Anybody else have kids that are not advanced but just "average"?

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

Just curious. I see SO many super advanced kids! (2nd and 3rd graders doing what my 8th grader is doing) Just wondering how many others have 'average' children (meaning academics ofcourse ;))

[swainsonshawk]

Absolutely. A house full of average kids. And I love them all!

[misidawnrn]

My 8 year old is just a plain old 8 year old. She is in 2nd grade, doing 2nd grade work. She doesn't have all of her math facts memorized and we are working on liking reading more. She isn't working on her thesis and that is A-OK with me.

 

My 3 year old knows all of her letters and all of their sounds (the short vowel sounds with the vowels), all of her numbers to 10 by sight and quantity. I think she is an average 3 yo I suppose since some can do that and some can't. She loves learning with play.

[Ohmomjacquie]

Yep my oldest is average. My ds I have a feeling will be ahead. The things he figures out on his own amazes.me.

[RootAnn]

My older two are definitely average - except for in their "gift" area. (Oldest still doesn't know what her gift area is but dd#2 definitely has an artistic bent. Math? Not-so-much....)

 

Sometimes, they are below average. :banghead:

[iafrmgrl77]

I really think the whole, "advanced," "average," "behind" thing is a product of the educational system many of us were trying to get away from when we decided to homeschool. Who says a child is average, advanced, or behind? My daughter would be considered 3rd grade and reads at a grade level way beyond that. But I don't see that as necessarily being advanced. In fact, that seems to be the norm. It is kind of amusing to me to see all of the threads that start out, "I need help finding ______ for my advanced dd." Just seems like a strange way to label children to me. Each child is so unique, and they are where they are. They may have struggles in certain areas, but that doesn't mean they are behind. My ds is not a strong reader, but he knows way more about world history and animal science than most adults. Does that make him behind? Average? Neither! It makes him "HIM." Love that about home education! :)

[Crimson Wife]

I really think the whole, "advanced," "average," "behind" thing is a product of the educational system many of us were trying to get away from when we decided to homeschool. Who says a child is average, advanced, or behind? My daughter would be considered 3rd grade and reads at a grade level way beyond that. But I don't see that as necessarily being advanced. In fact, that seems to be the norm. It is kind of amusing to me to see all of the threads that start out, "I need help finding ______ for my advanced dd." Just seems like a strange way to label children to me. Each child is so unique, and they are where they are. They may have struggles in certain areas, but that doesn't mean they are behind. My ds is not a strong reader, but he knows way more about world history and animal science than most adults. Does that make him behind? Average? Neither! It makes him "HIM." Love that about home education! :)

 

I'm sorry, but this is total bunk. The educational system did not make my older two children advanced and my delayed child behind. God did. Each child is unique, but just like people come in a range of heights, people come in a range of academic abilities. A few people are tall, most people are average height, and a few short. Some students are advanced, most average, and some delayed.

 

Now in a HS setting, there may be a disproportionate percentage of bright students compared to the overall population of kids their age because they are the ones least well served by traditional classroom-based schools. My delayed child qualifies for all sorts of special services for being at the opposite end of the spectrum. I'm thankful that she receives those services, but it does make me mad that our district does bupkiss for GATE.

[momto2Cs]

Absolutely. A house full of average kids. And I love them all!

 

 

:iagree: Although I only have two! Yes, they have their strong points/subject areas, and their weak ones, so yes, they are average.

[Lecka]

My son is average. The schoolwork that is aimed at average children is mostly right-on-targe for him. Some things he is taking longer with.

 

He is not flying through the early-elementary curriculum. He is working diligently and steadily on reading -- he is not picking it up easily, we can't just use any curriculum or pick things up by watching educational videos.

 

You are not the only one!

 

I did a lot of things early as a child, but in some areas I don't think that a younger child and an older child learn things in the same way, even if they are learning the same content. They will see different things. Even as an adult I see different things than I saw 10 years ago. This is why the Bible can be studied again and again!

 

I also don't see something wrong with someone looking for something that is advanced.... maybe it is not easy to find something that is age-appropriate but with more advanced content, and kids need an appropriate challenge.

 

edit: We afterschool extensively in reading -- that is the only reason I am afterschooling.... he needs it. I would just be reading to him and playing some math games if he did not need it. The rest of school is very appropriate for him. I agree with Crimson Wife -- a lot of people who are homeschooling are doing it b/c of a specific need, not just because they believe in it in general. I can see how that would make there be more advanced kids homeschooling.

