# Anyone have a Gifted/Talented child?



## clovis (May 13, 2002)

My next door neighbors have a grandson that is 5, and is scheduled to start kindergarten this year.

I've been telling his grandmother for many years that her grandchild is definately gifted. You really wouldn't believe this kid. He reads much better than my third grader, understands math on a 4th grade level (if not higher), writes and speaks in complete sentences, understands indepth concepts, and just has an understanding of the world like no other kid I've ever met.

The parents have down played his intelligence for several years, but finally had him tested at a very reputable place which is supposed to be the best in the state.

This kid's scored came back today, and his IQ is 142. I am not surprised one bit by this information. The kid is really, really smart. Most of the time, when speaking to him, it is easy to forget you are talking to a child, and not an adult! 

If you read on the internet about general characteristics of gifted kids, this child has them all!!!! 

They are thrilled to know that their child is gifted, but are now facing the challenge of where/what/how to educate their outstanding child.

Anyone here have a gifted and talented child? 

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

Yes - definitely - ask away 

You don't say what scale his IQ has been measured on. IQ is not a definite number - it is usually expressed as a centile value. So you might say he is in the top x% of the population - there are different scales for IQ and 142 on one scale would be different to 142 on a different scale.

hoggie


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

I'm in the middle of the book "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell, and it's pretty fascinating stuff! An entire chapter on geniuses [so far, there may be more].....here's a quote in the book by British psychologist Liam Hudson: _"It is amply proved that someone with an IQ of 170 is more likely to think well than someone whose IQ is 70, and this holds true where the comparison is much closer -- between IQs, of, say, 100 and 130. But the relation seems to break down when one is making comparisons between two people both of whom have IQs which are relatively high....a mature scientist with an adult IQ of 130 is as likely to win a Nobel Prize as is one whose IQ is 180." _

Gladwell writes: _"To get into a reasonably compatitive graduate program....you probably need an IQ of at least 115. In general, the higher your [IQ] score, the more education you'll get, the more money you're likely to make, and - believe it or not - the longer you'll live. But there's a catch. The relationship between success and IQ works only up to a point. Once someone has reached an IQ of somewhere around 120, having additional IQ points doesn't seem to translate into any measurable real-world advantage."_

There is a fascinating chapter about geniuses, and how many of them never graduated high school, let alone achieved success, despite their high IQ.

So, I guess if this were my 5 year old, I'd downplay his intelligence -- especially to him -- and make sure he's got lots of activities that keep him challenged without necessarily removing him from things with kids of [about] the same age. Maybe buy your friend the book? 

She's lucky to have such a smart child but I'll bet the challenges are huge. Best of luck to them!


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

I guess the first thing to remember at all times is that child is still a child. If he is anything like my DD, one minute you will be conversing with a 14yo, and the next with a 4yo - and they change in the blink of an eye LOL

If he is going to mainstream school look for one where their G/T programme looks at dealing with this issue. My DD goes up to her educational peer group for those subjects that she excels in, and for main classroom stuff she is with her age group.

Look outside the box for activites - many gifted kids like music - it lets them expand at their own rate.

Let him guide you to a large extent - they will tell you what they ar einterested in.

Try to oinclude at least one activity that doesn't just come naturally - big problem with these kids is that they learn to kick back and do nothing. They need to learn to apply themselves to a hard task as well as those they can romp over


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## Dente deLion (Nov 27, 2006)

Hoggie is right on the money.

This child's parents are in for a wild ride. They need to start reading and researching and talking (including with their son!).

I don't know what state you're in, but states and towns and districts vary widely in their approach to gifted education. They'd best find out now where they stand so they can determine the approaches they need to take to guide their son's education.

Rather than _Outliers_, which is somewhat controversial in the GT world, I would recommend Deborah Ruf's _Five Levels of Gifted_ as a starting point. Also there are two fantastic internet resources I must mention: Hoagie's Gifted http://hoagiesgifted.com/ and the Davidson Institute http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/. These two sites ought to keep them busy for a while!

Two last bits of advice for the parents: (1) giftedness affects more than just educational concerns - there are emotional, social, and creative aspects as well - giftedness is the whole child, not just advanced reading and math abilities; and (2) by all means, talk to the child about giftedness! Knowledge is power, even for a five-year-old, because already he is noticing that he is very different from his age-mates. He needs to learn what makes him the person he is, just like everyone else does. One way to get started is to get comfortable with using the word "gifted."

