Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment A whole lot to take in- results from psy

There's really no way around it. No matter how horizontal you go, she's going to learn skills that will advance her up the academic ladder. If she learns a language, she'll also be learning about spelling and root words and sentence structure that will apply to her writing skills. If you learn about the history of measuring devices or some such thing, she's going to figure out conversions, for example. So while I think it's great to be able to take the opportunity to teach deeper and more off-the-ladder topics, I think there's absolutely no way that she won't learn school stuff. Nor do I think there's anything wrong with that. IMO I think you're right that all you can do is follow her lead. She's a new little soul, smart as she is, and she loves learning about her world, and that's an amazing thing. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

I know it's really necessary to try to get a handle on things and try to figure out what you're going to do academically now, next year, 5 years down the road. I'm personally a huge planner and I like to have all my ducks in a row, but you're really only going to be able to have control over a few months at a time. Add to that that you only have so much control over what a school system can/will do.

Luckily, you have advantages that the experts and the schools don't: you love your daughter, want only the best for your daughter, and live with your daughter and know her better than anyone else in the world does. She is still the same little girl that she was a few days ago and you've been doing a darn good job of meeting her needs thus far. (Which is not to say that I don't get that you're focusing on this right now. You're allowed to freak out on occasion. Not that I think you're freaking out -- I think you're having a perfectly reasonable response!)

With time you will figure out what combination of things at home and things at school and things in the community will work. And if you don't, you DD will!

Doing the records review and phone consult now is a good idea. I think it would be money well spent and would give you a better way to put what you've learned into context. You need to talk to somebody who has seen many PG kids.

Question for DYS folks: Would a DYS consultant be willing to have a conversation with amazedmom even though her DD is too young to apply to DYS? I would think that they would be an amazing source of perspective and possibly advice.

She actually got it in 2008, aged 19. Young, but not mid-teens. I don't dismiss that someone might have got a PhD aged 13-15, but I'd expect it to be really unusual even among the vvv PG. There's really something that's a lot more to do with emotional and social maturity than scientific intellect that's important for sustained research. (And besides, once you get to doing a PhD, why rush it? By that point you probably realise it's one of the best chances you're going to get to go into something in depth without having to worry too much about your paper publication rate :-)

"Doing graduate work" doesn't have to mean doing research, though, let alone the kind of sustained contribution that gets you a PhD. UPenn has plenty of taught courses at graduate level, and I'm not at all surprised that a young PG child could do that kind of thing. (Indeed, DS7 has done some graduate work, come to think of it, in the sense that he's learned quite a lot of material that is only ever taught in graduate-level courses :-)

Don't get me wrong, Kit Armstrong is impressive! He's just not a counterexample to my tentative claim that even most very very very PG children will not be in a position to complete a PhD before the age of about, say, 17, more for social/emotional than for intellectual reasons.

Not sure. I know that when DS6 was 3 and we were kind of freaking out a little about all the stuff he was doing we contacted CTY as they do a consultant thing for $10 or something like that. Honestly it wasn't really a help, they just listened and provided some resources for things he could do in the future when he was older (DYS, etc.) It was basically a waiting game where we stayed at home and followed his lead and then waited until a little before school to do testing at 4yo. (We would have waited until 5 but needed to do testing before school because we knew Kindergarten would not work for him). So you may want to check into CTY, or DYS just not sure what all of a help it will be at this point. There are so many unknowns, and not a lot of resources where she is now anyhow. I am guessing they won't have a lot to offer unless you are looking for on-line resources or something like that. But it may be helpful and not too expensive so don't have much to lose.

Collinsmom, Sabur got her PhD at 18, became a professor before 19, just before, but still very impressive considering she was also performing with the orchestra and doing volunteer work after Katrina, teaching kids science down there. Maybe that is why it took her the extra year.

For resources, I would call Renzuilli. His wife did that whole thing with Mark Ya. I bet she would love to work with a child this young showing this kind of potential.

Ren

Better yet, get teh Psy to call Renzoulli.

Even though one has to be 5 years old to be accepted, I would go ahead and download the materials and start filling out the application. I would send in a copy of the tests and the psychologist's report, etc. as well as write up a few stories, like watching the tape in Spanish. That way you can have to application 'on file' and don't have to worry about the paperwork. I would be suprised if they offer some services, but 'you never know' perhaps if a few of the parents here send scores and reports they will be inspired to start a pilot program for preschoolers.

Another approach is to start a phone relationship with someone like Dr. Ruf and get some distance coaching. But really, I think it's going to be ok.

Smiles,
Grinity

I agree. The assessment by the psych is one set of data points. To find the trajectory, you need more data points, in time.

I'd take the statements by the psych as a great compliment, but I wouldn't put any weight on the predictions about future academic growth. I have had several teachers, from pre-school on, tell me that my kids were the brightest kids they ever saw. I'm sure many others on this board have, too.

My fear is that statements like this set up expectations - either in your mind or your child's mind - that cannot possibly be met. What if your D is "only" doing algebra by 8? What if she has no interest in math at all? What if, some days, she seems like an age-appropriate kid - was the assessment that far off? Is she regressing? Will you be disappointed with a 98% on a test vs. a 100%?

I have found on-line classes to be helpful - CTY, EPGY and GLL. There are so many resources available on the internet, that even where you are, you could access programs that will be challenging for her. That's where I would start.