Anyone else on this board without gifted children?

[Kuovonne]

I read this board because it is labeled for parents of accelerated learners. I have an accelerated child, but I do not have any gifted children.

 

I know that there are many people on this board who have gifted children. However, is there anyone else on this board in the same situation as me? That is, someone with one or more accelerated children, but no gifted children (whether or not they have been formally identified)?

[aggieamy]

I read this board because it is labeled for parents of accelerated learners. I have an accelerated child, but I do not have any gifted children.

 

I know that there are many people on this board who have gifted children. However, is there anyone else on this board in the same situation as me? That is, someone with one or more accelerated children, but no gifted children (whether or not they have been formally identified)?

 

You read my mind this morning. After all the posts on gifted children I was feeling a little left out. My kids are smart. They're accelerated for their ages. They are not gifted though. Just normal kids, that enjoy learning, and pick up on things quick. I'm totally happy with that too.

Edited September 23, 2009 by aggieamy

[elise1mds]

Ditto. My son is way ahead in reading, good at spelling, great at science, but not spectacular at anything. He does learn quickly. The fun part is that I also post on the Special Needs board because my son has issues, which is why he is being homeschooled in the first place.

[Nan in Mass]

They are odd, the way some of the gifted ones here are, but they aren't accelerated. Not academically, anyway. I find it sort of to tell because I don't have much to compare them to. They aren't very bright the way their cousins are, academically. They just are sort of brightish. Anyway, I don't appear to have a tiger by the tail. That's why I worry. A tiger would run down its own path whether I helped or not, I suspect. Could mine do better academically with better teaching? What makes you say yours are accelerated but not gifted? What is the difference?

-Nan

[AnitaMcC]

I read this board because it is labeled for parents of accelerated learners. I have an accelerated child, but I do not have any gifted children.

 

I know that there are many people on this board who have gifted children. However, is there anyone else on this board in the same situation as me? That is, someone with one or more accelerated children, but no gifted children (whether or not they have been formally identified)?

 

 

I have four kids and only one is identified as highly gifted.

 

Ds 14 is highly gifted but has difficulty with writing and organization. He is dx with Asperger Syndrome, Sensory Integration Disorder, ADD.

 

Dd 14 is talented in music/Kung Fu. She is bright overall and accelerated in some of her academics.

 

Ds 10 is bright all around and accelerated in math. He is dx with ADHD. I doubt he is gifted... he is a quick learner for sure.

 

Ds 8 I am not sure about him being gifted or not. He is advanced in numbers (he can do math calculations with a breeze) but struggles with reading comprehension and writing big time. He is dx with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. His autism issues are a major block for him in academics. He has great memory ability but he can't show it without a lot of help. Basically the knowledge is there but he can't get it out of his brain for anyone else can see it. He is very talented in video and computer games-LOL.

Edited September 23, 2009 by AnitaMcC

[SheWillFly]

I don't know if I technically have any gifted children. They are all clearly accelerated and simply process information differently than most children I know. However, my oldest has been placed in the gifted class for math. What does that mean exactly? It means she is accelerated in her understanding of math concepts and facts.

[LittleIzumi]

I have no idea. This is the "ahead of grade level" board and dd was reading at 3, so I figured she qualified :001_smile: but I have no interest in testing her (or any of my kids) unless they want to be tested. I think my parents tested me ages ago (upper end of mildly gifted---awww, I'm only sort of special :lol: because I'm quite average at math and that brings my score down on the rest) and it hasn't changed how we went about things with me, I think. They just tried to do whatever worked best, and so will we.

 

Dd2 has SPD so I need to figure out how she learns first....

[Mommy22alyns]

I have no idea. They're accelerated in some areas and Becca is especially asynchronous. I've gone over and over the characteristics of gifted kids, but I haven't had either of the girls tested.

 

I'm glad to see a wide variety over here - I always wonder if we "fit in" over here or not, but then I feel out of place on the K-8 board sometimes too!

[SnowWhite]

I am very much avoiding the whole question of whether my ds might be gifted. He looks much like I did at his age, and much like I suspect his father did. I was in an unusual school situation and never identified as gifted, and I don't know that his father was. What I try to do is meet him at his ability level and accommodate his interests... which is often a theme on this board. I also happen to hit "New Posts" all the time, so I always see the posts in this forum. I often refrain from posting here *because* my ds is not *extremely* accelerated, but I often read posts "on the edge of my seat" as it were.

Edited September 24, 2009 by SnowWhite

[HeidiD]

What I try to do is meet him at his ability level and accommodate his interests... which is often a them on this board.

