Feeling overwhelmed with an accelerated learner...

[FloridaMomTo5]

Ok, so I think I've only posted here once before, so I'm even intimidated doing that

 

We just got our end of the year test scores back and ds tested normal as a second grader. Nothing to stress over other than we had some weak areas, but I already knew what his weaknesses were.

 

DD on the other hand... well... her over all grade equivalent was 10.9,, and she had 3 areas that she tested equivalent to what a high school graduate would test if they should take the same 5th grade test! Her scores have been high before... in fact I had to remind myself that every child is different when I saw my ds 2nd grade test scores. (trying NOT to compare for sure!)

 

Idk why but before getting these results I was very relaxed in my homeschool thinking, and felt really good about it. Now, I'm like omg I have to challenge her more!! I already knew I needed to challenge her, b/c she was getting bored last year ... She did her own independent study. I rarely looked at her work. I didn't need to. She took responsibility and went with it. I had to spend a lot of foundational time with Blake b/c he was struggling a bit. This just puts more pressure on me!!

 

I have so many questions for all of you with accelerated learners... so please don't get annoyed with me

Here's a few to start with:

 

1) I've already purchased a 7th grade Science book for her. Of which she has told me it is easy . She knew this because she already started it!! So... how do I challenge her with that w/o adding "busy" work? I'm a CM fan, and really agree with her that twaddle won't solve anything, but I'm not educated enough in CM to know what she would do with Cass.

 

2) I am NOT telling her what her scores were. I don't want to add pressure to her or make her feel like she can slack. We just told both she and ds that they did great and are moving on in their studies. To show you how much she does not care... My 2nd grader smiled big and was so proud of himself, Cassie just said, "ok" and went about her business. So, right not to tell her how high she scored, yes?

 

3) She reads books like she's drinking a glass of water! I kid you not she finishes HUGE chapter books in just a day or two and can sit and have an intellectual discussion about them! My concern is that she is choosing books that are too easy for her. What would you do?

 

TIA for your help!!

[shinyhappypeople]

Have you thought about unschooling her? My husband and I are both highly gifted and we would have been in HEAVEN if we'd been unschooled.

 

At the very least, let her partner with you to choose curriculum and subjects.

 

You don't need to take it upon yourself to challenge her more, just give her plenty of space and free time. She'll most likely challenge herself in ways that surprise you.

[Embassy]

Just some ideas:

 

- Add depth to your studies instead of more work. For instance if you are studying biology this year spend a lot of time on one branch of biology like human anatomy using lots of living books that give in depth information. Add to that some projects, activities, and videos.

 

- Choose some books at or just above her reading level for her to read and discuss and write about. Let her choose any level of reading book for her free reading time.

 

I wouldn't necessarily tell her her scores either at least for now.

[FloridaMomTo5]

Have you thought about unschooling her? My husband and I are both highly gifted and we would have been in HEAVEN if we'd been unschooled.

 

At the very least, let her partner with you to choose curriculum and subjects.

 

You don't need to take it upon yourself to challenge her more, just give her plenty of space and free time. She'll most likely challenge herself in ways that surprise you.

 

Ok, I must be completely forthcoming and say that any thoughts I have on "unschooling" are completely based on assumptions. Having said that I have a lot of fears about this approach so I would need to do some research. It does make me wonder if it would help to ignite the passion for learning more. Do you have any suggestions of resources that would educate me on this method?

Thanks!

[AngieW in Texas]

Just be sure that you realize that the grade equivalents listed for standardized tests don't mean what a lot of people think they mean. If you take a 5th grade test, only grade equivalents between about 4.5 and 6.5 have much meaning. Below 4.5 just means below grade level and above 6.5 just means above grade level.

 

Now if you do a test like the WJ-III that is individually administered and tests up to mastery, then you have more meaningful grade equivalents because each section of the test actually goes all the way up to 12th grade level (although the tester stops testing in each area once a certain number of questions or questions in a row have been missed).

 

In 6th grade my middle dd's lowest score was 7.8 grade equivalent (for math computation) and no other score was below 9.7. Her core total was 12.2 and her composite was 12.8. She was not in anywhere near working at high school level except in math (and even then, she was working in pre-algebra but had a grade equivalent of 10.8).

