Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Does G&T teacher know who's an intellectual peer?

Do you think a G&T teacher knows who are inttellectual peers without above level testing? She works in small groups of 6 for 20mins. twice a week? G&T teacher seems like she gets my gifted son.

I think that it depends on the individual teacher, and how strictly you draw the line on 'similar.' I remember that for years, we would visit my grandparents, and my grandmother would say: 'Oh, you're so lucky, there is a little girl also visiting that is just your age!'

It didn't take me long to figure out that from Grandmother's perspective, 'just my age' was anything within 7 years! Hardly my perspective at the time.

I do believe that everyone has an unconscious built-in 'IQ detector' How else do people gravitate towards 'similar IQ' spouses? I think that people's 'intrapersonal intelligence' varies, and that affects their ability to make conscious use of their unconscious ability.

The only way to know is to let her suggest a few kids for playdates and see how the pairing go. OTOH, there are other factors, besides IQ, that determine who enjoys playing with who. Above level testing would help, but since the tests don't perfectly reflect intelligence, and you are dealing with a small possible pool ( I would guess) I don't think it's that much of a problem that they aren't available.

You may bet farther by organizing a 'game night' with the whole pool and watching the kids as they play. I particularly like 'Apples to Apples.' The Jr. Edition might be better.

Best Wishes,
Grinity

Thanks Grinity that's helpful.

I was wondering about education and peers. I'm thinking ahead as he moves along thru the upper grades. It might get better for him as they group the abilities more in the upper grades.

I do see that a few other students have beat him in the Math facts and he tied with a girl in spelling end of the year grades. I do realize that there is lots to different areas of strengths.

(When I think about my questioning the G&T teacher on the above post...I never would. I'm wanting to just figure out his needs. I think if I were to question her about this that would insult her capabililtes. This is why advocacy is so hard for me.)

I see DS as being able to hang with peers and relating freindships. Yet he realizes he is beyond peers in some ways intellectually.

No Sweetie, It would be rude. You're instinct is just right. If she is good enough to not be offended, then you wouldn't need to ask. Part of the puzzle is that schools don't recognize abstract reasoning as an area that an elementary school student might excell in.

See:
So things like 'math fact speed' and spelling make kids of vastly different LOG look 'the same'to many school folks.

That's just the current state of things, not your fault in any way.

With a G&T teacher, there's a good chance. I myself am only beginning my formal training in teaching G&T, but I've worked with a number of gifties and understand a lot from my own experiences, and I've gotten to the point where I can walk into a class of thirty kids and pin down the gifted one or two, and their particular strengths, in an hour or less (what's amazing is that they pick up on this and respond - I've been called a "favorite teacher" by an artistically gifted eight-year-old after taking a class for THIRTY MINUTES). So I have no doubt that a G&T teacher who's actually good at her job and spends time with these kids regularly would be able to figure out which of them are intellectual peers, as well as which would play well off each other's strengths. However, that's no guarantee the kids will actually get along!