Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments What do you wish your school knew about your child

This!

And the thought that the longer they hold them back, the better their behavior will be...yeah...ok...it so doesn't work that way.

Recently saw this and thought this thread might be a good place to mention it:

http://www.byrdseed.com/10-facts-about-social-emotional-needs-of-the-gifted/

We wish to be understood and that our children are understood. Because with understanding, then we can help ourselves and help our children. How can I teacher help our children if they don't understand or even have a basic understanding of the differences. (sigh)

Great topic! Here are a few more:

Just because an early elem. kid can only write at age-level, that should not keep him from doing math 2 or 3 grade levels ahead.

Kids who know 80-90% of the curriculum before a unit starts should not have to sit through that unit. Please accelerate this kid (unit/subject/whole grade, as applicable). Even if there are gaps, when my kid encounters such gaps in later units, a quick teaching of this will cover it.

Just because my kid sits quietly through class all day long and appears to be happy is not necessarily indicative of a kid who is appropriately challenged by the material being taught. (Says the mother of a child who told her that he loves easy things he already knows, because that leaves more time for his preferred activity of daydreaming.)

Yes, Yes! All of the above, but for us also
That it HURTS my son when you tell him not to talk about "fill in the blank" --usually a science subject for him, or to remember his audience and keep it brief when it's taken him a lot of courage to speak up in the first place. Like last year when they finally started to talk about a subject that he truly enjoyed... the teacher told the class about the three states of matter, and he raised his hand to point out that there are four and wanted to talk more about plasma because we'd just seen something on PBS talking about the plasma engine they're working on. She told him he was wrong, and that they weren't talking about that now. He didn't raise his hand again for months after that.

YES! This is exactly my concern for my child. My daughter will only show them what she thinks they want to see. I want her to be challenged, but more than that, I want them to expect her to be curious because then she will show them how curious she is.

That my DD8 must have an evil twin that goes to school in her place, because I don't know who this kid is that is on her way to being labeled "troublemaker" instead of "amazing, gifted, intuitive, deep, serious, intelligent, creative" person.

Just because she hangs back or pulls away from a large group doesn't mean she is anxious or depressed (btw-it's also been commented that she's easily overstimulated, so maybe she's pulling away to calm herself, DUH!)

just because she doesn't look you in the eye when she's knows you're displeased doesn't mean there's "something wrong" with her or that she has Asperger's or anything else...or maybe she does, but she's also the top cookie seller in our GS troop because she is GOOD at that and feels confident

that maybe what you see as inattention is actually you not engaging and connecting with her

that she wrote an amazing poem this summer and a small booklet in early 2nd grade. she just doesn't want to write about what YOU want her to write about, because its not interesting

that she comes ALIVE at summer camp, when she can just be herself and I have never seen her happier...I wish we could live at camp!

this is SO what I wish our teacher/school would get.
and all of the others too!

A few more:
1. That when my son asks interesting questions, you should really answer him. Now. Not fob him off with a sweet smile and a "let's talk about it later/you'll learn that later"
2. That when I mention he is doing second grade maths at home, and would like him to follow on with this at school, I really do mean he needs to do more than filling in missing numbers in a sequence or counting out loud to 30. (ie please take me seriously when I suggest the type of work he would like to do)

and most of all - that I really do not care that he can do grade level work on par with everyone else (that he mastered 2 years ago already)... I'd much rather see a report that shows me what HE can achieve according to HIS potential.

Sorry, not sure if I have one of my own to offer just yet (there are so many great ones here), I'll have to mull it over for a while.

BUT, I just wanted to say what a great thread. Nice to know we're not alone (nor is my son), and this thread helps with all of the things we had been feeling, but couldn't put a finger on about our son. We're in the process of mtg. w/school officials to discuss potential grade skip or subject acceleration. This thread will really help me to articulate his needs (and why).

I think you just described my daughter. Seriously. Wow.


Hmmmm.....

I would add that:

if you give one child accelerated instruction one year, and leave another child to languish in their regular class, then when you test both kids the next year one will look more "able" or "in need" then the other. Duh.

That being "opinionated" is not a bad behavioral trait. Gifted kids that are "opinionated" are really just PASSIONATE about something!