Kudos to the parents for taking interest and action! Their support will mean more to the child's well-being than anything else in his life.


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

Dente deLion said:


> Rather than _Outliers_, which is somewhat controversial in the GT world, I would recommend Deborah Ruf's _Five Levels of Gifted_ as a starting point. Also there are two fantastic internet resources I must mention: Hoagie's Gifted http://hoagiesgifted.com/ and the Davidson Institute http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/. These two sites ought to keep them busy for a while!


Yes, I should have mentioned - I know of ZERO resources for gifted children. It just happens that I am reading _Outliers_ at this minute and it is actually pretty scary when it talks about geniuses. I am SURE there are better resources for parents. And probably not a good idea to have them read something quite as scary and controversial - it actually said (and I didn't quote it because it is so discouraging) that the only identifiable factor between genuis kids that "succeeded" [again, your defintion of success could be different!] was "family background" which would be really crappy to read if you were from the *wrong* background.

Sorry! 

But it is an interesting read. And it does talk about other factors that influence success including practical knowledge, coaching, and practice, all of which would fall into those areas the others have mentioned about making sure the child is well-rounded and still getting to be a kid.


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

Hoagies is really an outstanding resource. 

Cindyc.


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## clovis (May 13, 2002)

hoggie said:


> Yes - definitely - ask away
> 
> You don't say what scale his IQ has been measured on. IQ is not a definite number - it is usually expressed as a centile value. So you might say he is in the top x% of the population - there are different scales for IQ and 142 on one scale would be different to 142 on a different scale.
> 
> hoggie


I'm not sure what scale he is being measured on. The family just recieved the test scores yesterday, and to say the least, they are thrilled, but overwhelmed at the same time.

FWIW, this boy's mother is a successful lawyer and sharp as a tack. His dad is very smart...one of those people you just stand back and think "Man, that guy is _really_ intelligent." They are a rock solid family...these are people that don't do things half-way. The boy is in very good hands with very capable parents and grandparents.

You know, I've met lots of smart kids in my life, but this young lad is over the top. I've known a few kids that were really advanced for their age, but mostly geared, towards a few subjects. This kid has deep, well rounded abilities. He is remarkable!!!!

Thanks for all the replies!!!! Keep 'em coming!!!!!


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## QuiltingLady2 (Jan 3, 2007)

We had a suprise in our family a few weeks ago.

Neice took her 4 yr old son to school to pick up her older K daughter from class. 4 year old was quietly playing next to the teachers desk. Teacher then realized that the 4 year old boy was reading her textbook which was sitting next to her desk on the floor.

Testing was done on the 4 year old last week. He is reading and comprehending at the college level. 
As a family we were a bit worried about his development. He hasn't spoken much. He told the test consultant that he would like to be a scientist and explore the wilderness when he is older. 

The elementary school would like him to attend a local gifted school in the area. Very expensive and out of anyone's budget. He may need to be home schooled.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

One child for sure, one child possibly. 

Suggestion #1: DO NOT TALK TO HIM ABOUT IT

Growing up in the gifted and talented program in grade/middle school, I didn't think much of it. Never occurred to me to ask why I got to see Mrs. Schwartz now and again because a lot of my friends did too. 
My parents were very matter of fact about the whole thing. My brother and I were smart _and so were a lot of other kids_. 
Big deal. :shrug: 

On the other hand, as an adult, I've known a lot of kids who were raised _knowing_ that their parents thought they were smarter than most of the kids in their class (probably true) the school didn't meet their needs, they needed more challenging, etc. 
And consequently, as adults, they're rather egotistical and dismissive of the less intelligent. 

My parents, on the other hand, probably thought the exact same thing (especially since our G/T program phased out once a kid was in 7th grade) but instead of letting me (or my _genius_ brother) know they thought we were too smart for our school, they just kept challenging us themselves. 
We built things. We invented things. We wrote plays, stories and music. We studied the stars, plants and rocks. Etc, etc. Whatever it took to keep us on fire and challenged, Mom and Dad threw it in front of us. 

My brother had his own laptop computer in 1988 when he was in the 6th grade. They _told_ him it was because his handwriting was atrocious (true). 
In adulthood I've figured out they knew he could go somewhere with computers, given the tools. Turns out they were right. lol (after a few years as a tech for MIT, he's now an administrative engineer for Google)

Anyway, just my thoughts as both a parent of G/T children and a grown-up G/T child.