 

That's really the bottom line, with a similar theme on the special needs board as well. Most of us can't simply find a nice canned curriculum and use it, because our kids are atypical learners. It's nice to learn from and share ideas with others in the same boat. And I notice people referring to this board as a "safe place" - which is understandable because our legitimate questions and concerns about how to educate our atypical kids are sometimes mistakenly perceived as boasting by those who have a different experience.

[bluemongoose]

I don't know that my child/children are gifted, but my oldest is definitely accelerated and my other 2 are too young to tell. I come here for understanding both for myself about having an accelerated child and the understanding of others. All too often I am chastised for doing "formal" curriculum with DD because of her age. (4yo...been doing formal curriculum for 2 years) Here people get that it is not very optional with a child like this. I like being able to come here and I don't worry about gifted/not gifted much...I just want to know I am meeting the needs of my children. I get great support and ideas here. As PP said, I would homeschool anyway so the label is not so important.

[Alice]

I read this board a lot but don't post here much. I usually hit new posts as well so don't really go by boards by but what topics come up that look interesting. I don't really know if my son is "gifted". He's not like some of the kids I read about here but is more a normal bright child who is working a little above grade level. One of the things I like the most about the WTM boards in general though is reading about other's perspectives. I enjoy reading on the High School board too, but only have a 1st grader. :)

[dangermom]

I don't know, nor do I spend time thinking about it. My kids are certainly not PG or incredibly gifted--I call them pretty bright. They're accelerated, yes, and they would certainly get into the GATE program at school, but the GATE program isn't that hard to get into. (Which makes me wonder how much it really helps some of the kids in it--the GATE kids are clearly different, and they love being together with other kids who 'get' them, but OTOH none of them get, say, specialized math instruction or anything; my 9yo's good friend is a math genius and is learning nothing there. Her mom is going to afterschool with math.)

 

I've never really worried about what side of the line they fall on. I'm not sure there is a line. I've never had them tested, though it might be interesting with the 9yo.

[nova147]

 

I've never really worried about what side of the line they fall on. I'm not sure there is a line.

 

There's no line, just a spectrum. While there is a big difference between people whose IQ scores are 30 or more points apart, there is little difference between those whose scores are around 10 points apart. So, if you draw a line, there are people on either side who have much more in common with those on the other side than those further from them on " their" side. (For example, the kid with an IQ of 125 has much more in common with the "gifted" kid whose IQ is 130 than with the kid whose IQ is 100.) "Gifted" is just a word, which different people/groups define differently. I suppose some of us may equate gifted and accelerated.

[LisaDSB]

"Gifted" is just a word, which different people/groups define differently. I suppose some of us may equate gifted and accelerated.

 

I don't post on here very much, but I just wanted to step in here on this point. I don't particularly like the word "gifted", as it seems elitist in tone. The fact is, however, that kids who are at the extremes (140+) are often more than just "accelerated". They are non-neurotypical learners and may experience a whole host of other neurological issues, from sensory processing disorders to reactive hypoglycemia to hyper-sensitivities & intensities (Dabrowski's theory talks about some of the extremes that such people experience http://giftedkids.about.com/od/gifted101/a/overexcite.htm).

 

There are ranges of giftedness as well, with the highest being profoundly gifted (usually 160+). See Ruf's Levels of Giftedness http://www.dirhody.com/discanner/levels.htm for more information.

 

To my way of thinking, the term "accelerated learners" can encompass both the bright and the gifted, but the latter term does connote something more than the ability to learn quickly.

 

As the parent of a couple of kids in the 4/5 level range of giftedness, I can tell you that it is a mixed blessing indeed! These kids are intense, difficult little people who have a lot of other issues going on -- not easy kids to raise!:banghead: I'd be happy to trade in a few IQ points for a bit of normalcy :-).

 

I enjoy reading this board (this is the only section I read), and the comments and recommendations from all parents, whether of bright, gifted, or slightly ahead, are all of interest as I attempt to tweak our curriculum to meet the needs of these challenging kids -- so, thanks to all!

[SheWillFly]

The fact is, however, that kids who are at the extremes (140+) are often more than just "accelerated". They are non-neurotypical learners and may experience a whole host of other neurological issues, from sensory processing disorders to reactive hypoglycemia to hyper-sensitivities & intensities (Dabrowski's theory talks about some of the extremes that such people experience http://giftedkids.about.com/od/gifte...overexcite.htm).

 

There are ranges of giftedness as well, with the highest being profoundly gifted (usually 160+). See Ruf's Levels of Giftedness http://www.dirhody.com/discanner/levels.htm for more information.

