Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Gifted program interview = DISASTER?

My 7 y.o. son had an interview last week for a program I've been trying to get him into for months. Obviously it is getting very late in the year and this is becoming stressful. Our other option is the neighborhood school where 30% of the kids don't meet state standards.

Last he finally had his interview. I understood it to be more to make sure that the child matched the app and has no obvious social problems, rather than an additional level of screening. But I could be mistaken.

I picked him up after the interview and he was happy and asking the teacher if he would be able to attend the school. Then I asked him a few questions about what he had done with the teacher. It all sounded OK until he mentioned that he had written a story. This is what he said he wrote:

"One day I was at school and I noticed a box on my desk. Suddenly, IT MOVED. Little did I know there was a pigeon inside, so I pulled out my machine gun and shot it to smithereens! When I opened the box there was a dead pigeon inside. Then I was expelled.

Then I went to a new school where there was a bully. So I ...something here about shooting him but I was in too much shock to fully process..... And I got expelled."

My son has been at the same school for 5 years. He is considered a well-behaved child. His teacher is very fond of him. His soccer coach last season specifically requested that DS return to his team because he is such a nice boy. He gets upset when his brother gets hurt or in trouble and is very good with animals and loves babies. We have NO concerns about about his mental health.

But, I don't know what happened with the story. Obviously he was trying to be funny, with some Percy Jackson influence thrown in (Percy jackson gets expelled all the time and killed a cheerleader/monster). I wrote the interviewing teacher an email explaining this, but have heard nothing. We are kind of assuming that he has no chance. OTOH...I don't think he did anything wrong! He wa asked to wrtie a fictional story and he did. He doesn't realize the issues around guns in schools.

Any educators have an opinion on this? It this story a dealbreaker?

I don't have the experience you're looking for, but I'd say relax. He's 7, and he was writing fiction; it's developmentally appropriate. If the school would refuse him over this without talking to him or you about it, you're well out of that school IMNSHO.

It all depends on the sensibility of the interviewer and administrators at the school. Personally, if one of my students told me a story about accidentally shooting a pigeon in a box, I would find it funny, pure and simple. Shooting a bully is more of an issue and especially as a first impression, might make me want to talk more to the child and parents, but it wouldn't be a "dealbreaker". However, we live in an age in which a student can be suspended for bringing a chocolate bar to school, an age in which a six-year-old can be charged with sexual harassment. Unfortunately, if you get the wrong teacher (which is easy), there's no room for understanding or a sense of humor.

My advice would be to continue trying to contact the school - don't take no answer for an answer. If someone has a problem with your son's interview, you have a right to hear that problem explained and to initiate a dialogue on the subject.

We are supposed to hear a final answer this week, so I was just going to wait on that. I am concerned that they may give a reason not relating to the story, but actually reject him on the basis of the story.

Jane,
I just wanted to send a big virtual *hug* your way.

I think so many of us could imagine our quirky children doing the same thing.

I know that doesn't help. I just wanted to let you know you have people rooting for you and your ds.

And if it makes you feel any better, I have a friend whose kindergarten child wet his pants during his interview visit to the gifted school and he was still accepted. He just didn't want to stop what he was doing to go the bathroom.

That certainly was a fascinating story!!! I hope the admissions personnel take it in context and not hold it against him. Surely if you have reference letters from other teachers and his coach saying he's not a deranged killer, they would see it as it was....the fantasy mind of a wonderful 7yr old boy!

keeping my fingers crossed for you and him!
Dazey

Thanks for all the responses. They pretty much mirror how I feel. My son is OK, his story wasn't completely out of the realm of what a bright 7 y.o. might be expected to come up with, but the school may not take it lightly.

It remains to be seen if we will have to opportunity to address concerns that may have arisen. We are in a large school district with some problems and incidents DO happen. That may make it hard for them to be dismissive of the story. I can understand that view.

What a creative boy. I freaked once when DS6 wrote a story about a lonely man with no family. The story was very intense. But I have learned that his mind stretches far beyond the "norm", and what he writes isn't always a reflection of how he actually feels.

I hope that for you it's not a deal breaker!!

Me too. I hope all is well, but it may not be, things being how they are. Our children do learn that there is 'a time and a place' for certian topics, and you might want to pencil it in sometime this summer - not until this is water under the bridge, for sure.

My son has a list of 'things not to kid around about in school' but couldn't have understood the need for the list at age 7, but by age 10 he started to 'get it.' He still says things that I wish he wouldn't occasionally. I think it's part of being a kid.

((hugs))
Grinity

When my DD was in 2nd grade gt, one of the boys wrote a holiday story for the class book. He had Santa and the elves rob a candy store, gun down some clerks and get away with it because everyone assumed that the crooks were in Santa and elves disguises. My DD responded that's just how boys are. Hopefully, your interviewer will have as much tolerance for his creativity.