There are some things that aren't talked about in polite company. That your child is too smart for school seems to be OK to say, unless it's actually true...
I wish that there would be a real dialogue on this. The parents who believe their children are ahead actually believe it. It's because it isn't talked about enough for them to know how their child falls in the mix. Same with me as a parent of a very bright little girl. At 3, I didn't know where she fell in the mix, and most teachers don't see enough kids to know this either. If they gave out a developmental pamphlet like they do for screening for delays, it would probably make everyone's jobs easier.
Oh I had to laugh at the "unless it's actually true." Yep.
I remember hearing some say "oh my child's reading has really taken off" etc. Then come to find out, the child is reading the family members' names or a picture book which has been read nightly to him for the past 4years. When I hear comments like that, I just nod. Now I also ask "So what is your child reading" just to gauge where the child is at. The other is "My child knows all her ABCs at 2yrs old." Well then the child starts singing the ABC song. I didn't mention that my 19month old didn't know the ABC song but knows all the sounds the letters make and that C says both /s/ and /c/.
It really is difficult to have an open dialogue about this. I had a very frank discussion about this with a friend. I failed to de-gift the living room of my gifted books (currently reading "Re-forming Gifted Education" when she came over. She very shyly asked if I had DS tested and what clued me in to get him tested in the first place. We talked for the 2hrs lol. Her DS is entering K. She was told by the preK teacher that in all her 30yrs of teaching, she had never seen a child as advanced as he and is really pushing her NOT to send him to our public school. I have another friend who is very open about her son's ability so very quickly I knew she was someone i could talk to. My other best friend in town - not so much - I don't say a whole lot.
I hate the line "let's wait until 3rd grade b/c they all even out." I think that is partly as to not miss the late-bloomers. But why make the very high ability kids wait for instruction at their level so you don't miss the late bloomers? Why sacrifice one for the other? Why not assess yearly and give each child what he/she needs?