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## JoanneB (Feb 23, 2010)

As the mother of 3 gifted children I would say the most important aspect is the temperment and maturity of the child. One of our children started school a year early and then skipped an entire year later on - she did great and continues to be very successful. She was one of the 7 going on 30 kids. 

Another of our children was not able to fit in with kids her own age much less older students so she remained with her age group and also did fine. 

The third one was in between the other two, took advanced classes and spent the remaining time with her own age group. 

Each of them had different needs emotionally as well as socially. Each of them was an individual.

Biggest problem with public schools - one year a great teacher would scavenge for material to challenge our child (no gifted program at that time) and the next teacher would say they were simply too busy to tailor make a program for every child. 

Best of luck to these parents.

Joanne


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## pheasantplucker (Feb 20, 2007)

I taught gifted children and my best friend was the gifted specialist in our district. Just like kids who are academically challenged, and schools are required to provide special services, gifted kids are no different. Their district is required to provide special services for them as well. Of course, their success in such a program hinges on a variety of factors, such as the motivation and preparedness of the instructor, the attitude of the kids, the availability of materials, etc. If my own children were that advanced, I'd push for any and all services available to them, and if such services were not, I'd see that the district make arrangements elsewhere to accommodate my child. Good luck


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

Just out of curiosity, I'm wondering about the G & T programs at public schools. It would be my gut feeling that the criteria for inclusion into a program like that would not necessarily be an extremely high IQ, but more of an "above average" IQ. My only point being that I wouldn't necessarily assume that these types of programs would be a great *only* resource for a child that is truly off the charts and that parents would want to consider other programs/activities, etc. to make sure their child is really challenged in the right ways. I wouldn't think G & T programs would be available in early elementary anyway?


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

Most start in Kindergarten or first grade...


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## Dente deLion (Nov 27, 2006)

ErinP said:


> One child for sure, one child possibly.
> 
> Suggestion #1: DO NOT TALK TO HIM ABOUT IT
> 
> ...


Gee, ErinP, this may be the first time I've ever disagreed with you.

You are clearly adamant about not discussing giftedness with the gifted, but I submit:

a. Gifted children often recognize that they are very different from most of their classmates at a very early age, and they are entitled to information regarding the reasons for that presented in a way that won't make them feel defective.

b. "Discussing giftedness with a gifted child" does not have to equal "fostering a superiority complex." When done well, it would equal "this is part of who you are and this is what you can expect of yourself and your classmates and here are resources that may interest you if you'd like to explore it further." 

c. The more highly gifted a child is, the more different they are from normally-developing children, and the more difficulty they will have understanding each other and fitting in. A profoundly gifted child will need more help than a moderately gifted child.

d. Every child is unique; some will benefit from discussion, some will not. A parent is often best suited to judge what information a child is ready to know at what time and in what way. What worked for you may not work for your child; what worked for your oldest may not work for your youngest.


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## CamM (Dec 6, 2008)

offthegrid said:


> Just out of curiosity, I'm wondering about the G & T programs at public schools. It would be my gut feeling that the criteria for inclusion into a program like that would not necessarily be an extremely high IQ, but more of an "above average" IQ. My only point being that I wouldn't necessarily assume that these types of programs would be a great *only* resource for a child that is truly off the charts and that parents would want to consider other programs/activities, etc. to make sure their child is really challenged in the right ways. I wouldn't think G & T programs would be available in early elementary anyway?


That's right. If he maintains 142 that's like being beyond GT. I did GT in middle school and AP & honors classes in high school with just average or slightly above average intelligence. Maintaining an IQ like that would mean skipping grades or study outside of school. Skip too many grades, though, and you risk isolating the kid.


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## clovis (May 13, 2002)

This has been an interesting thread. Thank you for the replies!

FWIW, the local school corporation, in all reality, has nothing for this young boy. 

They are considering:

1. Another school corporation that has a G/T program for kindergarteners.
2. A private, high end school for G/T kids. The down side to this is the outstanding cost, plus a 45 minute one-way commute each day. They were highly impressed with this school.

Right now, they say that home schooling is not an option due to work schedules, which is understandable.

I really feel for their situation. I know they are extremely proud. I also know that if this were the case for our family, I could never earn the annual tuition, and still have a worthwhile life. I'd love to have a kid as smart as theirs, but in reality, it would be an awesome burden to us.

Again, keep the replies coming. They are appreciated!