That was extremely helpful. Thank you. The first link really helped me see the potential connection of it all. I knew I had spirited children but never made the connection to being accelerated learners.

 

The second link helped me mentally prepare for what is bound to come with multiple accelerated learners in a public school environment.

[Aloha2U]

I read this board because it is labeled for parents of accelerated learners. I have an accelerated child, but I do not have any gifted children.

 

I know that there are many people on this board who have gifted children. However, is there anyone else on this board in the same situation as me? That is, someone with one or more accelerated children, but no gifted children (whether or not they have been formally identified)?

 

:blush: Psst... over here!

 

I have no idea. They're accelerated in some areas and Becca is especially asynchronous. I've gone over and over the characteristics of gifted kids, but I haven't had either of the girls tested.

 

I'm glad to see a wide variety over here - I always wonder if we "fit in" over here or not, but then I feel out of place on the K-8 board sometimes too!

 

I have no idea if my ds is gifted or not, but I definitely believe him to be accelerated. Also, I too have wondered if we "fit it" over here or not, for the very same reason you stated.

[amtmcm]

 

As the parent of a couple of kids in the 4/5 level range of giftedness, I can tell you that it is a mixed blessing indeed! These kids are intense, difficult little people who have a lot of other issues going on -- not easy kids to raise!:banghead: I'd be happy to trade in a few IQ points for a bit of normalcy :-).

 

Thank you for this. It's good reminder.

[HeidiD]

As the parent of a couple of kids in the 4/5 level range of giftedness, I can tell you that it is a mixed blessing indeed! These kids are intense, difficult little people who have a lot of other issues going on -- not easy kids to raise!:banghead: I'd be happy to trade in a few IQ points for a bit of normalcy :-).

 

 

 

 

I agree - ironically, I was just wishing the same thing this morning. At our house, "difficult", "intense" (and hyperactive) are the order of the day. Not easy to raise, for sure. And I also have a couple of kids with LD's, so I feel as though I'm constantly caught between two extremes. How nice it would be if everybody was instead just normal, average, and easy-going. :) The only way I can survive is to foster (insist on :)) independent learning among the gifted ones from an early age, but even so, sometimes I feel as though my head is about to blow off, when someone is following me around, lecturing me or asking about some fascinating (to them) topic. Such is life. :confused:

[Testimony]

that this board was for accelarated learners not gifted. I have never had my older son classified as gifted. Though a lot of parents have told me he is. He has taken the IOWA tests he usually tests in the high 90s in reading, math, and language arts. I was thinking of putting him in College of William and Mary's gifted program one summer because he tested at the level they wanted, but I never did.

 

So, I would say that my son is accelerated, but not gifted.

 

Blessings,

Karen

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

Edited September 26, 2009 by Testimony
spelling

[MissKNG]

At our house, "difficult", "intense" (and hyperactive) are the order of the day. Not easy to raise, for sure. ....... sometimes I feel as though my head is about to blow off, when someone is following me around, lecturing me or asking about some fascinating (to them) topic. Such is life. :confused:

 

Sounds just like my house and I believe my dd is a lower Level 2, I couldn't imagine anything higher!!

[SunshineMom]

I donot know if my dd6yr is gifted or not but I do know she is working ahead of first grade. Some days she blows me away and other days not so. I am very thankful to be homeschooling for I can go at her pace. I am sure without a doubt ps would be difficult for her just because she has been able to learn without bells, social distractions and lowered expectations. I come to this website for curriculum ideas/resources and have found valuable suggestions. Accelerated or gifted doesnot matter to me at this point (in the past I really wanted to know). Now, I am more interested in finding my dd valuable educational materials, making sure we keep on track with her interests and abilities and enjoying the journey of learning together. I have found that most often a child's gift is found in their interest(s), the one(s) that keeps coming back, year after year.

[Nan in Mass]

Cool article! Mine, all three, have 4 out of 5 of these. Some aren't too extreme, and now as teenagers they've learned to cope and not-think-about and disguise most of them, but as toddlers and young children they had to be protected from lots of things that other people never seemed to think about, especially emotional things. None of them appear to be academically gifted, but this list is why I find this board helpful.

-Nan

[AnitaMcC]

I don't post on here very much, but I just wanted to step in here on this point. I don't particularly like the word "gifted", as it seems elitist in tone. The fact is, however, that kids who are at the extremes (140+) are often more than just "accelerated". They are non-neurotypical learners and may experience a whole host of other neurological issues, from sensory processing disorders to reactive hypoglycemia to hyper-sensitivities & intensities (Dabrowski's theory talks about some of the extremes that such people experience http://giftedkids.about.com/od/gifted101/a/overexcite.htm).

