Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums THINKING BIG About Gifted Education training elementary teachers with gifted education

I'm a parent who have been trying to help my son, who is 7 years old and gifted, with writing problem. For him is a devastated to even think about writing. He in second grade.
In the Stanfort Testing, he was outstanding, in math, science and reading.
He is been mislead about how much he knows and how bad his writing skills. His second grade Teacher, for what I heard from him, have no training or skills to teach a gifted student.
My son was placed in a gifted class for 30 min, then taken back to the regular class. Who do I need to talk to, to place him in a all day gifted class. He is getting confuse about how much he knows, and his writing problem. I need some advice, thank you!!!!

Unfortunately there is very little training for teachers in anything gifted, at least from what I've experienced while my children have been in school. Most think its just " smart kids who get all A's and are model students, " which in most cases couldn't be farther from the truth in a lot of ways.
Does your school have a full time gifted program? Is there one in your area you could see if he qualified for? Have you had IQ testing done as well as the achievement?
Its a hard road from what I've experienced. My son is 8 and does not like writing either. He can do it, but because he dislikes it so much ( due to the tedious nature of handwriting which he is not great at )that hes put up a wall and its torture to get him to actually do it!
See whats available in your area for services, talk to your sons school about gifted IEPs, 504s for help etc. Some schools are more willing to work with you than others. Good luck!

Children need to learn handwriting, both printing and at least enough cursive to sign their names, but frustration with the mechanics of handwriting can cause them not to write at all. I wonder when its OK to let them type and print out their work.

We have two different issues here: the OP's concern about her son's teaching, and what to do with kids who hate writing. Since the subject line does not mention writing, and in the light of the new forum rule asking us not to cause thread drift, I'm going to start a new thread on what do do with children who had writing, and leave this one for advice specific to the OP (which I can't offer, I'm afraid).

ETA here's the writing thread:
http://giftedissues.davidsongifted.org/BB/ubbthreads.php/topics/110556.html#Post110556

A writing disability should not be a bar to participation in a gifted program. If your child's difficulties with writing are severe enough to interfere with his ability to keep up with the written work in classes that are otherwise at his intellectual ability level, then he would most likely qualify as a child with a disability under either Section 504 or IDEA, and should be allowed access to the gifted programming with accommodations such as reduced copywork, keyboarding and/or a scribe for assignments other than handwriting instruction, and possibly occupational therapy services to help remediate his writing difficulties.

See more information here and here.

There may be a gifted coordinator at your school. If so, that would be a good person to talk to. If not, call the school phone number and ask "who do I talk to to learn more about the gifted program?"

Is the teacher who you think is harming your son this year's teacher or last year's teacher? It sounds like you got all your information 2nd hand, and that periodic meetings with his main teacher is a great idea. I heard some while wild stories about my son's teachers over the years, but I can promise that they heard wilder tall tales about me from 'you-know-who.' My son had his kindy teacher convinsed that he had a baby brother - NOT!

If your son is suffering from a clinical level of anxiety regarding writing, this needs to be dealt with, and you are the 'messenger.' I hope the school or psychologist treat you well. If it's something you can help him get over at home, take a look at the 'children who hate writing' thread for some tips.

Hope that helps,
Grinity

Training for teachers is the number one thing we can do for gifted programs. We have and amazing language arts teacher - but she's been doing it for 40 years. Unfortunately, our area has cut GATE training to effectively one day of training per year for the GATE leads in each department. That is not enough investment to properly train teachers.

I agree that it is important that children learn hand writing skills. I guess it can be a very frustrating time for them especially if they are gifted in other areas.