Gifted Bulletin Board

Welcome to the Gifted Issues Discussion Forum.

We invite you to share your experiences and to post information about advocacy, research and other gifted education issues on this free public discussion forum.
CLICK HERE to Log In. Click here for the Board Rules.

Links


Learn about Davidson Academy Online - for profoundly gifted students living anywhere in the U.S. & Canada.

The Davidson Institute is a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting profoundly gifted students through the following programs:

  • Fellows Scholarship
  • Young Scholars
  • Davidson Academy
  • THINK Summer Institute

  • Subscribe to the Davidson Institute's eNews-Update Newsletter >

    Free Gifted Resources & Guides >

    Who's Online Now
    0 members (), 167 guests, and 10 robots.
    Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
    Newest Members
    parentologyco, Smartlady60, petercgeelan, eterpstra, Valib90
    11,410 Registered Users
    March
    S M T W T F S
    1 2
    3 4 5 6 7 8 9
    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
    31
    Previous Thread
    Next Thread
    Print Thread
    Joined: Aug 2013
    Posts: 1
    M
    ma8897 Offline OP
    New Member
    OP Offline
    New Member
    M
    Joined: Aug 2013
    Posts: 1
    My 9 year old DD's two IQ tests (one administered by psychologist, the other by public school) showed scores of 140 and 141 but she doesn't act like a "smart" or "gifted" kid. She likes to read, write, and is good with numbers, but is also lazy and does very sloppy work. I don't really see her as being any different than other kids her age. She doesn't "wow" me or anyone around her. Am I not seeing something or are there children who test well on those IQ tests but aren't necessarily cognitively advanced? Anyone out there who have had similar experience?

    Joined: Dec 2012
    Posts: 2,035
    P
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    P
    Joined: Dec 2012
    Posts: 2,035
    You have to allow for personality. Not everyone is a driven, high achiever. Also you can't see what is anyone roses mind and not all skills show up in basic level subjects.

    Last edited by puffin; 08/26/13 03:17 AM.
    Joined: Jul 2010
    Posts: 948
    D
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    D
    Joined: Jul 2010
    Posts: 948
    I would encourage you to google gifted underachievement, especially in girls, and also how gifted perfectionism can be a factor in what you are seeing, and also the fact that many gifted girls learn to blend in and hide their talent. It is also possible she has an undiagnosed learning disability, or ADHD. (that can look like "lazy"). She is still young enough that whatever is going on, there are steps you can take to help her be her true self.

    Gifted Underachievment

    Last edited by deacongirl; 08/26/13 04:31 AM. Reason: add link
    Joined: Jan 2008
    Posts: 1,689
    W
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    W
    Joined: Jan 2008
    Posts: 1,689
    Or it could be a lack of motivation. DD can be that way. But when I put her in the science class at the museum, she was curious and interested. She can memorize very easily, get bored with books that are series based, (after the 3rd Children of the Lamp --"the plot is the same")
    I think you have to push for good habits, find something they will work for or you will get underachievement. I have a similar kid so I am preaching my own situation. Things come too easily. And she wants to play or watch Disney sitcoms reruns.
    Hence, I started the acting. She has two TV auditions this week, she has to memorize the lines, act professionally at the auditions and figure out how to do the scenes. Take direction if they ask her. I don't care if she gets the roles, but she chose this, she has to apply herself. She applies herself because she wants it bad enough. I saw her do that at the National ballet audition. I thought "where is my kid?" Find something she will work for.


    Joined: Jul 2010
    Posts: 480
    T
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    T
    Joined: Jul 2010
    Posts: 480
    Has she ever been asked to work? With those numbers, unless she's skipped a couple of grades, I doubt she's ever been asked to work at anything.

    If I asked you to complete 50 single digit addition problems, would you be careful, motivated and neat to the end of it? And if I asked you to do it every day for a few years would you get more or less motivated and interested?

    Joined: Mar 2009
    Posts: 21
    B
    Junior Member
    Offline
    Junior Member
    B
    Joined: Mar 2009
    Posts: 21
    I often hear parents over or underestimating the abilities of their child. Also, an LD like ADHD can certainly make a child look lazy/sloppy/unproductive. Did they do the full battery of tests? Any stand out low scores in working memory or processing speed? Also, was the test done recently? I think some of those things can be hard to pick out when we're talking about a 7 year old but by 9 issues should start to emerge more clearly on testing. Brownie

    Joined: Apr 2012
    Posts: 267
    K
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    K
    Joined: Apr 2012
    Posts: 267
    DS often does not act like most people expect a gifted kid to act. He is goofy, does sloppy work, often refuses to do what he is told, and is definitely not good classroom material right now. There are some adults who interact with him on a regular basis who do not believe he is gifted; he certainly doesn't wow them with his often immature behavior.

    Part of this stems from his school experience. It was drudgery, having to do pages of very basic arithmetic and read dozens of simple learn-to-read book, and not being allowed to move forward at his own pace. He spent years not being challenged. He lost his love of learning and is suspicious of teachers and classrooms. Why bother doing a good job when it's going to be more of the same old stuff tomorrow?

    I don't think there is any one way for a gifted kid to act. Some kids (gifted or not) are goofy, some are serious. Some have sloppy work, others don't. Some are lazy, others aren't. Gifted kids are no different, but because they are gifted we somehow expect more of them.

    Try figuring out what gets your daughter excited. What is her passion? For DS, that's often where I see the spark of giftedness.

