Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Hi, New Here!

Hi,

I'm new here and wanted to introduce myself and my DS.

My DS is 4 and is my first child (I also have a DSS who is 4 and a DSD who is 6). I always knew that something was different with my DS but wasn't sure that he was gifted, just advanced.

Once he turned 3 and was reading very simple words and adding very small numbers I started looking into my options for gifted education here (I was also in gifted growing up). I brought him to the college here and got him tested for their summer program. He did so well that I called the school board to have him tested. After about a year of them trying to put me off they did finally test him around October of last year and he qualified for gifted. His IQ was 155 but I know that can vary between tests.

Since then he has been going to enrichment once a week for 1.5 hours. He loves going but that still doesn't come close to fulfilling what he needs. We have had problems all year this year with school. I will go into that in another post Next year he'll be attending a public Montessori school. I am hoping that it's a better fit for him. If he still has problems I will talk to the school board about skipping to 1st grade because in 1st grade our school board has gifted classes for science and math. I have talked to a few parents around me with gifted children and they have been told by the school board that they will not skip children no matter what.

This 4 year journey with a gifted child has been a very interesting one so far. I am always amazed by his extremes. One second he's trying to figure out why it's against the law for two women or two men to marry each other and the next he's on the floor screaming because he spilled his milk.

I look forward to meeting all of you and getting some great advice...and hopefully giving some too!

welcome dear. so glad you are here. Ask for that skip. dont listen to what the other parents say. remember the shape of that bell curve tail. 155 even if its an overestimate is usually quite rare so the regular rules probably dont apply...best wishes grinity

Hello Jesse,

I agree with Grins, you might as well start asking right now. Advocating is something you will be doing for the rest of his school life so you might as well take advantage of early practice!

Just because they don't generally skip according to other parents, doesn't mean they can't start now. My DS6 is working on a 3 grade skip right now. The district has never done such a thing, they're all a little freaked out by it, but you have to give each child an appropriate education. First grade just doesn't make sense for a kid that is already in Algebra and has discovered Physics.

Jump into the trenches with the rest of us and start fighting.

Thanks guys. I will start fighting. I was told by a teacher to start with the state board of education but I might start lower first.

i would encourage you to start with his current school and school board while also making contacts at the state level. it is usually the classroom teacher who has the biggest impact day to day while the principle or local school board who are most involved with skips. talk to everyone until you find a champion. whoever is doing the enrichment may know who has the power to decide skips. your school probably has a motto. Memorise that and refer to it often. this takes time and heart. best wishes grinity

Thanks! He starts a new Montessori school in the fall. I've already spoken to one of the K teachers. She has her MS in Gifted Education (I'm really hoping that he gets her) and she was telling me that I need to do whatever it takes to have him moved up. If he could get her as a teacher I think she'd be a great advocate for him too.

Welcome