 

Clearly your dd is advanced or she wouldn't find things so easy. My middle dd is advanced too. I just don't want you to jump off the deep end because of misunderstanding what the grade equivalents mean.

 

A grade equivalent of 10.0 on a 5th grade test just means that your dd completely understands the 5th grade material. It doesn't mean that she's working on a 10th grade level.

 

When your dd is getting grade equivalents well above grade level in every (or almost every) subject, it can be quite useful to have her take the test for the next higher grade level. In other words, have her take the 7th grade test in 6th grade. This can often yield more informative results because it is actually testing at a higher level.

[FloridaMomTo5]

Clearly your dd is advanced or she wouldn't find things so easy. My middle dd is advanced too. I just don't want you to jump off the deep end because of misunderstanding what the grade equivalents mean.

.

 

Yes. I do understand this. That's why I put the part about G.E. just being that a person in that higher grade on avg. would score the same as her IF they took her 5th grade test. I totally "get" that it does not make her a 10th grader... thank God for that :rofl:

 

I've felt frustrated for a while about her work. I really feel she is bored and NOT working to her potential. She's doing well, and I'm not going to get upset with her, but I also feel as though she could be challenged. This test just confirmed for me what I already knew. Doesn't make it any less intimidating. Personally, I think hsing in general is a little stressful on me as the mom/teacher. ;)

 

I like your suggestion about testing her "up" a level. I think next year we will test with the 7th grade test instead of the 6th and see how she does.

[AngieW in Texas]

Okay. I thought it sounded like you might understand. I do ITBS testing for a group and you'd be surprised at how many people really don't understand what the grade equivalents mean. There are plenty of people who'd see that their 5th graders had a GE of 8.0-8.9 on the math portion and use that as the basis to jump to 8th grade math the next year.

 

I've always had to walk a fine line with my middle dd between offering a sufficient challenge and not stressing her out. She's Aspie, so she stresses out quite easily, but she also gets insulted when the material is too easy.

[FloridaMomTo5]

There are plenty of people who'd see that their 5th graders had a GE of 8.0-8.9 on the math portion and use that as the basis to jump to 8th grade math the next year.

 

Yikes!

 

I've always had to walk a fine line with my middle dd between offering a sufficient challenge and not stressing her out. She's Aspie, so she stresses out quite easily, but she also gets insulted when the material is too easy.

 

:YES: This is what I'm trying to do. Challenge w/o added stress. I'm not one for taking away a kids childhood ;) At the same time I don't want her to start thinking learning is a chore b/c she's so bored w/ it.

 

Do you just try to add things that interest your dd? I'm thinking I might do this as a reward for her sticking w/ her other studies and finishing in a timely manner.

[galtgrl]

Ok, just breathe...I know pretty well what you're feeling, b/c I was there myself a few years ago.

Regarding the science book, I wouldn't try to use it if you already know it's too easy. Jump another level or two, or just find out what she's interested in and then get lots of interesting books on those topics in particular.

She sounds alot like my #2, very self-motivated. If you have the books there, she'll learn. I still remember my dd reading with a flashlight after bedtime one night when she was about 8, and when we asked her why she was still up she held up the book (a science book) and told us "There's a lot to learn about earthworms, mom. I need to know.":D

The fast reading also sounds familiar...it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the level of the books, so don't assume they're too easy for her. Mine still gets through adult-level books with ease in a matter of a day or two. It is a big advantage for them when doing testing, we've found.

Try not to freak out...just enjoy the ride! :)

[FloridaMomTo5]

Ok, just breathe...I know pretty well what you're feeling, b/c I was there myself a few years ago.

Regarding the science book, I wouldn't try to use it if you already know it's too easy. Jump another level or two, or just find out what she's interested in and then get lots of interesting books on those topics in particular.