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## clovis (May 13, 2002)

CamM said:


> That's right. If he maintains 142 that's like being beyond GT. I did GT in middle school and AP & honors classes in high school with just average or slightly above average intelligence. Maintaining an IQ like that would mean skipping grades or study outside of school. Skip too many grades, though, and you risk isolating the kid.


FWIW, I want to clarify something about this young lad. He is truely gifted/talented. 

Years ago, there was a group of parents that got together and lobbied our school corp. for a G/T program. Most of these parents had kids that got staight A report cards, and were definately smart. On the other hand, none of those kids were ever tested. When it was all said and done, the parent group won, and got advanced high school classes for their kids. These classes were just advanced placement classes, and were part of the mainstream curriculum. Even as dumb as I am, I took a few AP classes. 

I'm not sure what I said made any sense, but for clarification, the parent group, in everyone else's estimation, had really stretched the definition of G/T. 

Again, this 5 year old is really exceptional. I've never seen a kid like this before.

While I still don't know what test he took or how he was graded, I am sure that if there is a higher standing of an IQ of 142, he is it.

BTW, when the test results came back, the parents were told that the highest score they ever recorded was 150.


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## Dwayne Barry (Jan 9, 2009)

ErinP said:


> Most start in Kindergarten or first grade...



That's my experience. One of our kids just went into public school in first grade, after much debate whether to skip and start him in 2nd (based on the assessment tests), he started in first. They don't call it by a name and I'm not even sure it's a formal program, but he and a few other kids do a reading group outside of his normal class and then he has a one-on-one tutor a couple of days a week where they explore different subjects (e.g. anatomy, the Universe, reptiles, etc.).

Not as good as our experience with Montessori schooling but at least they are trying.


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## Kris in MI (May 30, 2002)

I don't remember ever having an IQ test, but I was in G & T as a child, until funding cuts did away with the program 

Have never had my kids tested either, but they are definitely all very smart, although it shows more in some of them than others. Personality and drive have alot to do with it. My eldest one preferred not to do his homework because it was boring, yet he aced every test he ever took and when tested for (the school thought he needed) inclusion in special ed because of D's (F on homework and A on the few tests didn't average out to look too good on transcripts) he actually tested, at 13yo, to have the knowledge & reasoning skills of an 18yo college freshman!!

On the other hand, my second son loves to see A+ on everything he does, so his grades have been, you guessed it, A+ since his very first day of kindergarten. He loves a challenge and figured out (unlike first son) that if he did his work perfectly and asked for more, he was likely to be given something harder just to keep him busy while the rest of the class worked on finishing the first sheet. The high school now has a 'no extra credit' policy because he racked up something like 120% in his freshman english class, which somehow was actually entered that way on his report card. He is my just-turned 17yo that is taking Honors Calculus 2 this semester at the community college (and he has the top score in that class :dance: yes, I'm a proud mama).

The challenge with gifted kids is to keep them focused and challenged. If they get bored, they will find ways, appropriate or not, to entertain themselves. Second son also recently got called out of class to demonstrate to the school computer guru/tech how it truly _is_ possible to hack into other peoples stuff on the networked computers at school. How did he find this out? He was bored and playing around :teehee:. I cannot even begin to list all the things first son did to alleviate his boredom in school. *sigh* The principal and I were both so glad to see him graduate!

Feed their imaginations and their brains, but keeping it age/emotionally appropriate. We had the option of having son #2 skip a grade in middle school, then last year were approached about having him finish high school after this--his junior--year. Both times we chose to keep him with his agemates, but to have him take advanced classes in math & science where his talents lie. Hence the dual-enrollment in college rather than having him graduate a year early.

When my kids were little, most of their toys were hands-on educational type things. Building blocks, legos, tinkertoys, lots and lots of jigsaw puzzles. They loved those BrainQuest decks. When they got a little older (could read & write) we used to do MadLibs on long car rides. Taught them the parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective, adverb) while having fun doing it. And reading! Once they figured out how to read (three of my four were reading before hitting kindergarten) the sky was the limit! If they could find a book on a subject that was of interest, they could teach themselves all about it!


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

Dente deLion said:


> Gee, ErinP, this may be the first time I've ever disagreed with you.


lol
That's OK. I can be just as full of baloney as anyone else. 


> You are clearly adamant about not discussing giftedness with the gifted, but I submit:
> 
> a. Gifted children often recognize that they are very different from most of their classmates at a very early age, and they are entitled to information regarding the reasons for that presented in a way that won't make them feel defective.


