WOW! Thank you all so much for the responses! I don't feel so alone anymore. You gave me so much info. I don't know where to start.
Grinity - I'm not sure of LOG. I would have to dig up testing records. IQ score was around 138 last year and the psychologist (Dr.Sylvia Rimm) said we'll probably get a more accurate score as she gets older as she had just turned 3 at the time. I just know that she started speaking in complete sentences (articles and all) at 14 months old, uses extremely sophisticated vocab., has an incredible memory and expresses complex and unusual thoughts. I remember Christmas when she was 23 months old. Her older cousin, 9 at the time, received a large set of "Magnetix" as a gift. She sat on the floor and played with them for over an hour without so much as looking up. She was in her own world. Words cannot describe that type of intensity at such a young age.
As for having my other daughter tested; that was one of the first things Dr. Rimm said. Her IQ is just slightly above avg. Personally, I think she's gifted artistically. She's extremely creative and moody (almost a tortured soul) at age 5. She loves to sculpt, paint, dance, sing and create all of the time - so much so that she's behind academically and has to see a reading specialist in her K class 5 days a week. She wants desperately to read, but lacks the attention it takes to learn. She's a very deep thinker and a wonderful little ball of creativity. (I call her my little McGiver - give her a paper clip and some string and she'll make anything you need out of it!) Her talents hold little to no value at school and probably in our society in general. She doesn't see herself as I do, however and is already telling me she was "born wrong", she's dumb, etc. no matter how much her dad and I cherish and adore everything about her. Having a little sister who corrects her speech and is surpassing her academically doesn't help matters. I'll be taking her to see Dr. Rimm again and addressing all of the above as well.
Anyway, back to my little one. The K programs at Montessori, public and Catholic schools are all full day. As far as concentrating on the receiving teacher, they are the K teachers. They do 3 year groupings at Montessori. The first half of the day is pre-K3's, pre-K4's and K's. Afternoons are just the K students. She'll be in the same room with the same teachers whether she does pre-K4 or K, but they won't allow her to participate in the K materials. My husband would not make a good mouthpiece - he's a smart guy, but leaves most of the education decisions to me. Although he's been commenting for months to me about how he doesn't think she's being challenged enough. When he speaks to professionals he either comes off as a pushover or angry, there is no in between.
One of the materials they did mention was the large number chains. They deal with place value in larger #s. They told me she would only count to 9 when asked, then she went to 40s & 50s. I said she counts much higher than that (she was counting to 16 two years ago.) and she probably didn't feel like counting at the time. They said she told them she didn't want to count anymore and that's one of the reasons she's not ready - she doesn't like to be pushed (I hate that word!) They said she may develop a negative attitude towards learning if we try to push her. By the way, she uses shells, pennies, etc. to make her own large number chains at home that sprawl across 2 rooms. Your suggestion to ask them what they are looking for and how to know when she's ready is a good idea. If I decide to try to "push" them into letting her start K I'll ask that. As for observing during the school day, it's tough b/c I'm teaching during that time. My 5 year old is in the pub. K class and I'm very happy with her teacher and pretty satisfied with the school. It only goes K-2. I've heard great things about the K teacher at the Catholic school, she's somewhat of a legend around here. There were a lot of toys in her classroom, however, which concerns me.
I've only read things I've found online about gifted children, and Dr. Rimm's book. To be honest this is the best site I've seen so far. I may have an opportunity next year to work in a "twice exceptional" program that is being started in the district I work for. I teach special ed., and each classroom will be staffed with a gifted and a sp. ed. teacher. If I get into the program, I hope to learn from the gifted teachers and maybe become licensed in gifted.
Kriston - I totally agree, the teacher can make all the difference no matter what the program! The public K program here is pretty academics focused. The principal is well-informed and sharp.
You're right, I should be doing more to enrich her education at home. I do have tough time constraints and I also have the dilemma of making my older daughter feel worse about her abilities if she sees how far her sister is learning. My husband works nights so I'm with them alone every night. I don't think she'd be bored in K. She's not as advanced as yours. She doesn't know all letter sounds yet, but she's learning them very quickly. I think she'll be reading by the end of the year. She had many books memorized at age 18-24 months (long, non-rhyming books with dialog). She would recite them word for word while I was driving.
Lmom - I will be making an apt. tomorrow to get Dr.Rimm's opinion about early entrance and will have her write a letter. That's a great idea. I know they did the WPPSI, the other test had scores for "verbal" and "performance" (math). The score ratings ended with 16 and above being "highly superior" - she scored 17 in both areas. They did not test for the coding section because of her age. As for part versus full time - she wants to attend full time already. My husband is at home during the day, but he is so tired from working nights that I suspect she sits in front of the TV until I'm home and he leaves.
crisc - WOW! Your son sounds incredibly smart! I just want to say as a teacher that, even though it may not be right, you may want to try to encourage him to do the math the way the teacher wants it AND his own way. It may make his life a little easier as he gets older. I get that he understands the concepts, but he may run into teachers who penalize for not "showing work", etc. I'm not saying I agree with it, it's just reality.
kickball - Thanks for reminding me to breathe - very helpful! You also made me think of another option. I toured a nearby charter school that is for gifted kids a few months ago. I wasn't in love with it, but maybe I should go look at it again. I just thought the building was too old and rundown, it was in a bad neighborhood and I wasn't overly impressed with the K teacher. I think I need to go observe during the school day. The public school only offers acceleration - no pullouts. They can move ahead in materials as quickly as they'd like, but it's the same curriculum as the rest of the school. They do have some special projects and field trips once they get into about the 3rd grade. Thanks for the tip on "Genius Denied" I'd been thinking about ordering that one. I'll keep you posted on the "late, early entrance" thing with the pub. school.
Celia - you mentioned your daughter's in a gifted school... how does it differ from Montessori and public schools?
Again, thanks for all your advice, I feel like I have some direction. I need to take a day off work and observe some K classes for starters. I'll keep you all posted.