She sounds alot like my #2, very self-motivated. If you have the books there, she'll learn. I still remember my dd reading with a flashlight after bedtime one night when she was about 8, and when we asked her why she was still up she held up the book (a science book) and told us "There's a lot to learn about earthworms, mom. I need to know.":D

The fast reading also sounds familiar...it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the level of the books, so don't assume they're too easy for her. Mine still gets through adult-level books with ease in a matter of a day or two. It is a big advantage for them when doing testing, we've found.

Try not to freak out...just enjoy the ride! :)

 

Thank you! You just described my dd to a t! She's also been reading by flash light for several years now! lol

[AngieW in Texas]

I found a course for her to take this past year that she absolutely loved - Philosophy of Mind by Teaching Company. She found it completely fascinating. Of course, she reads things like that for fun.

 

I've been trying to figure out what career path to guide her towards. I think research in cognitive science or neuroscience would be a good fit. She wouldn't be able to handle the stress of a medical degree. She has to have plenty of downtime and must have a full night's sleep every night. She'd never manage to make it through a residency.

 

Her prime interests are all related to how the mind works.

[JennW in SoCal]

I want to chime in to suggest that you not think of school in terms of grade level materials, but just think instead of feeding your dd's mind and improving her skills. It is similar to what others are suggesting, just worded differently! To give you an idea of what I mean, here's a brief summary of how I homeschooled two gifted kids:

 

I never used any boxed curricula or any programs for history, literature or science. My kids simply read and soaked up basic knowledge. It didn't matter if the book was intended for adults or juveniles, they would read anything that interested them, so I kept the house full of books and magazines and we watched mostly documentaries and old movies on tv (well, and Star Trek and Lost...) I also assigned books, had a game plan for what should be covered in a year, but for the most part it was rather unschoolish, and worked extremely well.

 

Skills were another matter, and I did not "unschool" those. Math was at their pace, and we just moved onto the next material in the series, and I tried to throw in math games to keep it fun. Writing was simply narrations and short research reports until they were 13 or 14 when they started writing essays. I never used a writing program, just followed SWB's advice. Literary analysis stemmed from all our discussions about everything we read. It wasn't until this year, with one already graduated, that I found a grammar program that I liked, which is the MCT materials. My kids wrote well, and we'd work on grammar through editing their material, but now my youngest is getting a good understanding of grammar through the Magic Lens books.

 

And last but not least. Once a gifted kid is a teen, let him (or her) specialize and get some hands on experience. My oldest started doing theater lighting when he was 13 and was being hired to light community theater shows by the time he was 17. My youngest, who just turned 15, has been on robotics teams, interned with an engineer this year and is interviewing for another internship next week.

 

It is simply a matter of balancing natural gifts and bottomless curiosity with a bit of discipline. Easier said than done, but not that difficult. As someone else said, enjoy the ride...:auto:

[EKS]

Did you administer the test yourself? Have you seen the test she took and been able to examine it in some detail? The reason I ask is that I believe the grade equivalents on tests like the ITBS say more about average whatever graders than about the achievement of my child. The fifth grade ITBS does *not* test high school level material; it is very unlikely that she would score at the same level if she were to take the 10th grade test.

 

I don't mean for this to take away from your daughter's accomplishment; her scores are good. However, the percentiles will tell you more about where she ranks in relation to her agemates. For example, when my son was in fifth grade, his high school grade equivalent scores on the ITBS correlated to percentiles ranging from 84-94 and only the scores with grade equivalent 13+ were at the 99th percentile.

 

I would meet here where she is academically. Her scores tell you that she is succeeding with what you are doing. I wouldn't move up several grade levels with her schoolwork unless her day to day performance seems to warrant it. I wouldn't do it based solely on these test scores.

[FloridaMomTo5]

Did you administer the test yourself? Have you seen the test she took and been able to examine it in some detail? The reason I ask is that I believe the grade equivalents on tests like the ITBS say more about average whatever graders than about the achievement of my child. The fifth grade ITBS does *not* test high school level material; it is very unlikely that she would score at the same level if she were to take the 10th grade test.

 

I don't mean for this to take away from your daughter's accomplishment; her scores are good. However, the percentiles will tell you more about where she ranks in relation to her agemates. For example, when my son was in fifth grade, his high school grade equivalent scores on the ITBS correlated to percentiles ranging from 84-94 and only the scores with grade equivalent 13+ were at the 99th percentile.