_Every_ child has things that make them different from their peers. And I agree that one should talk about it with them to an extent. My point is simply that it doesn't need a _label_.



> b. "Discussing giftedness with a gifted child" does not have to equal "fostering a superiority complex." When done well, it would equal "this is part of who you are and this is what you can expect of yourself and your classmates and here are resources that may interest you if you'd like to explore it further."


I have a problem with the label of "gifted" I guess. Or "talented" for that matter. It makes a kid seem special, but again, _every_ child is special. _Every_ child is both gifted as well as talented. :shrug:



> c. The more highly gifted a child is, the more different they are from normally-developing children, and the more difficulty they will have understanding each other and fitting in. A profoundly gifted child will need more help than a moderately gifted child.


Very true. Remember, my brother is _literally_ a genius. 
But that doesn't mean that one should dwell on the fact that they're different from their peers. To be sure, the kid _will_ figure that out on their own.  
Instead, I think the parent needs to teach the child how to satisfy their own curiosity about the world while also teaching them to find commonalities with their peers. 
Afterall, that's what it's going to be like for them for their entire lives...



> d. Every child is unique; some will benefit from discussion, some will not. A parent is often best suited to judge what information a child is ready to know at what time and in what way. What worked for you may not work for your child; what worked for your oldest may not work for your youngest.


I realize that every parent will choose what they think will be the best option. And really, what they read on a message board probably won't even make much difference. 
I'm just giving my opinion and observations as both a parent and adult G/T child (as well as public school teacher, for that matter. lol)


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## hoggie (Feb 11, 2007)

ErinP said:


> lol
> 
> 
> Very true. Remember, my brother is _literally_ a genius.


If we are feeling the need to show our credentials, then so am I!! Officially!! 

I can tell you that I was bullied my whole school life for being "different" both by kids and teachers. And the worst part was - I had no idea what made me different! So I guess I feel pretty strongly on this subject. 

My DD is, if anything, probably higher than I am. And, whilst I have always worked to make sure she doesn't get arrogant, I have also been open with her about the fact that she finds just about everything a lot easier than other kids. She knows she is on the G/T register. What on earth are you supposed to tell a kid? "Oh no dear, we just thought we'd move you up 3 or 4 years for maths for fun"

hoggie


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

Keep in mind that IQ scores are subjective. It's not a definitive number, merely an indicator of ability -- all this number ought to tell his parents is that he needs to be challenged, and have his ability channeled into appropriate areas. You don't want your "gifted" child to be bored -- trust me. They're a lot like bored goats... they'll find something to interest them, and you may not like what that "something" is!

However, don't get the kid's application to MIT quite yet -- he's got a long road ahead. Keeping education interesting to him is going to be their biggest challenge, I think. Keeping him in classrooms with teachers capable of challenging him, with material that will keep him interested long term, is going to take up a lot of their time.


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

Tracy Rimmer said:


> Keep in mind that IQ scores are subjective. It's not a definitive number, merely an indicator of ability -- all this number ought to tell his parents is that he needs to be challenged, and have his ability channeled into appropriate areas. You don't want your "gifted" child to be bored -- trust me. They're a lot like bored goats... they'll find something to interest them, and you may not like what that "something" is!


Boy, ain't that the truth! My brother and my husband got into a *lot* of trouble when they were young because they were not challenged. Some of it was trying to challenge themselves, and was stuff that wasn't that bad but against the rules - like the time my brother bought a whole bunch of candy, and employed all of his friends on commission to sell it at school. He was making money hand over fist, but he got into trouble doing it because kids were buying candy instead of lunch. And my husband found out teachers don't like to be corrected, even if they get the math wrong or are teaching it wrong to the class. But the older they got the worse kinds of trouble they got in, including risky behaviors like drugs and sex. It is officially recognized now that G/T kids are "high risk" kids for this reason, just like l/d kids. 

It is imparative that these kids be challenged! That is why our homeschool is not easy! My kids have to work for it. But they get that challenge in academics and don't have to create it elsewhere. 

Cindyc.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

hoggie said:


> I can tell you that I was bullied my whole school life for being "different" both by kids and teachers.


That's true for a _lot_ of us... 


> And the worst part was - I had no idea what made me different!


