Gifted vs not gifted what a load of crap!

[talloulou]

So, I did some research and found out there is a "tag" program at my son's school and since my son already knows everything they are going to teach in first grade I decided to have him tested.

The first part of the testing he passed with flying colors. They said he reads at a sixth grade level and he is at a fourth grade level for math. For the second part of the test he met with a psychiatrist. Ultimately it is the psychiatrist who decides if the child is gifted enough for the gifted program. Apparently space is very limited in this program.

Anyway the psychiatrist informed me that my son does extremely well with puzzles, math, and reading but he is not gifted. She went on to explain that there is a difference between a child who is an "over achiever" vs a child who is "gifted." In her opinion my son is an accelerated learner but not a gifted child. She went on to explain how at his age, 6, there our children in the gifted program who may not read as well or know as much math as my son but they are identified as gifted and they need the "tag" program because their giftedness requires a special needs education.

She feels that my son is smart due to the environment he is in at home and due to the fact that he went to private school for preschool. Anotherwards he knows what he knows because he went to a Montessori school where they taught him what he knows. Whereas other children haven't had the same experience and opportunity.

What a load of crap! I explained to her that I think that identifying any children as gifted vs not gifted is a load of horse manure in my book. I told her I don't really care if my son is "gifted" or not because I think the term is meaningless and all children have gifts. I also explained that I don't need a label for my child. What I need for my child is a class that won't bore him to tears. She explained that once he gets to junior high he will be able to take advanced classes without the gifted label. Well, great....but that's seven years from now 8O She also said she would agree to skipping him a grade..... 8O I can't believe they would rather skip him a grade then have him mix with the "gifted" children.

What a bunch of BS!

 

[talloulou]

Oh and she also gave me a pamphlet explaining the differences between a gifted child and a bright child. I found a copy of the pamphlet on line.

http://pages.framingham.k12.ma.us/sage/brightchild.htm

I'm sorry but the list is a load of crap and the only difference between the two columns is perception and semantics.

 

[talloulou]

Plus if my child can read at a higher level as well as do math at a higher level then some of the kids in "tag" then how does that even make sense in regards to the stupid list?? Sorry I'm just really frustrated and this lady pissed me off.

 

[lmw80]

That is crazy! Make sure you know your rights as a parent.

 

[talloulou]

It is crazy and the worst part is....it's political as well. There is only one elementary school that has tag classes for our city and it is at my son's school. However they bus in kids from all the other elementary neighborhoods that qualify. That is what makes the space so limited. But they also have to make sure they have racial equality in the tag program. I agree with both those things and don't have a problem with them but it seems to me they need a bigger program! I talked to one parent who had a similar problem with the school psychiatrist and so she went and paid another psychiatrist outside the school to evaluate her child. That psychiatrist claimed her child was gifted and so she took the school to court and got her child admitted in to the program. But I'm not sure I want to fight to get my child into a program that doesn't want him, you know?

 

[cJw]

Affirmative action applies to gifted school programs as well as companies? Now that's simply retarded. Give the spot/job to the most qualified candidate; period, end.

 

[Hara]

My experience with the gifted classes is not that the regular classes were any different, just that they added some more specialized classes almost like extra curricular stuff would be. Trips to museums, concerts, ballet etc, with a more broad scope as far as experiences in general. These are things that you can provide yourself. Quite often it is difficult for a child that has been in a montessori environment to enter the public school system for the facts that you have mentioned. They are more advanced for their age group. Private school, unfortunately, is the best answer imo. The public elementary school systems, as a general rule, are designed to teach the middle of the road child.

 

[Hara]

Affirmative action applies to gifted school programs as well as companies? Now that's simply retarded. Give the spot/job to the most qualified candidate; period, end.

Please be careful. That boarders on pretty unfriendly.

 

[talloulou]

. Private school, unfortunately, is the best answer imo. .

We would have kept our child in private school but the class size starts to really get small by third grade with only a handful of kids. Our son is really social and he would hate being in a class with 5-6 kids. So we figured we better get him use to public school early and give him a chance to bond with other kids early rather than waiting till third grade to move him. We also wanted our child to be exposed to more children, and more importantly children from different walks of life. Plus it cost alot of money and we have two kids. I'm sure he will be fine and we will continue to stimulate him at home it just sorta burns me up.

 

[Zagz]

It is very political by the sounds of it. Only you can decide if it is worth fighting to have your son in a class that did not want him in the first place. Also take into consideration whether an accelerated or gifted class will benefit him in the long run as far as peers go. When they get to be teens, they just want to be like everyone else. JMO.

 

[cJw]

Affirmative action applies to gifted school programs as well as companies? Now that's simply retarded. Give the spot/job to the most qualified candidate; period, end.

Please be careful. That borders on pretty unfriendly.

Duly noted, although I don't see how the ideal candidate getting the job is unfriendly, so much as maybe a little blunt... perhaps it was word choice - forgive me, this is a sore spot with me.

imo, though, if someone wants a better chance at a job, they should improve themselves as a candidate.

 

[Hara]

perhaps it was word choice

exactly

 

[kimberly]

Talloulou, This is kind of what I was expecting from the "gifted" program. So many of them are exactly like what you describe. I had some bad experiences with a particular kid who was considered "gifted" but could NOT read at 3rd grade.

