills.

All of this means that she tested into the Highly Academically Gifted program. In a nutshell, she will have the opportunity to receive a private school level education in our public school system for free. We have already gone to the program's curriculum night and met the coordinators and teachers. Tim and I are absolutely thrilled. It is going to be very challenging, but at the same time an incredible opportunity. Although they have to follow the school system's guidelines, their teaching philosophy is so different. Students aren't memorizing material to pass tests, they will actually be interacting, performing, and becoming part of the learning process.

Abigail, I am so very proud to be your mom. Every day I am excited to see how you grow and to witness the person God has created you to be. This testing has changed how I feel about you. Of course it has not changed my love for you. Instead, it has allowed me more insight to the person you are. You are not me, you are not your dad, you are YOU! I need to let you be who you are and try not to make you who I want you to be. That's hard for a mom. Hard to draw the line between "protecting" and "controlling".

I'm excited for next year and all of your "next years". Love you.