GERMAN SCHOOL TESTING FOUNDATIONS WORKSHOP
City Smarts has supported students navigating high school admissions exams for almost 20 years. Each year, we administer workshops, small groups, and private lessons to hundreds of students. As the tests have evolved and admissions has become more competitive, our goals have never changed: we give parents a realistic sense of their child’s preparedness, and build on that preparedness with lessons that target the most challenging content.
City Smarts is proud to offer a test prep class designed specifically for the German School of Brooklyn community. The class will introduce students to the building blocks for success on the SHSAT, ISEE, or SSAT. The course will have two sections - Spring Foundations & Fall Extender.
Spring Foundations: Over the course of a combined 11 hours of instruction, students will learn necessary content building skills (math, grammar, verbal, and reading comprehension), test-taking and time management strategies, and the patience required to become careful, proactive test-takers.
Fall Extender: Our work continues with an 7-9 week extender that complements and builds upon the momentum of the Spring Workshop. Students will learn the hardest content on the tests - from the most challenging Reading passage types to the specific arithmetic, geometry, and algebra content required to post competitive and elite scores. We will fine tune testing strategies and approaches and ensure that students are praciting their pacing and time management techniques.
CURRICULUM
Each week, students will engage in the four key components of our workshop:
Content Lessons: We’ll learn the foundational material that informs the standardized tests for admissions that students navigate in the fall semester of 8th grade.
Strategies and Techniques: In the discussion-based part of our class, we’ll delve into the best practices to navigate the content students will see on whatever tests they’ll be taking.
In-Class Assignments: Students will work independently to utilize the lessons and strategies we hone by taking timed assessments each week in class.
Robust Homework Assignments: We’ll assign weekly hometown and provide assessment materials for all tests. It’s crucial that parents and students have a sense of the challenges of each admissions test they might encounter.
Mock Exams: At the end of the class, students pursuing the SSAT, ISEE or the SHSAT will be able to take a full-length practice test in a proctored setting.
SCHEDULE
SPRING FOUNDATIONS
Tuesdays from 3:45 to 5:05PM at GSB
4/1: Introduction to the SHSAT, ISEE & SSAT
4/8: Core Concepts in Test Math
4/22: Reading Comprehension Strategies
4/29: Algebra and Geometry Concepts in Test Math 1
5/6: Algebra and Geometry Concepts in Test Math 2
5/13: Advanced Reading Comprehension
5/20: ELA Review
5/27: Math Review
FALL EXTENDER
In the fall, our offerings will become more test-specific. We’ll be running a compliment to the spring workshop that leads students up to the SHSAT test dates, as well as provides additional ISEE/SSAT-focused lessons which will prepare students applying to private/independent schools.
MOCK TESTING
Both sections of this course conclude with one mock exam (SSAT, ISEE, or SHSAT) which will be proctored on a Sunday morning at the conclusion of the class (several dates will be offered). Each student will receive a detailed test report that not only outlines which areas he or she needs to improve, but also serves as a benchmark for overall progress.
80 Minutes of Instruction
We believe that 80 minutes is an appropriate amount of effective instructional time for most 7th grade learners working in a class setting: just the right length to keep your child engaged but not exhausted.
Holistic approach
City Smarts believes that the best way to conquer these tests is to actually learn the material and become confident in the test’s structure. Our instruction has a lasting impact that will serve your child in school and on subsequent standardized tests.
time management and test day strategies
Not only does City Smarts teach content, but we also devote time to pacing, overcoming test anxiety, and time management.
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS
We will be assigning homework at the conclusion of each lesson, and homework completion is required. We expect all students to treat one another with respect and to stay focused for the entirety of each lesson. Lastly, we encourage all class members to participate and hope to facilitate dynamic discussions about the ins and outs of these tests
HOMEWORK
Each week, there is one Reading assignment and one Math assignment. All homework must be completed online and submitted by clicking the "Submit" button at the end of each assignment.
SPRING EnrollMENT FEE
$695