 

I would meet here where she is academically. Her scores tell you that she is succeeding with what you are doing. I wouldn't move up several grade levels with her schoolwork unless her day to day performance seems to warrant it. I wouldn't do it based solely on these test scores.

 

I already addressed this in this post if you read back. No, I do not think my child should be in the 10th grade.

*I am not changing anything based on these test scores. These scores only confirm for me what I already knew. That she's smart :lol: I have always been able to tell her something once and she "gets it". She reads and absorbs EVERYTHING. So, it's not the test scores that are motivating me. I should have been more clear I suppose, and I should have expected to get lessons in what the GE means on the tests. No worries, I do understand the test results & I am not enrolling her in the community college any time soon ;)

Edited June 10, 2010 by cbb_momof3

[FloridaMomTo5]

I want to chime in to suggest that you not think of school in terms of grade level materials, but just think instead of feeding your dd's mind and improving her skills. It is similar to what others are suggesting, just worded differently! To give you an idea of what I mean, here's a brief summary of how I homeschooled two gifted kids:

 

I never used any boxed curricula or any programs for history, literature or science. My kids simply read and soaked up basic knowledge. It didn't matter if the book was intended for adults or juveniles, they would read anything that interested them, so I kept the house full of books and magazines and we watched mostly documentaries and old movies on tv (well, and Star Trek and Lost...) I also assigned books, had a game plan for what should be covered in a year, but for the most part it was rather unschoolish, and worked extremely well.

 

Skills were another matter, and I did not "unschool" those. Math was at their pace, and we just moved onto the next material in the series, and I tried to throw in math games to keep it fun. Writing was simply narrations and short research reports until they were 13 or 14 when they started writing essays. I never used a writing program, just followed SWB's advice. Literary analysis stemmed from all our discussions about everything we read. It wasn't until this year, with one already graduated, that I found a grammar program that I liked, which is the MCT materials. My kids wrote well, and we'd work on grammar through editing their material, but now my youngest is getting a good understanding of grammar through the Magic Lens books.

 

And last but not least. Once a gifted kid is a teen, let him (or her) specialize and get some hands on experience. My oldest started doing theater lighting when he was 13 and was being hired to light community theater shows by the time he was 17. My youngest, who just turned 15, has been on robotics teams, interned with an engineer this year and is interviewing for another internship next week.

 

It is simply a matter of balancing natural gifts and bottomless curiosity with a bit of discipline. Easier said than done, but not that difficult. As someone else said, enjoy the ride...:auto:

 

Thanks so much. Some of this I am already doing. We use a guided curriculum for Math and Language Arts. We use Apologia for Science b/c I do not think of them as boring textbooks. The rest we've always kind of just learned by reading and discussing. Very laid back. I really thought I needed to be more structured and have so much more curriculum, but now I'm starting to realize that my method really was a different form of structure.

 

It's so hard to see past these silly grade levels. My dd hates when ppl ask what grade she's in. She answers differently a lot b/c we have her at so many different levels for different subject :lol:

[Donna]

I recently read "The Teenage Liberation Handbook" and thought it defined the type of homeschooling I might like to do with my dd when she gets closer to the teen years. Also, I think some of John Holt's writings might help you to think of unschooling in a less "stereotypical" light...I don't remember if it was one of his books or not but one book described unschooling as the parent providing a "smorgasbord" of learning opportunities and allowing the child to sample at will. I think the same book also described unschooling with an apprenticeship model...putting the child in touch with people/mentors who would help them learn what interests them.

 

I always liked both descriptions though I am not completely an unschooler since like another poster, I believe "skills" should be practiced regularly like math for example. I do use more of an unschooling approach with history and science...delving into areas of interest and glancing over other topics.

[Tracy]

My kids are too young to give you much advice, but have you subscribed to the TAGMAX forum? It has an e-mail list just for families that homeschool gifted kids, and I have found them to be so helpful.