I am not kidding. I agree that there are different kinds of "gifted" and every child is gifted in some way, but....grrrrr. I will not put my children in public schools for so many reasons, teaching for 10 years was enough for me to know that it is not a place I want my kids.

Anyway, did you ask the teacher what she was going to actually DO for your child so that he is not bored and does not waste a year? Even moving up a year will not solve that problem as many second graders will still be below his level and if the expectations at 1st grade are truly as low as you have posted before the ones in second grade probably aren't much better. If it were me, I wouldn't fight to have my kid in the gifted program. My experience with them is that they aren't worth much anyway, not at elem levels. It sounds to me like you are more than capable and willing to provide those experiences at home. Anyway, just my 2cents. Sorry you are having to deal with this. I hope your son is able to find a good place to learn this year.

 

[TankGirl]

Having a "gifted" child myself, let me just say that this does sound political, but most likely he will get everything he needs in the regular class. His teacher ought to have the ability to provide a little extra work if he is bored, and in the end I don't believe it is going to have a major impact one way or the other. When he gets into middle school and high school, however, programs need to be tailored to his ability and it makes more of a difference, as these are the years where you begin to form an idea of a career path.

I am not a fan of skipping grades, as the social and physical development issues can be problematic, especially in the upper grades (particularly for boys) when all of your classmates have suddenly grown a foot taller, gotten muscles and hair on their faces, are getting their driver's licenses, and you are lagging behind.

I do not want to minimize your situation at all, and having been there I know how frustrating it is, but I just wanted to offer a little reassurance that (now in hindsight for me) it will definitely work itself out to his benefit. He will always have the grades and performance that will ensure him a place in advanced classes later on.

 

[deli_conker]

Affirmative action applies to gifted school programs as well as companies? Now that's simply retarded. Give the spot/job to the most qualified candidate; period, end.

Please be careful. That boarders on pretty unfriendly.

I've always wondered how the government hopes to successfully combat racial discrimination by engaging in it.

And as far as your kid being gifted. I wouldn't worry about what "they" say. Who cares? Is it an ego thing for you? Or does he have a problem with it? He'll be the smartest kid at the "normal" school. He might go much farther that way because most of his teachers (the observant, good ones) will love to teach him and he may make several good contacts that way. Also, maybe with the recommendation of several teachers, he may end up getting into the advanced program anyways.

No offense intended, but I was reading 7th grade level and doing algebra when I was in 2nd grade. Does that make me gifted? I surely don't think so. In my opinion, gifted is Stephen Hawkins. Gifted is Beethoven. Gifted is Edison. Gifted is not how far advanced you are at a young age, it's how passionate you are about advancing something when you grow up.

 

[talloulou]

Anyway, did you ask the teacher what she was going to actually DO for your child so that he is not bored and does not waste a year?

Yes, the teacher is great. I was worried about her because she is a substitute but she seems very concerned about my son and I know she will do her best.

She said he finishes his work very fast and she has him help out other children. He seems to like being a helper and she said that at this age level kids love to be helped by their peers. She also said she will find ways to give him more creative work, art projects and science projects. She is hesitant to give him harder work because she will not have the time to teach him higher grade level work and she seems to think the problem will only get worse if he pushes ahead further.

She also said he can visit the library daily and the librarian will do projects with him as well. They are in the process of deciding whether or not to have him go to other classes for reading. This is what they normally do with kids who read well. So he may go to second grade for reading but she said he will still be ahead there and they wouldn't want him to go to third or fourth grade for reading because the kids at that age may give him a hard time and dislike his presence.

I would really prefer not to skip him a grade because socially he does very well with his peers. And he enjoys being on top so to speak. And while he is ahead school work wise, emotionally he is very much a six year old boy!

They also talked to me about ways to enrich him at home and suggested we develop hobbies to keep him stimulated. My son loves to do math books and we buy the big workbooks they sell for various grade levels and teach him how to do stuff at home. But the teacher said it would be better at this point if we got him interested in mastering other stuff. She suggested learning a musical instrument and I think that's a great idea. We are also thinking about letting him take karate.

All in all I think everything will work itself out. I just outraged about the whole "gifted" crap.

 

[TankGirl]

You are right to be upset about it. The system spends a lot of time labeling kids and it is a waste of time, for the most part. It sounds like you are handling things just right. A musical instrument is an excellent enrichment tool, and is something he will benefit from for many years to come.

 

[talloulou]

Oh I almost forgot they are also starting an after school program on Tues and Thurs sponsered by a company called Mad Science. It's open to kids of all grade levels and they will do projects revolving around heat, magnets, rockets, optical illusions, slime, sonic sounds, and more. So I know he will love that as well. So as mad as I am over that goofball psychiatrist I do feel that my son will learn and have fun at his new school.

 

[krap101]

personally i dont think, fme, that an accelerated thingy doesnt really do much until 5-8th grades? if you can afford it or something, (this doesnt apply till high school [but some schools will let them go a grade ahead) if you do summer school? my bro. he did some classes at northwestern, and he was able to skip them in high school.

 

[severum mama]

Ugh, how irritating! But at least the school is willing to work with you on stuff like library visits and projects, and seems to realize what a smart kid you have. I didn't have this experience in the 2nd grade- I also read at a 7th grade level and my mom had to fight the school to get them to allow me to check out books with chapters! The other kids literally weren't allowed to check out anything other than little kid picture books.

But yes, you're right to be angry, I know I would be.