Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Acceleration or not

Kickball,
I agree with what everyone says about each child being different and having to look at their maturity level. I think another difference I've noticed just in my family (GT sibs, although we didn't know it, GT nieces and nephews now)is that GT boys seem to be more challenging than GT girls in school. Please let me know if any of you disagree with this - it's just my own personal observation. Anyway, if you see my posting "just starting out" I'm having difficulty with my DD4's Montessori school not wanting to enter her into K early. Her B-day is Jan. also. I'm looking into other options and I'll let you know how that works out. I can tell you our Pub. school has a Jan. 1st deadline for consideration for early entrance, but we may try to bend the rules - also looking at a Catholic school.

As for the "good" district vs. "bad" district. I've witnessed the same things. My doctor's son attended one of the top 5 districts in the area and was very poorly served as GT. They cater to the middle-of the-roaders. They don't do well with anyone who differs from the norm in either direction. The reason they get good reputations is mostly because of achievement testing scores which caters to white, middle class, typically developing kids and ultimately tells you nothing of the district's true worth. My nephew goes to VERY poor rural school and the teachers are bending over backwards to accomodate/challenge him. My niece (same district) had a teacher recently ask her to bring in different works of art she's created b/c she suspects she's artistically gifted. It takes a great teacher to notice that! It also depends greatly upon the individual teachers. I teach in a district with 5000 teachers, some brilliant, some glorified babysitters.

(Sorry I have such a tendency to ramble -as many of you have said, I can't talk to anyone else about these things and I get excited to communicate with people I can relate to.)

Anyway, I'll let you know how things work out for us and anything that works/doesn't work along the way.

Hi CFK-- I agree that The HG gifted friendly school can be a good option, but those programs are few and far between. Where we live it really is not an option so I didn't think about it.

I think it is really important to make a distinction between programs that are truly HG+ friendly (like the one your son is in) and programs that are "just" gifted programs. Many gifted programs put kids in classes that run the curriculum a year ahead. That's all. We had a chance to put DS in one of those and chose to keep him in a regular class. His teachers were willing to give him college level reading materials in his regular mixed-ability classroom, but the "gifted" classroom insisted that all the kids were doing the same thing (and the teacher in the gifted class wasn't nearly as good as the one he had.)

Regardless of what is on paper, you need to observe the school and the teachers, and see if it really will accomodate your child's needs. Don't trust the brochure!

Good Point ACS,
Spending a few hours observing the possible future placement is a wonderful way to
a) get to know the teacher
b) see what the rest of the kids are like
c) see what happens to children who are 'different.'
d) check out the availible learning materials,and if the children actually use them
e) Look at how much time the children are working independently, how much time in small goups, perhaps leveled groups, how much time alone.
f) How much noise/clutter/touching/quiet sitting/movement is going on, and will that suit the child?

Of course each particular group of children has it's own flavor, but it's much more reliable that what the schools write on their websites. Even if the website sounds wonderful, remember that somehow,the exact same words that we use here, are used by the schools to mean totally different things. Most particularly: "We differentiate the classroom instruction and materials to challenge every learner." Could be great - but unlikely. Ranks up there with "I will love you forever." as words to judge by a history of actions, not by what one hopes they mean. ((Humor Alert))

Smiles,
Grinity

Kickball, have you actually found a district that has a self contained gifted program? That is worth checking out. Those programs can work for highly gifted kids but as so many others have said there are a number of factors to consider. I have to share my story about schools just to give a different perspective.

After the birth of my youngest dd we began the search for a bigger house. My oldest dd was in preschool. We live in one of the best school districts in the state. I told the realtor to look anywhere in the district except where the houses were zoned to school "X" - the "worst" school in our district. We purchased our house in a nice neighborhood where I could walk my children to school once they started. During this time I began to realize that my dd was extremely bright. In preschool it became apparent that a regular school situation simply would not work for her. At the very least she would have to be accelerated. I was reading the community paper one day and found an article about a new Spanish immersion program in the district. Of course the program was housed at school "X". This sounded like a terrific option for my dd so I enrolled her in the program. Now I drive her several miles to school each day rather than walk her to our neighborood school. God has such a sense of humor. (I had also once said that I would never live in the city in which I live. I should learn not to do that!)

I have found that this terrible school (Title I with 70% of the students on free and reduced lunch) has been a terrific place for my child to be educated. Last year I particpated on a district-wide committee to improve elementary GT services. I went in excited about making improvements only to discover that the services my dd receives at the "worst" school in the district were better than most of the other "exemplary" schools. Many of the schools do not even have differentiated reading groups so all the students in the class read the same books. In our school, all the teachers are required to have differentiated reading groups. It is ironic that some of the methods needed to help the slower learners actually benifit the advanced learners.

I have also discovered that "in general" you have more dedicated teachers working in the Title I schools. Teachers who are willing to work to meet individual students needs. It is definitely a calling. You also have a lower student-to-teacher ratio. My dd's class has a limit of 18 students. Most of the other classes in the school have 15 or less students. Title I schools are also eligible for a lot of grant money to get things like technology and other programs.

Things are not always as they appear on the surface. Sometimes it is worth a closer look.

Summer

Yes, I read that same passage aloud to DH when I saw it. I think my teeth were literally chattering with fear!

I think it's also why I resisted bringing out the baby book to check real dates for so long, though I didn't realize at the time that I was resisting. I was really terrified to think that DS6 was one of those kids. If I just eyeballed it, I could persuade myself that he might be a level 3 kid. Somehow that seemed more managable.

People who think we're all about the glamour or prestige or bragging rights or whatever of having one of these kids just has no idea! Ugh!

What??? Now that's really scary thought. Is it too early for a drink?

BTW I cried when I first read Ruf's book. DH was proud, but I completely freaked out. How about a nice level 2 child with a subject or two in 3, wouldn't that be nice?

Posting at the same time Now that's what I am talking about!

May be DS3 could fit this profile? I don't think he is where DS5 is, but when I looked at the milestone list at the old DYS application, I had to admit that DS3 did better on them than DS5. He doesn't have his drive and intensity though. I can still hope, right? I am in quite a denial when it comes to DS3. The poor kid had to start reading at 2 before I was willing to admit that perhaps he may be gifted too.

Pass me the bottle, LMom! I was still counting on DD3.5 to be my 2/3. Not looking good. She read a couple early readers this past week and starting writing her best friends names.

"My early college concern is more financial in nature. We purchased the pre-paid college tuition programs from our state when our children were born. The plan only allows the the child to enter college three years earlier than originally predicted due to age. DS11 is up by two years already, we don't have too much more room without factoring in a gap year or something."

I've always thought it would be fun to backpack around Europe with my girls for a year or two if they graduated from school early and let them go to college "on time"
"Unschool" them if you will.
However, just because I think that would be super awesome, doesn't mean they will!!

Incog

Why don't you beef up the summer learning and we'll plan to meet up in Paris in September!!!!!!

Incog