DD5 was always very advanced and extremely enthusiastic about everthing. Her SB was 162 and she falls between Ruf levels 4 and 5 on most things (she didn't take to reading as fast as anyone expected but hit all of the other verbal skills really really early). At 2.5 she was doing very complex mazes (and blowing people away).

Now she is in a private K and her precociousness isn't evident at all. She is moving ahead with her reading at a fairly good pace but nothing that would be considered on par with what we have seen in other areas. In all other areas she is doing "fine". The teachers reassure us that she is doing "fine" and she is very enthusiastic about everthing but I think it is strange that all of that bounding ahead has just come to a stop.

Reading this board it seems as if EVERY child who is gifted just blows all the other kids away all the time. Has anyone had experience with a child who slows down to "average" for a period of time?

2 possibilities, ok 3:
1) she has high EQ, and is 'fitting in'
2) her vision might be 'immature' or 'disabled' compared with the rest of her brain
3) that's just how she is at this moment in time.

I'm not putting any money on #3, though, but it must be true for SOME child.

Either Way, she is still very gifted. The Ruf level are more of a 'if you see this, then you know' than a 'if you don't see this, they your child isn't gifted.' Just like a single test wouldn't convince me of anything.

My son is PG, and didn't read early, even though he had all the letters and their sounds down at age 2. I'm guessing it was visual maturity for him - it sure wasn't an urge to fit in!

Best Wishes,
Grinity

Thank you Grinity! Your post really made me feel better. You refer to "visual maturity"...is there any good reference for this that I can read?

Thank you again!
ALBS

My DD had a similar experience in K and 1st grade. I wouldn't say she ever seemed average - but- I pointed out to her K teacher that, although her skills in reading were "just" above average, her verbal skills, visuospatial skills, reasoning skills, fund of knowledge and memory were way above average. The problem was that K and 1st grade work didn't require any of those skills, so her K teacher wasn't impressed because she never saw DD use her strengths.

That's OK. Fast forward a few years, and now, three of her teachers this year have described DD as "amazing."

Don't worry about K, or 1st, or 2nd, or... Eventually, the teachers will discover your DD's talents. And you knew it all along.

Yes, I have had that experience with my DD14 who prefers to blend in at school. Her math teacher recently made a big deal of her abilities in front of the class and she was mortified.
She has a rich social life with cheerleading, dance. Her closest friends are all bright, high achievers. Her notes are meticulous, she over-prepares for all tests and projects.
Your daughter may be getting messages (from the teacher?) that she is fine doing things at a certain level that is lower than her ability level. That is what I would watch out for.

Great way of putting this. A lot of GT strengths would not be seen in a regular kindergarten class, with the exception of precocious reading. My son (and now my daughter) did not blow anyone out of the water reading super early although both had pre-reading skills very early. My son had lots of math skills that were never recognized or acknowledged in school. He went into 1st grade begging his teacher to multiply and divide (he had conceptually understood these concepts at 4). Both my kids are "blenders". As am I and my husband. Just recently I've noticed my own tendency to not use my "full" vocab until I know my audience.

In some ways, the ability to blend and get along with all kinds of people is an invaluable life skill. On the other hand, it's good to know when it's going on and not make it the default mode of operation. Everyone should be able to feel comfortable in their own skin.

i dont have anything to reccomend, it was just that he was young he had lots of 'behavioral optometry problems' and then out grew them by late elementry school with out therapy.

smiles
grinity