 

There are ranges of giftedness as well, with the highest being profoundly gifted (usually 160+). See Ruf's Levels of Giftedness http://www.dirhody.com/discanner/levels.htm for more information.

 

To my way of thinking, the term "accelerated learners" can encompass both the bright and the gifted, but the latter term does connote something more than the ability to learn quickly.

 

As the parent of a couple of kids in the 4/5 level range of giftedness, I can tell you that it is a mixed blessing indeed! These kids are intense, difficult little people who have a lot of other issues going on -- not easy kids to raise!:banghead: I'd be happy to trade in a few IQ points for a bit of normalcy :-).

 

I enjoy reading this board (this is the only section I read), and the comments and recommendations from all parents, whether of bright, gifted, or slightly ahead, are all of interest as I attempt to tweak our curriculum to meet the needs of these challenging kids -- so, thanks to all!

 

 

I looked at these sites and they are very helpful... thank you. I looked at the levels of giftedness and I don't know what level my son would fall into. He is a mix... Some areas of Level 1 is him and some in Level 4 fits but not all in any level is met.

[Tree House Academy]

I am right there with you (though I don't post on this board much). My younger son is reading at a 3rd grade level and my older son was also accelerated in several areas early on (though he is not so much now thanks to his time in ps). I guess I don't post here much because I don't see my kids as "gifted."

 

I find it interesting to see so many kids with ADHD and other issues that fall in this category as well. My older son was diagnosed with ADHD and Anxiety when he was 4. He is a challenge. Unfortunately, as smart as I know he is, I also know he is not able to use his full intelligence most of the time because he is busy fighting his attention span and inner anxiety levels. :(

Edited September 30, 2009 by Tree House Academy

[HeidiD]

I find it interesting to see so many kids with ADHD and other issues that fall in this category as well. My older son was diagnosed with ADHD and Anxiety when he was 4. He is a challenge. Unfortunately, as smart as I know he is, I also know he is not able to use his full intelligence most of the time because he is busy fighting his attention span and inner anxiety levels. :(

 

 

Yes, it is interesting that "giftedness" and neurological oddities seem to occur together in many cases. I see that IQ scores would put me at Ruf level 5, and I've always been hyperactive. My father is the same, my grandmother was the same, and several of my kids are also like this. One has been diagnosed with APD (neurological disorder) and he is dyslexic and has visual processing problems. I'm now wondering about another of my kids with some similar behaviors whom I assumed up til now had mild ADD. When I was in school, I was bored and restless and would just stare out of the window, and even skip classes when I could. :tongue_smilie: My 4 yo daughter has a daily tantrum over the seams on her socks, and my 6 yo explodes half a dozen times a day as well. :tongue_smilie: Definitely challenging, but from my own experience, homeschooling really seems like the best solution for kids like this.

[Mandy in TN]

Well, I was just going to pop in and say that my oldest and middle dc have been tested, but youngest has not. My oldest is a challenging mildly gifted dyslexic and my middle ds is very normal with perfectionist tendencies that make him witty and quirky. Although he is clearly accelerated, my little guy has never been tested, so I have no idea where he falls in level of giftedness.

 

Then I read:

I don't post on here very much, but I just wanted to step in here on this point. I don't particularly like the word "gifted", as it seems elitist in tone. The fact is, however, that kids who are at the extremes (140+) are often more than just "accelerated". They are non-neurotypical learners and may experience a whole host of other neurological issues, from sensory processing disorders to reactive hypoglycemia to hyper-sensitivities & intensities (Dabrowski's theory talks about some of the extremes that such people experience http://giftedkids.about.com/od/gifted101/a/overexcite.htm).

 

Wow! The Dabrowski article nails my oldest. The woes of sock wrinkles. The child is 18yo and still will not wear socks with any stitching on them. Noise sensitivity- loud people make him crazy. He was mesmerized by things that he found beautiful.

 

When Patriot games came out on vhs, xh watched it at home. I didn't even realize ds was paying any attention at all to the tv, but immediately when the movie starts the scene with the foiled assassination attempt, ds went into hysterical sobbing. It took me forever to calm him down. I don't think he was yet 2yo.

 

He paces. He bounces his leg up and down when sitting. He doesn't sleep and never has.

 

The smell of cooking onions can make him vomit. When dh cooks spicy Persian food, ds shuts himself in his room with his fan on, his window open, and if he opens the door he pulls his shirt up over his face.

