Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy other parents and envy/jealousy

Hear, hear!!

Honestly, given the one-size-fits-nobody approach our district has taken to gifted academics, I'd just as soon they leave counseling the heck alone.

Not sure how far outside of academics I really want the school to wander, reading through DS6's Student/Parent handbook last night I already feel like I've fallen into a Pink Floyd song.

You know, I've really learned it depends on the system you're in. I've seen numerous schools where unfortunately the administration makes the decisions, scheduling, program and curriculum choices for the TAG program and has their normal counseling staff work with the GT kids. Few if any of the administration has any background in TAG education or counseling.....all while having multiple fully certified TAG specialists on staff and who would better understand, direct, and counsel those TAG children.

On the other hand, I've also seen schools with administration who are wise enough to surround themselves with great TAG specialists and let them do what they were trained to do, what they know, and what they do well and simply provide backing.

All too often with administration, it's a case of them not knowing what they don't know but feeling they know best.

Oh, heck YEAH.

As with most large scale organizations, seldom is the whole system sound, you can, however, often find INDIVIDUALS within the system who make a huge difference for your child. I've yet to see what I'd call a great public school as far as TAG education, I have, however, seen numerous outstanding individuals both highly knowledgeable and passionate about GT education at numerous public schools who have made a world of positive impact for our family.

Sure. We've had a whole range of teachers/guidance counselors/classroom aides/what have you, from the magnificent to the downright horrible. I'd still rather they not get into counseling, and let the good ones do what they do best, and the lousy ones do (relatively) no harm.

You could make the argument, I suppose, that it matters whether you're in a 2000-child district or a 150,000-child one. You certainly see more bureaucratic bungling in a bigger one, but I think the effect could be just as devastating on a micro level if you got a lunatic doing the job in a small one.

This fits more with the earlier posts in this thread.
Even though we're not leaving elementary we're just now joining it.
My husband said, "our son can read already", at meet the teacher yesterday.  I said, "I think he reads at a second grade level.  I would have told you privately after the meeting". The teacher said, "just tell me if he knows the sight words I send home and I'll give him the next sheet".  

Then we met a friend in the parking lot outside and my husband said, "I don't know why you were embarrassed".  Our friend said, "Some parents will talk about you and say your son's just smart because you worked with him, but don't be embarrassed about your son.  You should be proud of your son.  He's doing good". 

My sister runs a home preschool and she tells everybody her son can read, partially because he's smart, but also because she works with him.  She said some parents take that the wrong way, like she's saying their kid's not smart, but all she's saying is that she does work with the kids a little each day while they're there. 

I think mothers act differently than guys, more competition.  My husband says he tells the guys at work I'm introducing division to our kid, and all the guys are impressed.  All most all the guys brag about their kids, he says.  Also, if I say anything, I only say what he can do consistently, not what he's done a few times or is starting to learn.  

There you go; by trying to be socially appropriate I've been told twice that looks more like I'm embarrassed of my son.  Once from another housewife who admitted that some other parents will say he's just smart because I've worked with him.   She still said by hesitating to talk about it I'm acting like I'm ashamed of my son.  

I'm starting to see the whole "but you work with him/her" thing as a tool to use to deflect other parents' resentment of giftedness.

They want to think that? Fine by me. I no longer care (sometimes ). I have the added "benefit" of having a kid (DS8) with issues who I actually need to work with (fine motor practice, curriculum review because of attention difficulties, etc), so they tend to think "oh she has to help him"

I heard it A LOT with DD9 when she was little.. "but you work with her" (um... not really... it's kind of the other way around) ...and "hey can you teach my (3 year old) to read too?" (um... not really... I'd love to take the credit, but...)

A huge hot button phrase for me is: "I just let my kids be kids"

(insert profanity from me here)

Anyway.

Why I think the ultimate superpower might be to ACTUALLY shoot darts from one's eyes....:)