Alexsmom- I would agree my son was not Redshirted but how do you draw a line about what gets services and who doesn't because the district wanted to forgive his absences. My daughter was redshirted- she could have gone on to 1st grade- it would have been harder on her and she most likely not be the same confident leader she is today but her scores were good- not like my sons but high and I made the decision based on how her emotional development would be affected. Her whole world was rocked when her brother got sick too- so it all happened at the same time. So I think it is fair to say I redshirted her
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I guess that I'd say that in a perfect world, to remove outside influences on who is placed in GT programming I'd like to see the following:
* GT placement based on age normed individual IQ scores not achievement, teacher recommendation, or other subjective factors
* individualized GT programming that doesn't exclude 2e kids b/c of erratic achievement and focuses more on abstractions, depth, and self paced work so it better meets the needs of gifted kids who don't just need more of the same faster but still honors that some gifted kids need significantly increased pacing (thus the self pacing)
* no studying for GT placement tests (no outside tutoring, no teachers who prep the kids who they think ought to be in GT, etc.)
Of course, this would cost a small fortune...
Do we all want to move somewhere and start our own school like this, lol? I recall a bit back someone in the Mensa Bulletin talking about starting a planned community of Mensa members (e.g. something like this.)
