Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Am I too focused on 'gifted'?

Admittedly it was a tiring week of advocacy. I've been focused on getting DS6 harder math and his teacher is insistent that he is appropriately placed. She did make a point to show me some areas where he has weaknesses (e.g., geometry, measurement) and thinks I'd be doing him a disservice if we subject accelerate him because he may not get a good "foundation". I had moments today where I considered that she was right. I know I need to trust my mama gut, but sometimes I question whether I'm making a big deal out of the whole gifted thing. (Only sometimes :)) Today I asked myself: what's the worst thing that could happen if he doesn't get the ideal math experience in public school. I see a happy kid and just couldn't come up with a catastrophic scenario. Anyhow, just venting... I'm sure I'll change my tune tomorrow and be back to hitting my head against the wall .

Hi Jool - sounds like you've had a hard week! Although our DS5 isn't yet in elem. school, we have been meeting with school about next year and we've already gotten a little bit of talk of "foundations." I had an idea about a response, but i'm not sure if it really makes any sense. But I'll throw it out there anyway. Schools are big on cycling/spiraling so that kids get exposed to ideas over and over so they sink in. Can't we respond to the "lack of foundation" and "gap" speech by saying that's if there appears to be a problem in the next level, that's an opportunity to teach our kids something, reinforce, and bring in some of the spiraling they like to do? Just a thought.

You're doing a good job, giving your son a chance to get what he needs.

Jool, what math curriculum does your school use? If they use something like Math Investigations then use it's selling points back at them, "It's a spiraling curriculum, they keep coming back to the same subject at diffent levels" so he'll get it the next time it comes around!

crud, I was about ready to hit the post and see st pauli girl beat me to this! So, I agree with her!

Ah - OHma - you said it much more concisely! I probably absorbed the idea from reading one of your earlier posts.

Hey Jool,
Put your feet up and relax! It's emotinally draining going up against the 'experts.' Take care of yourself and be proud of what you've accomplished so far.

((hugs))
Grinity

What kind of Geometry and Measurements are they talking about?

Geometry: Euclid's Elements in Ancient Hebrew read off a Dead Sea Scroll?

Measurement: Proving Taylor's Error Theorem?

Or is it, "What is a triangle?" and "using a ruler measure a line?"

That might take an hour to teach your DS. And I am sure your DS will do one of the former before he is 18.

<sigh?

The things he "struggled" with were units of measurements and "estimation". For example, he wasn't able to choose the right answer when asked to estimate the weight of an elephant (I think he chose 100,000 pounds). SPGirl and OHG, they use the everyday math curriculum which is spiralled. Oh, she also said he didn't know what "median" meant. She actually said, "It's not like he'll pick it up through osmosis". Um, I think he would - like you alluded to Austin . It's so hard getting these people to buy into the whole PG in math thing. He's taking the SCAT Tuesday, maybe that'll get the message through...
Grin, I think you're right. Time to chill for a while .

I am the world's worst estimator. Seriously, THE worst! If I pick the container to hold the leftovers, I guarantee you it will be way off. I always hope that I won't be an eyewitness and have to describe a criminal, because the height and weight window will be HUGE: "He was...somewhere between 5'3" and 7'0" and he weighed between 100 and 300 pounds."

I wish I were kidding!

And I skipped no math whatsoever. Skipped no grades. I'm just bad at it.

Yet this issue doesn't really matter in my life. Well, I suppose it is occasionally mildly annoying when I need to estimate the weight of my pet elephant...



Jool, If that's the best they've got, shoot 'em down! Shoot hard!

Maybe he's like my DS and finds the whole idea of estimating and medians MESSY!!

Thanks for the chuckle Kriston ... I love the image of a pet elephant.

I really don't have anything to enhance this topic since my child is clearly at the start and hasn't even begun preschool, but the title caught my eye. I ponder this idea especially since I have a toddler. Is it really that important for me to be so involved in this idea of gifted at toddler age? I sometimes wonder if my knowledge of gifted has helped or hindered my situation. I find myself buying more items such as math and reading books that I never would have bought previously but then fear I would be sinking into the black hole of hot housing if I used them and up on a shelf they sit. I know logically that my DD learned what she knows clearly on her own curiosity and would it be so bad to build more into the foundations she has already established but my biggest fear is if I did sit her down and provide some type of curriculum then I am creating this fake sense of gifted. But my fear is by doing that I would be the mom that was shocked that her IQ scores were not at the high end b/c she could already do this and that when in the end it is b/c I guided her into that knowledge. So again ... I think I was better off on the other side of the fence not even linking gifted to my child.