Originally Posted by HowlerKarma
Originally Posted by Zen Scanner
It was hashed out pretty good recently:
http://giftedissues.davidsongifted.org/BB/ubbthreads.php/topics/167414/Plateauing.html#Post167414

I think it boils down to:
Kids who drove themselves to where they are aren't going to "level out" unless school goes to extraordinary efforts to hold them back.

On the other hand, there are plenty of educators that think they are doing everyone a huge favor by doing just that.

I mention that because you should be alert for signs that this is taking place.

Turning a PG child into a metaphorical bonsai tree is a strange thing, but it has certain hallmarks.

"S/he needs to learn to..."

* follow directions (perfectly)
* take pleasure/pride in accomplishments and just relax (or some variant thereof)
* be more "normal" (meaning, interact with agemates in the ways that NT children do)


Those are all real warning signs, in my estimation. Couple any of the above statements from a classroom teacher with school refusal or complaints about boredom, and it's worth investigating.

I agree with this and another one I would like to add is what DD's 3rd grade teacher said when she told me DD had behaviour issues because she finished her work early and then tried to talk to other kids which distracted them from completing their work (which is a serious issue, I am not minimizing it at all). I asked her if she could give DD any enrichment work to keep her busy when she finishes the required work and the teacher said, no, her problem is that she needs to learn self control. Yes, agreed to some small extent, she needs to learn to not talk when it is not the appropriate time for talking but she is BORED OUT OF HER SKULL! She just got poor behavior marks for the entire year.

Thankfully, I discussed this with her new 4th grade teacher this year and she thanked me for mentioning it early and that it would be no problem, she would have DD choose a research topic, do computer research, write a blog, make a power point presentation and present it to the classroom when she needed to be challenged.

Hallelujah! I am so grateful I could cry.