It's also possible that your DS is gifted in math but not so much in other areas.
Or that there's an environmental factor at play here. Dad's a secondary math teacher and mother's an accountant.
It's really easy to think that as a parent, but I would say that exposure and ability are radically different things. Obviously, a person needs to be exposed to math concepts to have a chance to demonstrate ability, but the converse is simply not true: someone does not acquire an ability simply because they are exposed to it.
FYI, the process of getting your child assessed will likely be an emotional roller coaster ride for you (I just went through this and was a complete mess... I can PM with you all the gory details). But keep in mind that parents can be blinded by their child's exceptional abilities for various reasons (lack of an "average" child as a reference point, Impostor Syndrome, etc.). We ended up applying to a gifted school for my DS, and they required an IQ test as well. We thought he'd end up scoring on the mildly gifted end but were completely floored when he tested highly gifted. So it's definitely better to know.
Thanks for the welcome.
And, yes, PM me the details. Or link me to a thread if you've posted it publicly before.
After your DS tested highly gifted did you send him to a different school?
Not yet, but he was accepted to that gifted school and we are going to send him there in the fall. Our decision not to "stick it out" with his current public school was, for me, advised by discovering his LOG. I remember talking with the psychologist who administered his WISC about our schooling decision. After assuring me that the WISC cannot over-report someone's IQ (I was concerned), she went on to explain to me that I needed to consider the bell curve of this gifted school. They have their own bell curve comprised of only bright and gifted students, of course... but she was quick to point out that DS would be on the high end of even
their curve. That made me realize that he's
so far off his current school's radar, they aren't going to have a clue what to do with him.
One thing about social development that would concern me is that if DS skips several grades, he will be less physically developed than his peers. And boys, well, boys will certainly be boys. I fear that he would be picked on for being younger and brighter. He's actually over 99 percentile on height (51 inches, sixth birthday) so he'd probably be average height if he skipped two grades. But once junior high comes around and other boys are hitting puberty, there may be some cruelty that he would have to endure.
To be honest, puberty sucks no matter what. You hear anecdotal stories about how really young, smart kids get picked on. Is it because they were grade skipped, or is it because they would have been picked on no matter which grade they were in? But on this board, I've heard grade acceleration to be a much more positive experience. Personally, I wouldn't base a decision about grade acceleration on social concerns, particularly if that is what he needs to stay engaged in school. The benefits seem to outweigh the risks.
But also keep in mind that grade acceleration may not be enough, in and of itself. The issue with many HG+ kids isn't just a subject knowledge issue; it's also a rate issue. A grade skip may help for awhile, but then the pace of learning may still be off, particularly in a mixed classroom setting. Unfortunately, there aren't really easy answers. What works for one kid may not work for another. While DS is really looking forward to having age peers who will double as intellectual peers next year, it's also possible that this new school may not be the perfect fit. We'll just have to wait and see and take it year by year (or even week by week).
We kept DS at his Montessori for this year instead of taking him to Kindergarten. He does well socially. He's always talking about his different friends and what type of sports / games they played in the playground that day.
My DS loves his age peers as well from K. He seems to get along with nearly everyone. I think that deceived us a little, too... we slipped partly into believing that he couldn't be highly gifted
because he does so well socially (that is, believing the smart kid stereotype of someone who is awkward and shy with few friends). I think you'll find a lot of people on this board that will tell you that nothing could be further from the truth than those stereotypes.
DS seems to have no problem doing the menial tasks that they give him at school each day. He actually prides himself on being able to beat his teachers on timed math quizzes. When I look at the schoolwork he brings home, I often ask myself how he can be so patient as to do worksheets with 5+3 and 8+4 in it over and over and over and over and over. I would have an attitude problem long ago! They do occasionally write him worksheets with more difficult problems, but that's far and few between.
Mine as well loves being in school, even though he has told me point blank that he doesn't actually learn anything there. I think the relative novelty of the routine and the experience of having age peers every weekday to interact with still trumps academic insufficiencies, and he enjoys the "non"-academic classes (art, music, and gym) where age is more important than intellect. I do believe, though, that school would have gotten quite old for him after not much longer.
The long and short of it? Trust your gut, because it's probably right.
