Kai and Mel, Thanks for this insight. This is one of the reasons I'm bringing them all home. I'm not exactly sure where the middle guy (7) falls on the spectrum and I want to find out. He was in a class at school this year with a nice enough teacher, but there were many issues in the class itself...adhd, autism, behavior problems. All great kids, but a really tough mix. The teacher struggled all year with classroom management. My kiddo is pretty mellow and toes the line - just his personality. He also does well in school, so I'm pretty sure he was just sort of "there" flying way under the radar. His report cards showed good marks and he excels in math, but he's not easy to read so to speak. I don't necessarily see the same signs of HG as my older one. However, I know it shows itself in many different ways, and this is one of the reasons I'm excited to have him home. I want to actually know my son and who he is in this area. Maybe you all can give me some of the signs to look for in terms of different learning disabilities. That's one of my concerns about homeschooling...how will I know if there's a problem? I'm not trained in that!? My little guy (5) learned to read from 2 hours of preschool 4 days a week last year, so he very well may be HG. We'll see. Part of the problem is I need some other markers to evaluate besides academic performance, which is what the schools generally go by. Any ideas on a book that might help? Thank you so much for your insights! Meredith

Thanks Jenn! Education/learning as a way of life. An atmosphere of exploration, questioning, discovery. I am inspired. Meredith

Thanks Heidi and Amy! I really appreciate the welcome and am so glad to be jumping in the deep end with you, Amy. Heidi, that was an awesome post! I am still mulling over your advice and a couple of things stuck out to me. I will need to have more books on hand, especially for my gifted son who reads them like he's eating potatoe chips. Also, I'm very interested in the "environment" of learning you quoted from CM. I'll have to put some thought into that. Not creating another "school" but rather an environment. hhhhmmmm. I cracked up at the separate desks for boys thing. That's why we got a minivan...so the three of them wouldn't have to touch eachother. Never really thought about it throwing the same wrench into learning. We may have to do some garage sale shopping for desks. :lol: Thanks again! Meredith

This discussion is so fascinating to me. I'm glad to be reminded that I must do all I can to continue to provide the "nurture" part of God's Good Nature. The funny thing is that even that is only by His grace. Sigh. God help me! :0 Keep it coming, ladies...you encourage me. Meredith

Wow, what an interesting discussion. I have one highly gifted kid and two who are really intelligent. However, the hg kid just "thinks differently". His mind works in ways that I have to read books about in order to grasp. :laugh: All three have grown up with the same love, nurture, family, education, etc. I think intellect can be built, but the inner workings of the mind are the creator's domain... Meredith

I just posted a new thread and our situations are similar. I have one child who also has the "school is unnecessary" syndrome. He's been sort of lost in the public school system. He behaves well and does his work, so he just kind of sits around being forgotten. I'm hoping that bringing him home will ignite the love of learning in him that will open up a new world to him. I hope both our boys will grow in this! I'll keep an eye on your progress. :001_smile: Meredith

Hi Everyone, I'm beginning homeschooling this year and am very excited. I have three boys (all elementary) at different levels. My 9 year old is highly gifted. I took him home so I could offer more learning opportunities at his pace (whatever that may be), and now I'm starting to panic. How do I meet his needs while teaching two others? I would love to hear any advise and imput from all of you out there with experience. Thanks for your help and encouragement! Meredith