[TaraHen]

We're an eclectic wacky bunch at this house, so our homeschool style vacillates between total unschool/freestyling and school at home. We try, and are making renewed effort, to land somewhere in the middle-- like an earlier poster mentioned-- unschool for some content areas and more formal stuff for skills, etc. This year's been mostly unschool freestylin-- especially while we let our dd unschool following a stint in the district's center based gifted program. And like others mentioned, lots of good interesting books, mags, etc. around, even if they haven't asked for them.

 

My dd is on and off with taking initiative, though, and sometimes she'll also request more "school." So sometimes we'll tell her to make a study plan for something she wants to learn/do. Then we guide her in developing her plan and offer feedback on the work as she goes. She's writing a novel right now, and researched related subject areas and read other lit on similar themes, etc. There are predetermined goals, benchmarks, etc. Example: we'll read and crit the writing every ten pages.

 

Still pretty self-guided and unschooly, but also feels like it has more structure, support/schoolishness to it...

 

 

That said, we're gearing up to launch into a bit more school-y existence again... but with lots of wiggle room:)

 

HTH

 

Tara

[SunshineMom]

TaraHen,

Love your balanced approach!

[Ester Maria]

So... how do I challenge her with that w/o adding "busy" work?

I have two highly gifted daughters. They're middle schoolers age-wise (12 and 13 y.o.) but work on mixed middle and high school content, with the areas of expertise outsourced to the university level.

 

The catch is the following: you meet her in each subject there where she is and build it up from there. For the subjects she doesn't like you require the minimal grade-level pace (that doesn't necessarily mean that she's working on "grade level", but rather, that she advances by a typical grade level pace in the areas she's not really into, starting from the point she's at), for those that she loves you speed things up accordingly and add the depth, and if she has any serious interests, do those at the highest level she wants, outsourcing if necessary. The key is not to force anything any more than you would force regular schoolwork (they get the right to progress on the grade level, it's not that I'll ask my older one to do calculus just because she cognitively could, if she hates that and it's not in the 13 y.o. schedule description), but to fully allow the possibility to be accelerated accordingly on the level of independent areas - and to go back if wanted, if they find themselves overwhelmed, they can.

 

Instead of adding busy work, you can get into more detailed, more in-depth picture of what you're studying; you can also consider adding more *areas* to work on. Gifted children thrive not only from the depth, but also from the diversity of the content they're exposed to; how about adding another language for her or selecting a branch of science she hasn't studied yet? Or studying the regular content in a foreign language (this is GREAT for kids, for language development and for being able to construct the concepts twice in their mind)?

I am NOT telling her what her scores were. I don't want to add pressure to her or make her feel like she can slack. We just told both she and ds that they did great and are moving on in their studies. To show you how much she does not care... My 2nd grader smiled big and was so proud of himself, Cassie just said, "ok" and went about her business. So, right not to tell her how high she scored, yes?

I think this depends a lot on the character of the child; I let mine be fully aware of the fact they're exceptional (not that they didn't figure it out on their own anyway), but stop at that. No analyzing, flattering, dwelling on that - just the "you're smart, we get that, now get back to work" kind of approach. So they know that we know they're not typical kids, but nobody is making a big deal out of it and they're not present when it's being discussed.

She reads books like she's drinking a glass of water! I kid you not she finishes HUGE chapter books in just a day or two and can sit and have an intellectual discussion about them! My concern is that she is choosing books that are too easy for her. What would you do?

That's the age at which most of the girls, from what I've observed, read extensively. If it's free reading, I wouldn't interfere, other than maybe suggesting (but only suggesting) a work or two on a higher reading level she might be interested in, but have you considered requiring her to read more complex books for school? (I do the school / free reading distinction, and it does wonders.)

[elizabeth]

It is so common that it should be listed as one of the signs that your child is gifted. Overwhelmed describes my experience for the past 9 years and I am certainly no slouch in the academic department myself...:lol:

[melmichigan]

I have two highly gifted daughters. They're middle schoolers age-wise (12 and 13 y.o.) but work on mixed middle and high school content, with the areas of expertise outsourced to the university level.

