Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums GT Research Ruf's book question

First of all this is so true, I call it establishing a base camp, not measuring the peak of the mountian. Most of us 'don't get out' enough to really understand what normal development looks like. Teacher-ID isn't foolproof, nor is Local testing (ours discribed DS as bright, and perhaps bored, but didn't suggest that his behavior was anything to do with poor educational fit, but was sending us off to look at NVLD, since his profile was spiky), nor is testing with a Gifted experienced testing,although it's much better, and yet these children continue to have special educational needs, that depending on personality, can be visible in various uncomfortable ways if they are not met.

I think the book is quite specific about what qualifies as reading, for example. And although she doesn't directly address 2E, there was that example where she pointed the parents towards addressing vision problems because the reading was so far below the other skills. I wish I had been around that kind of thinking way back when, when DS was crying because he could read at age 3. Everyone else thought that I had lost my mind to be upset that he was upset - of maybe they thought I was 'trying to get attention' - who knows? But I dare any of you to imagine telling your closest friends and relatives that you are worried bacause your 3 year old is upset that he can't read!


I certainly expected my son to be bright, like the rest of my family members, I just didn't understand that being bright was possibly anything but a positive thing even though I remember being bored and feeling like an alien during elementary school. I just assumed that was some stray experience that was a personal failing - which was the way everyone acted.

I think this is a landmark attempt to show the variety of human behavior. I do think a lot of kids who don't show up on the scales are much brighter than their parents would place them. I also think that Ruf is quite clear that the "ESTIMATED Levels III through V are 'fluid.' I take this to mean that if I had homeschooled my level III and gotten him the help he needed with his vision development he could well be doing Level V behaviors by now. I think that that is true, AND I'm ok with that! He has learned valuable life lessons by the path he has taken, and certianly environment can be expected to have some effect on these kids, yes? But it isn't the kind of environment one can really control - if a Level V best friend who was a good social companion happend to move in next door to us when DS was in Kindy, that would have meant more then any other thing I could have done.

The main point is that reading any of the normal milestone development books can lead one to conclude that the authors of those books are misguided, or trying to make us feel good. The people who put the age suggestions on the game boxes - they must be wrong too! Those IQ test? They aren't designed for the tail, and they are too easy anyway! The gifted programs in schools - they are way, way too easy! How about those other parents at the state gifted association - isn't it embarrassing when they brag about their kids, because our kids are doing so much more? Let's face it folks - our brains are in business to tell us that 'everything is fine' and 'no one home but us fish.' I think it's a better choice to say, "Ok, our kids have unusual needs, the rest of the world isn't out to dissapoint us, or cheat us, they just don't see kids who are level III or up every day, or every year, or every 5 years."

What would it take for me to but you in a new mental conception of LOG, today?


Too me it's a relief to read a milestone list that my son doesn't leave in the dust! At least my job of finding a reasonable fit isn't as large as it is for some of you. But I have to deal with the fallout of so many years of misunderstanding, which many of you won't.

So, the links on the web are great for keeping track of these babies. The book is great of analysing the various parts of the early tasks. Overall the behaviors themselve vary amoung children, widely, but if this book seems like it is talking directly to you - well then it's going to be useful!

If you are a linear thinker, and looking for you child to exactly line up, but you child is more like mine, not reading at three, but wanting one more chapter of "the phantom tollboth" - this book isn't going to help, so give it away, or save it for the next kid.

If you are a non-linear thinker, and can read between the lines, then I think it can be useful, and is useful with a spiky child. OK, so we told him about Santa at age 3, but he also knew that his grandparents were lying about there being 'no more' ice cream treats - it's the same type of reasoning. Ok, he's not teaching himself to read, but the book says that there isn't anything magic about reading, it says that figuring out the system of reading is what is remarkable, and my kid is figuring out other complicated systems at this young age (like sexism, and classism) - We grown ups bring many different learning styles to the picture, so different books will 'speak' to us differently.

I'm hoping that there will be prospective studies on early milestones with 1000s of participants, but I don't think they will every be able to give everyone a label that says what their fate will be. There is really only one kind of person, but each person can have different needs. These various kinds of assesment are just a way to find out what you child might need now, and what they might need in the near future. LOL - Reminds me of the talent searches, CTY said: "Take this test and see where your child should start on our afterschool online classes." I called them up and said these are his scores, where should he start? They said, Oh, with scores that high, we really don't know. Why don't you try one and see how it works? Is that the story of my life or what?

((panting, slowly getting off soapbox, hoping there is something there that will make sense))
Love and More Love,
Grinity