I had some trouble with school. I tended to do really well in areas that interested me and did not do things that did not interest me, which resulted in grades of As and Fs. I also tended to get carried away at times and change trajectory on assignments, which they do not approve of in traditional classrooms. When I was tested in 3rd or 4th grade, my school had a GT program that was outside of the regular classroom. It encouraged creative endeavors and allowed freedom of choice and movement among various activities (somewhat Montessori-style). This was great for me. I loved my time there. Then we moved to a district where GT meant placement in advanced academic classes only. That is where I struggled. I think GT kids also tend to have some problems with social interaction, and may really benefit from encouragement and guidance to help develop those skills. I think that might have been helpful for me. I had the experience of working with elementary age children as a college student, and I felt like I was learning some of those social rules that come naturally to children late in life! Looking back, I notice that I had trouble shifting between levels (Jr High to High, High School to college, etc) and exhibited some symptoms of ADD. I don't know how often this is a comorbid condition, but I was never assessed/diagnosed formally. All in all, I think things turned out well for me. Once I got into my major and specialty I did well and I enjoy my career, although working within an organization is trying at times (red tape and nit-picky rules). My first child will be born soon, and we'll see if he lands near the tree!