 

The catch is the following: you meet her in each subject there where she is and build it up from there. For the subjects she doesn't like you require the minimal grade-level pace (that doesn't necessarily mean that she's working on "grade level", but rather, that she advances by a typical grade level pace in the areas she's not really into, starting from the point she's at), for those that she loves you speed things up accordingly and add the depth, and if she has any serious interests, do those at the highest level she wants, outsourcing if necessary. The key is not to force anything any more than you would force regular schoolwork (they get the right to progress on the grade level, it's not that I'll ask my older one to do calculus just because she cognitively could, if she hates that and it's not in the 13 y.o. schedule description), but to fully allow the possibility to be accelerated accordingly on the level of independent areas - and to go back if wanted, if they find themselves overwhelmed, they can.

 

Instead of adding busy work, you can get into more detailed, more in-depth picture of what you're studying; you can also consider adding more *areas* to work on. Gifted children thrive not only from the depth, but also from the diversity of the content they're exposed to; how about adding another language for her or selecting a branch of science she hasn't studied yet? Or studying the regular content in a foreign language (this is GREAT for kids, for language development and for being able to construct the concepts twice in their mind)?

 

I think this depends a lot on the character of the child; I let mine be fully aware of the fact they're exceptional (not that they didn't figure it out on their own anyway), but stop at that. No analyzing, flattering, dwelling on that - just the "you're smart, we get that, now get back to work" kind of approach. So they know that we know they're not typical kids, but nobody is making a big deal out of it and they're not present when it's being discussed.

 

That's the age at which most of the girls, from what I've observed, read extensively. If it's free reading, I wouldn't interfere, other than maybe suggesting (but only suggesting) a work or two on a higher reading level she might be interested in, but have you considered requiring her to read more complex books for school? (I do the school / free reading distinction, and it does wonders.)

 

I have found all of this to be true with my DC. Very well said!

[HeidiD]

I think this depends a lot on the character of the child; I let mine be fully aware of the fact they're exceptional (not that they didn't figure it out on their own anyway), but stop at that. No analyzing, flattering, dwelling on that.

 

 

Yes, I think this is really important, because it can sometimes be difficult socially for gifted kids when they are on a seemingly different wavelength from many of their peers, due to the fact that their intellectual interests may be divergent and/or deeper than other kids they interact with. Gifted kids need to realize that there isn't anything wrong with them because of this, or anything wrong with the other kids who might seem to them to have more superficial interests. If they're aware of their differences and accept themselves for who they are, they're less likely to suffer social discomfort or blame themselves if they have difficulty relating to some of their peers.

[Lovedtodeath]

1) I've already purchased a 7th grade Science book for her. Of which she has told me it is easy . She knew this because she already started it!! So... how do I challenge her with that w/o adding "busy" work? I'm a CM fan, and really agree with her that twaddle won't solve anything, but I'm not educated enough in CM to know what she would do with Cass.

 

3) She reads books like she's drinking a glass of water! I kid you not she finishes HUGE chapter books in just a day or two and can sit and have an intellectual discussion about them! My concern is that she is choosing books that are too easy for her. What would you do?

 

TIA for your help!!

I was that kid. Let her do independent study. Let her read what she wants.:tongue_smilie:

 

If you are wanting more complex books for school work, looking at older books will likely help as they used to write at much higher levels for younger ages.

[heart'sjoy]

I pull books from AO, SL, and TOG that are several grade levels above what my children choose on their own to read aloud.

 

Many they have chosen to read on their own later. They discover a new author or style they enjoy and ask for more.

 

 

I've also used Progeny Press study guides several grades above level. I don't use all of the vocabulary and basic knowledge questions, but use the higher level questions as discussion and ideas for writing.

 

A science success has been Adaptive Science Curriculum through HomeSchoolBuyers coop. My 2nd and 4th grader have used the junior high modules. I pick one area from the teacher guide or test for them to write/ draw in their science notebooks.

[Bee-a-deaux]

On the idea of challenging your daughter: Have you explored the Classical Model of teaching?

