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Hi Cathy,

She doesn't really need more schoolwork during the summer...the problem is that, when she is in school, she isn't always grouped with the kids that are "her people" so to speak. One time the teacher set up a special math group on the back of the classroom and she wasn't in it, and she was so frustrated because she was sitting with other kids who kept asking her questions and she couldn't even concentrate on what she was doing. (And...she was depressed about it because she felt like she was grouped with the "dumb kids"...sorry if that sounds harsh but they were her words at the time.) And...during school, she is always researching different things and writing reports on them "for fun" and writes huge novels on the computer.

Summer is less of an issue because it's not like she is watching kids do things that she wants to (and can) do. My son did do CTY for a few years and thought it was okay, but also wasn't the type of kid who thrived on doing schoolwork all day. He just wanted to be with the smart kids in school...and interestingly, his profile is almost identical to hers but with a stronger processing speed, yet he was put in the gifted program and also in pre-algebra. The difference? He was a behavior problem as a kid and so meetings were called by the school and a 504 was developed to help him "control his frustration". She is a good kid with no behavior problems. (And he is a junior in high school now with no issues, no more 504 (as it did its job when it was needed), in all advanced classes, and president of the senior class next year.)

P.S. Our gifted program is no great shakes either...in fact, if you are in it in middle school, you have to take it in place of electives like cooking and art. Even if she opts out, I did want her identified for the future...but I was actually more concerned about any accommodations she might need which would become more apparent as she got older.