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    Joined: Mar 2012
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    Hello,

    We recently found out that our daughter Gabriella, 6, is profoundly gifted. Her GAI is 154. The Educational Psychologist felt that Davidson would be an ideal fit for her and for us as far as support. She attends a private independent school and will now do a full grade skip.
    I am filling out the application but I feel a little overwhelmed. I want to make sure that I fill everything out sufficiently but she is 6. Would a video of her reading out loud and comprehension discussions be enough for the portfolio section? Her grade level assessment is at a 4th grade level in Reading and Reading Comprehension. She is highly capable in Math and Science and has a photographic memory. I really don't want to have her tested again. She is very skeptical of testing and I just think we've done enough for now. The psychologist made it sound that based on her scores she would be accepted.

    Anyone else feel overwhelmed by filling out the application for such a young child? Any ideas on what to provide for the portfolio. She is in Kindergarten but will be grade skipping and starting in 2nd in the Fall 2012.

    Thanks in advance!!

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    Try and fill out the application as if speed counted. It doesn't of course, be we tend to project outward into the world much higher standards than actually exist.

    Same with portfolio - if she loves Math and Science, let her blab on and on into a camcorder....what way to embarass her later at her wedding party! If she has a favorite book she's just read, record her talking and wondering aloud about that. You just want to be able to demonstrate that the quality of her thinking is quite unusual for someone her age.

    Don't stress - press on!

    They won't say 'no' - the worst that will happen is that they will say they need more information - you can't lose.

    Smiles,
    Grinity


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    This is my first post but I came on here for the same reason as you did. Our 6 year old (kindergarten) daughter was just assessed and is in the "Profoundly Gifted"range --we were also very shocked in some ways. We are working with her private school to come up with a plan. I am also applying for Davidson. I just read "Genius Denied" (which I highly recommend) and although I feel like I finally "get it", the more I know about this the more terrified I am of trying to get her what I need. I don't feel like I could homeschool her effectively. She is already in the process of a grade skip but is bored with some of the material if not all in the grade ahead of her. I just want to know that she is going to be ok. Why is this such an uphill battle with schools and educators? She clearly is highly capable.

    I can't give advice, but I can let you know that I am right there with you. I don't feel like there are any parents going through what I am going through right now. 3 months ago I didn't know "Gifted" existed. Now I am scared to talk about my daughter with other parents because our situation is so different than anyone else. So this message board seems like a good place for moms in our situation....

    Great idea to post here - missing the local 'mom talk' is no small thing.

    One more thing to gain perspective on is this: If a school setting works for 6 months, that is a major victory. One must stay flexible and be ready to tweak. For example, a gradeskip might be a great first step, but then a PG child might well need an additional subject acceleration in a subject or two, and then perhaps that might lead to another full skip. I know it's not a race to the finish, but in some ways it is a race to try to get her into classroom setting when she is 'unknowledgable' enough to get something out of them.

    If you are stressing out between options, try looking for the 'least worst option.' see

    http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/least-worst.htm

    And Welcome!
    Grinity


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    Grinity, I think you are an angel. What an encourager.

    I love the speed application idea. I did it that way and I also sent in a video of DD - it was sooo much easier to see her in action than to put it on paper.

    My DD is 8 and I'm in the same boat with you all. My world was turned upside down about six months ago when we found out "how" gifted she is. The good news is that soooo many things now make sense. The more I read about it the more I think "Holy Cow, yep, that explains it."

    The least worst option is the exact article that finally made us pull DD out of PS and return to homeschooling. We are blessed in that we have the ability to do that and it is by far the least worst option for her and our family. When you can't figure out the best option... the least worst isn't a bad way to go... you can always change the option later.

    Best of luck and listen to wise Grinity! : )


    ~ Christine smile
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    Thanks, I really like the idea of speedy application. Especially considering I have 3 young children and not a lot of time. I have been trying to have the iPhone on hand for those special moments when she starts "wondering" aloud. So far I only caught (by mistake) that she memorized her entire kindergarten class' first names in alphabetical order... she didn't even know it but started going and did the whole thing at the dinner table. I don't think that is what Davidson is looking for smile but it was cute.

    thanks again, this discussion site is going to be a great outlet for me I can tell already.

    Allison

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    Allison,

    I wouldn't be so sure that Davidson wouldn't want to know about the memorizing-of-classmates-alphabetically trick! We did a portfolio for our Davidson app that included some very quirky things DD was doing (cartoon series, etc.), and it worked out great! I think sometimes they like to see that "outside the box" way of looking at the world...

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    I had to get a sitter and take the laptop to Starbucks. Do what you have to do.


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    We did the DYS application for DS when he was 5, so there was a bit of a challenge coming up with a portfolio. Luckily, he was into math and writing stuff everywhere, so we were able to send papers covered with numbers and some notes that he had written to neighbor kids and to us. ("Dear Sierra, my mom is asleep and I am awake." written when he was 4.) Stuff like that. I tried to get some video of him talking about stuff, but gave up, because he would sense the camera and clam up on cue.

    As Grinity said, send what you've got, and they can always ask for more if they want it. You'll be fine!

    (Edited to add that I realized later he had to have been six when we applied to DYS, because it was his first grade teacher who told us about it.)

    Last edited by Nautigal; 04/13/12 09:16 PM.
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    When I was trying to do the portfolio for my son I took a half hour and looked over some old pictures and the same for old papers of his. This both jogged my memory for some examples of what he was doing when (esp. when I had jotted dates on things) and some I used in the portfolio (a very complicated wooden train layout he made when he was 3, a bridge he built, some math he did).

    And then I told him, I want you to talk about the Revolutionary War for a couple minutes (which was his current passion) and taped it. I was afraid he might not say much, but he surprised me. He was squirmy and all things age nine, but launched into a description of the Battle of Germantown (including that a general was drunk - gotta love that fact). I prompted him with a question or two and that was what I sent. No re-takes or editing. I felt like it really captured him and it was super easy to do. It might be harder with a younger kid, but if you ask them about something they love, you never know what will pop out of their mouths.

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    I agree that providing one or more videos may be helpful; those seem to be successfully used fairly often. Here's a wiki page with a list of past successful portfolio contents, and links to prior threads.


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