 

When he would decide something was interesting, he had to know everything about it. Even if the meant practically forcing me to read him books on extinction theories from the adult section of the library prior to starting school. This was particularly frustrating for me and him. Remember he is dyslexic and didn't read until he was around 8yo.

 

He began making up stories almost from the time he could talk. Now he is a huge scifi/ fantasy/ anime fan and hangs out fan fiction websites.

 

He is extremely empathetic and will become sick to his stomach not only over things happening directly to him but over things happening to others. The flip side is when he hit puberty he was obnoxious and could use words in the cruelest most hateful of ways. (You'd never know it now. Now he is such a cuddle bear.)

 

To generalize, at 8 months old he was walking- usually away from me. He was talking and had his own opinions separate from mine. Is it any wonder that when I was pregnant with my second ds I prayed for a baby that would just let me hold him? I guess I prayed too hard, because 2nd ds didn't want me to put him down.

 

Mandy

Edited September 30, 2009 by Mandy in TN

[zaichiki]

I guess I prayed too hard, because 2nd ds didn't want me to put him down.

 

Mandy

 

:rofl:

[Nan in Mass]

Ads are always a problem. We don't have a TV, but at my father's house, we all had to watch very carefully to mute them in time. Fortunately, it was something my father thought of very early on after my first one was born.

[Peela]

I am of the mindset that everyone is gifted. I realise many of the people here have kids who are very advanced in certain academic or conceptual skills and gifted is a term that alows them to have a common language with other parents with similarly gifted kids, and I dont try and take that away.

I decided to visit this board today just because. My kids are not accelerated or gifted in the commonly understood sense, but both have their gifts never the less. Dd is very artistic- botanical artist- ds is musically gifted but yet can't tell you the names of the notes. I dont feel the need to label or catagorise them to be here.

[Nan in Mass]

No need, Peela. You visited when the board happened to be discussing gifted/accelerated/not. Usually, we just talk about what to use to teach our children and how to flex homeschooling to meet individual needs, something I personally think would be of benefit to everyone. -Nan

[Nan in Mass]

Oh - and I wanted to add that I think the botanical artist stuff is very cool! I'm excited because son is doing easily identifiable line drawings of the plants in our yard for his nature journal this fall. All the work I put into teaching him to draw seems to have paid off!!!! But those are just line drawings in pencil. Every few years, my mother and I visit Thuja gardens and spend some time admiring the books of botanical drawings. My mother wants to do these and is working towards being able to. She can do lovely pen and ink drawings and is now beginning to learn to water colour them (talk about examples of self-education LOL). She's excited about my son's drawings, even though we all know it isn't really his thing. Not that he isn't enjoying it and the results... He says it is easy because he is just copying Grammy's drawings. How did your son learn to do them?

-Nan

[Peela]

Oh - and I wanted to add that I think the botanical artist stuff is very cool! I'm excited because son is doing easily identifiable line drawings of the plants in our yard for his nature journal this fall. All the work I put into teaching him to draw seems to have paid off!!!! But those are just line drawings in pencil. Every few years, my mother and I visit Thuja gardens and spend some time admiring the books of botanical drawings. My mother wants to do these and is working towards being able to. She can do lovely pen and ink drawings and is now beginning to learn to water colour them (talk about examples of self-education LOL). She's excited about my son's drawings, even though we all know it isn't really his thing. Not that he isn't enjoying it and the results... He says it is easy because he is just copying Grammy's drawings. How did your son learn to do them?

-Nan

 

Hi Nan, its my dd and she has always been artistic, but for the last 5 years or so she has been going to a watercolour art class at our local community art gallery, which happens to be just down the road, where the teacher is a botanical artist. SO in a way, dd has been "apprenticed" to this woman, and they have a close bond. I am amazed myself at the work dd is doing. A couple of days ago dd and I went to a botanical art exhibition with famous artists in it...and we realised that dd could easily enter her work there as well, she is that good. Except it takes her months to do each painting (I dont know if it takes others as long).

 

She feels she is lacking in the "creative" side of things though and is trying to draw "from her head" rather than imitating, at times. She loves to draw gothic and fairy type images.

Even though I say she is gifted, you know, its a lot of work- its not work to her because its her passion...but when I do our read alouds each day, she is drawing. When I kick her off the computer (where she loves to play with Photoshop) she goes to her room and draws. When she watches TV, she draws. So its often hours a day, and this has been going on for years.....so while she has a "gift" in one sense...in another, its hard work that anyone could do, in a way, if they had the inclination.

 

I wish I could get ds more interested in drawing..but with a sister so good and him already have low self esteem about his abilities in general (with LDs)....he basically wont even try.