Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Booster Club?

Schools have Band Boosters & Athletic Booster Clubs, are there any Academic Booster Clubs? Could we generate more support for academic challenges, a higher awareness, etc. for advanced & gifted kids if we formed vocal groups at a school level?
On a somewhat related note, how many of you get together with parents IRL with the same issues with gifted children? I work with a lady who has a boy the same age as my GS and I knew he was advanced, but I feel a bit weird talking about their abilities. How do you get past that, if you've had that problem? Today she brought up the boys by saying she had just received the results of his Ohio Achievement test and asking if I'd gotten GS's. I've got a bit of that 'really high score envy', so after she told me her sons score, I told her GS's, GS's was a bit higher. But I'd rather feel like we could help each other do the best for our boys. Our boys are in different school districts and have never met, maybe if they were close it'd feel different.

Ooh, I tend to avoid those people IRL (though, in a forum like this, I feel more comfortable sharing scores). And I would *never* ask anyone else their child's (or gc's, in this case) scores. That just rubs me the wrong way.

As for academic booster clubs ... I've never heard of any, though maybe there are some out there? I think it may partially be because you can't exactly have cheerleaders and crowd-pleasing music at most academic events!

Yes, I wasn't going to bring up GS8 score but when she brought up her sons, I thought it was OK. She's from India and the people from India that I've worked with don't have any inhibition about talking about their kids accomplishments or abilities.

I hope this helps, OHGrandma, but on achievement test given to agemates, the top 5% is quite indistinguishable. Some kids who score very high on IQ tests, score quite low or average at age level achievement tests for various reasons. That is why talent searches use test that are indended for older children - so that the scores can 'fan' that top 5%. Of course no one test score actually can tell a child's "True IQ" as if you could somehow check under their pinky toe and see what number they would score on their perfect day on a truly unbiased IQ test.

Long story shortened, I like to think of giftedness as a child having special educational needs that wouldn't tend to be met in a regular classroom, as a few special parenting tips. If the needs aren't being met, then there arise a whole ton of parenting challenges, as well. So I look at scores ONLY as a way to check if the changes I'm proposing to the usual learning plan are reasonable.

Sort of like two sisters who weight themselves. One notices that the scale is higher than usual, and is grateful for the early notice that she has to make a few changes in her habits. The other sister sees the same number and does a whole mind trip about her worth as a person, and regret for past actions. She hates to get on the scale, and hates the scale itself.

Love and More Love,
Grinity

Some of those things you mentioned are why I was contemplating a 'Academic Booster Club'. I am gifted, IQ scores in the 150-160 range, daughter is in a similar range, son is above average, GS8 meets Ohio's definition of gifted but we have not done additional testing to identify. I feel I let my kids down by not doing more for them at their school, they were both serious underachievers. I learned from that mistake and have been digging into the options for GS8. I see his best friends mom not quite knowing what to do with her son, and I see my co-worker who is from a culture where the parents place high emphasis on education but I don't think she's aware of everything available for the kids.
Anyway, thanks for letting me throw around ideas and give feedback on them.

OHGrandma,
Good for you for using your experience to guide you! I am sure that you did the best you could have given the times and the availible information. Remember that it's totally reasonable to send one's kids to school and expect them to be appropriatly educated. Reasonable, unfortunatly, doesn't always mean that this will work out. Also, I think that there was much more social pressure back then to 'leave it to the professionals.'

I think the best way to help your neighbors is to talk a bit about what you are going through as you go. They will react and show you how large 'a bit' you can share without freaking them out. I found that I was trying to hide my difference, but that all my friends were quite aware of it.

I did sit each of them down and serve tea and explain that I have spent major energy hiding this part of myself and I have decided not to hide anymore. My little handful of IRL friends were totally unsuprised, and welcoming.

When a new friend came along after this, I forgot to have that talk. A few months later, she make tea for me, because she had been tossing and turning up at night due to her worries that my son had special needs and maybe I didn't know. She's the first local friend who saw his difference for what it was and came after me to 'do something!' I treasure that memory.

And yes, an Academic Booster Club would be wonderful, and every town should have one!

Smiles,
Grinity

Grinity - that is a really sweet story about your friend! You know, I've noticed the people that tend to notice and say something about my DS are usually strangers. Although, my DS really does his darndest to blend.

And I have only officially "come out" to my parents and 1 good friend (who said "well, duh"). So maybe it isn't such a big deal coming out of the closet!

And sign me up for the snacks and coffee too!

I know Kimck! It still makes me tear up! I think it took tremendous integrity to do what she did.

Coming out of the closet may not be a big deal to my friends, (although I don't bother with the aquaintances) but it's been a big deal to me! I was spending a lot of mental energy trying to pretend. I've heard the phrase 'glass closet' to discribe someone who activly tries to blend in, but is actually totally obvious to almost everyone, but they keep trying, not realizing that it already is ok. I think that phrase discribed my situation perfectly. And what a great mental image! KWIM?

Smiles,
Grinity

I love that, Grinity! I'll be borrowing "glass closet" from now on.