It sounds like she might be ready for the challenge of pursuing the Logic Stage, for discussion and writing about her readings... especially as it sounds like you have covered the Grammar Stage for her (meaning she has great comprehension skills, for the most part; and there may be a few areas where she needs exposure to the grammar of other subjects, but in general she will continue to be refreshed on these as you cover it for the others). I would recommend looking at Veritas Press's webiste veritaspress.com. Their 7th and 8th grade Transition and Omnibus materials are what I will most probably reach for when I get to the point you are describing.

Additionally, use this time to work on her writing abilities!!! That will take her far and challenge her. I have always heard wonderful things about IEW, and finally ordered their TWSS dvd/kit this summer from their website http://excellenceinwriting.com. If that is more than you have time to research and learn, then I would recommend just downloading some of Andrew Pudewa's lectures on writing and reading along with looking at classicalwriting.com. Another great way to challenge her and give her the gift of excellent writing abilities!

Also, look at The Potter's School online. http://www.pottersschool.org/ It's pricey but oh, so challenging! (Something to consider.)

 

On the idea of telling or not:

 

My husband and I both were gifted learners.

 

My in-laws enrolled him in all the gifted summer classes, sent him to THE BEST school in the area, and talked about how gifted he was every time his name came up. It definitely created several achievement/potential issues that overwhelmed him and caused him arrogance and conflict in college, which could have been an exciting journey but was begun with pressure and distraction.

 

He's a small town civil engineer now, gifted in the diversity of his job, and has a beautiful community-minded perspective on public service and responsibility.

He doesn't like to admit that he is still a great reader, always enjoying a strong theological or intellectual tome along with a popular classic! That's what makes him a great dad, and will really substantiate our HSing efforts later in the Logic & Dialectic stages. He will be the one to challenge our children when they arrive at that level where their mere readings need to sum up to something greater! (It sounds like this is where your daugther is.)

 

On the other hand, my parents never told me until I had my own children and began to embark on the process of gifted evaluation and special classes at a local university for our oldest son (at my Mother-in-law's urging). It was then that my mother nonchalantly told me that I was a gifted child too. (She Never told me!)

 

That moment had me think and rethink the learning process and its objectives for my children as a whole. At the time I was obsessed with the potential that Montessori methods held for my children, so I explored that, reading Dr. Montessori's bio and one of her books on education...because it offered an exploratory method of teaching children to pursue knowledge to greater depths. That was a long journey that took me back around to my convictions about the classical education process and the concept of Poetic Knowledge as our ultimate philosophical objective in education.

 

Now that we're on our way, our eldest son is 9 and entering 4th grade, 2nd son is 7 and starting 2nd, and our 3 y.o. daughter is running a one-girl campaign for becoming holy roman empress of our home : )

 

As I begin the process of testing and evaluating our children , I know the gifts that I will see in each of them. Some will shine brighter and others will send me reeling! That's what breathes life into homeschooling: knowing the challenges of addressing our children's strengths and weaknesses, and teaching them along the way how to pursue knowledge that will challenge their thought faculties!

 

All of my children are gifted readers. I have chosen to ignore that fact and still give them the grammar stage (because that's where we are... but always preparing myself and having materials on hand to reach into the Logic Stage when I see those breakthrough moments), but reward them by providing them with upper high school and college level text books for their own independent reading to delve deeper into the subjects. We still do read alouds, for practice of expression, and for a discussion that all three can engage in or be drawn into.

 

But as a whole, my husband and I feel that this method encourages and rewards our little readers and makes their intellectual pursuits seem normal. It seems to reward them with a self-propelled desire to achieve more from their readings.

 

You're a bit further down the road on this...I look forward to hearing how your science pursuits turn out.

 

(Sorry for giving you my thesis! It's been on my mind, and your discussion really tapped that well!)

 

Best in everything!

[....]

I don't have any answers for you... but :grouphug:. My daughter wrote lyrics for two songs this morning and sketched a herd of running horses while she was supposed to be doing language arts. :D I'm right there with ya'. I also never told my daughter her test results. I don't know what to do with curriculum, either. I think she does everything to humor me.

 

I'm playing this one by ear too... :bigear: I do agree with the unschooling comments. :001_smile: Oh, well. Ah, sigh...:svengo:

 

Good luck with your homeschooling.

[Lovedtodeath]

On the idea of

 

 

Excellent post!