Thank you all for the rapid reply. It is definitely helpful, and provides some insight. My biggest question is where would one find resources for testing children at this age? Which lends itself to the next question of what to do if it is determined that he has an aptitude for learning?
Is his current school providing more advanced math?
Not at this stage (kindergarten). We have been told that the 1st grade teacher that he has been assigned to does provide more advanced math for students that require it.
Absolutely. He had some boredom issues at the beginning of the year -- not disturbing anyone but daydreaming. Deep, deep daydreaming! After some time, he has since improved in this area and it is no longer an issue.
How is his reading and language skills?
I would consider reading and language to be average, or slightly above. His teacher told us in December that he is one of only a few in his class that was able to complete the end of year assessment. Nonetheless, I do not feel that he is particularly advanced here. Kids learn at different rates, and I would anticipate that most of his classmates will soon catch up, some will not, and some will race past him.
Can you request testing from the school?
My children attend a small Catholic school that, despite being private, operates under the area school district, so I would assume that we have access to everything the public school does. However, before doing so, I would prefer to go through the process independently.
Has older brother been tested in any way?
Not at all. If he had, I probably wouldn't be here asking for information on resources
. It's odd -- his older brother scored 90+ percentile in all areas of national assessment testing -- he's bright, but not a standout per se. He has always been very strong in reading/language skills, scoring 98+ percentile in testing. I suspect that he will be the kid who "has so much potential". He's very happy with "good enough". Which is exactly what I was like growing up.
You might think about having both of them evaluated for giftedness.
While I truly appreciate your feedback, and I know that this is what the site is about, I am terribly uncomfortable with designating a child as "gifted". The implication being that the child is somehow blessed, given a gift from whatever supernatural being you believe in. Somehow superior to his/her peers -- when in fact they may have won just one of many prizes available in the DNA lottery.
The fact is that they are simply normal children, no different than their peers. While my son may have an aptitude for math/logic based skills, another child may have an aptitude for lightening quick thinking on a baseball field -- fielding a grounder, checking the runner at second and throwing to first to get the runner out. I am a software engineer, yet I am in awe of the man who raises my car up on a lift and is able to take the engine apart, fix it, put it back together, and have it running as good as new. In my view, that man is gifted. At least as much as you and I, or our children.
[steps down from soapbox...]