And if you had known, what _would_ you have thought? 
Would it have mattered? Does it matter if one is bullied for being the one with weird skin? Or the one who's bullied because they have a stutter? Does it somehow make it easier to be bullied because your clothes are always second hand? 



> What on earth are you supposed to tell a kid? "Oh no dear, we just thought we'd move you up 3 or 4 years for maths for fun"


No, "you've been bumped up because you're good at math." :shrug:
Some kids have to go to the resource room because they have _trouble_ with math. 
Just like kids with LDs, I think people should avoid those labels because kids tend to start to identify themselves BY those labels. And it's not healthy for kids who are G/T anymore than it is for kids with LDs. 
The older they get, the more you can talk about it, but we're talking about a _kindergartner_, remember. 
No way.

Like I said, I've just known _entirely_ too many kids and adults who KNEW they were gifted because for whatever reason, it was really important to someone (usually their parents) and they develop an irritating ego as a result.


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## hobbyfarmer (Oct 10, 2007)

Well, FWIW, and keeping in mind I've never had my 3rd grader's IQ tested; (because while her dad and I know she's a pretty bright kid, the issue of testing just never came up)..... But, she attended a public school for the first time this year. She was immediately placed in 4th grade classes for reading and math and assigned to tutor another 3rd grader who can't read as well. It's taken several months but she is turning into kind of a snot towards some of her less studious classmates. Not out and out mean to them, because she's too soft-hearted for that, but I've noticed her distancing herself from some of the girls she has known the longest and her attitude towards them is more or less that they aren't as cool or as smart as the older kids she's with for half the day. That breaks my heart. This is a kid who (as a home-schooler) could interact equally as well with peers, elders, and children much younger than herself, and never miss a beat. I think the "moving up" into the other classes has given her a sense of superiority which she isn't handling as well as she could.

IMO, like ErinP, I think allowing a gifted child access to as many learning materials and opportunities as possible, WITHOUT putting a "gifted" label on him will be best in the long run.

But what a blessing!


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## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

My oldest son was gifted. He taught himself to read at 3, and went to a private school until 2nd grade. In K and 1st grade, he was always in trouble as he was bored. He would finish his schoolwork in about 5-10 minutes, but would be expected to sit and twiddle his thumbs for the rest of the time. His 2nd grade teacher was awesome, she provided extra work for him, had him help other students, and sometimes had him go to help in other classes. She said that she worked him through both the 2nd and 3rd grade curriculum, and toward the end of the year recommended that we either home educate him, jump him a grade or move him to a school for gifted children. We ended up home educating him and were able to keep him challenged. I quit my job as an engineering manager (making a good bit more than my husband) so this was not a decision made lightly, but one that worked well for us. Note that this was in 1993 when home education was not very popular.

He is also gifted in music as he placed in the top four in our state high school piano competitions all three years he competed (he had a broken thumb the other year and did not compete). He played trumpet in our home school band, then in college played saxaphone, trumpet, piano or percussion in the bands as the director needed him.

It was an interesting experience educating him. I would purchase items for him to use during the school year and hide them, and when I would assign them to him I was often informed that he had already read the books or done all the experiments - and he could explain them to me. He was on a first name basis with several of the librarians in our county. Keeping him busy was often a challenge, and I was frustrated because he really didn't need to study as he could read a text, and a few weeks later take a test on the material and still make an A. I made him do a lot of social activities and missions (especially helping others) - things like co-teaching a kindergarten music class at church, sports, a page in the state capital, attending Teen Pact events, helping with the piano festivals and he seems to have turned out well rounded. He is now a computer nerd, but also has a good set of friends and although he works for a company, does web page design on the side. 

Dawn


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## Michele of MI (Jul 8, 2009)

My (4) children are all gifted. When my oldest son was not quite two the head librarian at our local library told me that he was the smartest child she had ever met. He was at a college reading level by 2nd grade, and was bored even in the gifted program. He was extremely disruptive throughout the 4 years he was in school. Two of my other three children are really gifted in math. Most schools do not know what to do with these children, and many times they either have problems with the other kids, or they are so bored that they give up and get the "underachiever" label (ask me how I know this). I think it helps to have a group of people on the same intellectual level, for the child to interact with. It can be hard for gifted children socially. As some others have pointed out they definitely need to be kept busy. Some kind of outside classes might be helpful (Foreign language, science, math competition clubs, band, etc.). It's important for parents to listen to the child too, so that they can encourage them, keep them out of trouble, and help them to set goals. Dawn- It sounds like you did a great job!


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