    Last edited by KnittingMama; 08/29/13 09:17 AM. Reason: misread gender in original post
    Joined: Nov 2012
    Posts: 312
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    Joined: Nov 2012
    Posts: 312
    Yep! Yep! Yep! I'm sure many people look at my DD9 and don't believe she is gifted. (heck, DH and I wonder sometimes ourselves) She isn't a highly driven and self-motivated giftie. She is impulsive, sometimes immature, won't listen, and doesn't like to "shine". She has gone from curious and questioning everything to oh well, no big deal apathy. She would rather play Minecraft, watch cartoons, and be outdoors, than be researching something new that made her think.

    KnittingMama's son sounds very, very similar to my kiddo. I also suspect public school and the constant repetition of basic work and not being challenged is partly to blame.

    I totally agree with what others have already said and suggest -
    1. check out info about underachievement and perfectionism
    2. find something your DD really loves and watch and see if you see the "spark"
    3. try giving her some higher level little things to try and see if she gets it - also pay attention if she says I can't do this because it is too hard, even if you know she can
    4. talk to her about it - they can really fill you in sometimes if you just ask
    5. do some after-schooling and see where it takes her
    6. talk to someone at school that might have some ideas - one of the tests you mentioned was from the school, so what is school doing to help your DD

    Good Luck!!!

    Joined: Apr 2012
    Posts: 267
    K
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    K
    Joined: Apr 2012
    Posts: 267
    Originally Posted by 1frugalmom
    Yep! Yep! Yep! I'm sure many people look at my DD9 and don't believe she is gifted. (heck, DH and I wonder sometimes ourselves) She isn't a highly driven and self-motivated giftie. She is impulsive, sometimes immature, won't listen, and doesn't like to "shine". She has gone from curious and questioning everything to oh well, no big deal apathy. She would rather play Minecraft, watch cartoons, and be outdoors, than be researching something new that made her think.

    KnittingMama's son sounds very, very similar to my kiddo. I also suspect public school and the constant repetition of basic work and not being challenged is partly to blame.

    I totally agree with what others have already said and suggest -
    1. check out info about underachievement and perfectionism
    2. find something your DD really loves and watch and see if you see the "spark"
    3. try giving her some higher level little things to try and see if she gets it - also pay attention if she says I can't do this because it is too hard, even if you know she can
    4. talk to her about it - they can really fill you in sometimes if you just ask
    5. do some after-schooling and see where it takes her
    6. talk to someone at school that might have some ideas - one of the tests you mentioned was from the school, so what is school doing to help your DD

    Good Luck!!!

    And I know our kids aren't the only ones like this. (And did you say Minecraft? Argh!!!)

    A word about afterschooling, don't be discouraged if it doesn't work out. DS was so exhausted after school (it is fatiguing to be unchallenged all day) that he had no mental energy for afterschooling.

    Some of our best times of the day are when DS first wakes up and at bedtime. In the dark, or dim light, if possible. That's when the questions and deeper conversations often happen.

    Joined: Jul 2010
    Posts: 52
    C
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    C
    Joined: Jul 2010
    Posts: 52
    My DS14 scored 152 on the WISC-IV at 11.5 years old. As an 7th grader he scored 670 on the math portion of the SAT and a 30 on the science portion of the ACT with no prep other than one practice test to get familiar with the format and length. He has also scored in the top range of the JHU-CTY SCAT and STB the last couple of years. I'm not throwing these numbers out to brag but to give some perspective on ability.

    Now some reality. He doesn't like to show his ability. His independent school would not let him take algebra in 6th grade because he was not getting all A's in 5th grade math. He has always grasped the concepts immediately but loses interest in the tedium of calculating a final answer. The school feels he is "appropriately challenged" and acceleration is not warranted. Even though he never has questions on the material and gets through all of it with minimal effort while many of his friends struggle under the same load. He has always been an A~B student with a couple C's in his more loathsome classes (english & history). Also, he was penalized for not regularly seeing his teachers with questions or just to show his face. He is not motivated by grades and doesn't wish to play the game. He thinks school work is boring and he doesn't wish to apply his "mental resources" to tedious activities. However, when it comes to programming mods for Minecraft he will work for hours at a time writing thousands of lines of code. His spatial skills are off the charts (3 perfect scores out of 4 sections on the STB) but this ability is all but ignored in school. He is a tough kid to manage!

    We've had him take tests and participate in the talent searches to provide evidence to his school that he is not an average kid and needs more of a challenge. Unfortunately, the school doesn't offer any resources for gifted kids like they do for kids who are struggling. He is entering 9th grade and will be taking Honors Chemistry, Honors Geometry & Trig and Honors Latin II. Hopefully, he will rise to the occasion.

    It doesn't help that he is a highly divergent thinker. Teachers and administrators encourage thinking outside the box, but I'm pretty sure they find it difficult to tolerate someone who lives life outside the box. I know I do some days. I have to encourage him to think inside the box quite often.

    DS14 applied to The Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies in Richmond, VA as an 8th grader. He was not selected. Two factors hurt him in the admissions process. He did not receive the maximum number of rigor points because his independent school did not allow him to accelerate in any subjects other than math. Also, he did not achieve a high enough grade point average to receive the maximum number of points. The lower GPA was entirely his fault and he has learned a valuable lesson. However, on the ability tests where all of the prospective students were compared equally, he absolutely crushed the average scores of the admitted students.


    Philip Stone

    Moderated by  M-Moderator, Mark D. 

    Link Copied to Clipboard
    Recent Posts
    Testing with accommodations
    by aeh - 03/27/24 01:58 PM
    Quotations that resonate with gifted people
    by indigo - 03/27/24 12:38 PM
    For those interested in astronomy, eclipses...
    by indigo - 03/23/24 06:11 PM
    California Tries to Close the Gap in Math
    by thx1138 - 03/22/24 03:43 AM
    Gifted kids in Illinois. Recommendations?
    by indigo - 03/20/24 05:41 AM
    Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5