Edited May 11, 2012 by Lecka

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I'm sorry, but this is total bunk. The educational system did not make my older two children advanced and my delayed child behind. God did. Each child is unique, but just like people come in a range of heights, people come in a range of academic abilities. A few people are tall, most people are average height, and a few short. Some students are advanced, most average, and some delayed.

 

Now in a HS setting, there may be a disproportionate percentage of bright students compared to the overall population of kids their age because they are the ones least well served by traditional classroom-based schools. My delayed child qualifies for all sorts of special services for being at the opposite end of the spectrum. I'm thankful that she receives those services, but it does make me mad that our district does bupkiss for GATE.

 

 

I agree with this as well. My 7 year old struggles so bad. SOOO bad with most everything. My 6 year old seems VERY advanced next to my 7 year old but I am sure my 6 year old is an 'average' 6 year old kindergartner. My views are just off because of all the struggles we have had with my 7 year old!

 

I am VERY proud of all of my kids, though, and so blessed to be able to teach them where they are! If they are a bit advanced then we go with it (8th grader in science and history, 4th grader in science) If they are behind and struggle I go with it (7 year old for everything. He struggles BIG TIME to learn and retain but tries so hard)

 

If they just want to devour it all we do so! (my 6 year old)

[Mommyfaithe]

Very average kids...some of whom have done extraordinary things.:D

 

My kids are smart....but not all of them are academic.

[QuirkyKidAcademy]

Mine's pretty average - and even below average in some respects. As the poster above said, his "smarts" are not all academic related.

[cindergretta]

I have one who is academic, very academic, but she isn't advanced. She is spot on for her grade level, but she is studious and motivated. I have one who is average and not in the least academic and he is trying to give me a stroke. (Ds17) I have one who is average and does her schoolwork. She isn't studious or motivated but she does what she is supposed to and is on target for grade level. I have one who reads way above grade level, does math above grade level, does school as he is supposed to. But he actually isn't really advanced. He has Aspergers and is a stickler for following rules, so he tends to excel a bit, kwim? And I have one who is struggling and just turned 7 and hasn't learned to read yet.

 

OTOH, my oldest who is trying to kill me is a very gifted musician. My one who does her schoolwork but with no motivation is a gifted athlete.

 

Regardless of academic prowess, they are all quite special! ;)

[iafrmgrl77]

I'm sorry, but this is total bunk. The educational system did not make my older two children advanced and my delayed child behind. God did.

 

 

Wow, of all the forums I've participated in, I've never seen someone call someone else's comment "bunk". Doesn't seem very nice, but whatever goes, I guess. :sad:

 

The funny thing is, I wasn't saying the educational system created our children as they are; I was trying to say they created the labels. I think I didn't do a very good job of expressing my thoughts there. And I will be the first to stand up and say that my Heavenly Father created my children just as they are, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

 

So, while I would have to say your calling my comment bunk is, well, bunk, it sounds like we may actually agree, to a certain extent! :grouphug:

[Pat in MI]

Yep, I have two of those average children. They each have areas they excel in, but other areas where they just get by, "completely average". Doesn't it seem like sometimes you are the only one with average children? I sometimes feel that way when I read forums.

Blessings,

Pat

[mama27]

Just curious. I see SO many super advanced kids! (2nd and 3rd graders doing what my 8th grader is doing) Just wondering how many others have 'average' children (meaning academics ofcourse ;))

 

 

 

I have some average and some below average.

[Stuart]

OP I wonder about this too. But what is average? What is gifted? Everyone has strength and weaknesses. As hs parents we are able to embrace each child's uniqueness. One reason I took my son out of ps was the belief that everyone should be taught the same. Whether he is gifted, average or struggling he deserves to be considered an individual.

In our family we have three 9 year olds each excells/struggles in different areas. One is academically gifted but his emotional development is behind, one has motor/behavior issues but academically sound, one struggles academically but is the most socially/ behaviorally even keel child. I love to watch them interact, it's amazing to see how well they adjust to each others need.

Feel like I'm on a soap box but the term "gifted" drives me nuts. Individuality is what we should embrace.

[LillyMama]

My sister is a public school first grade teacher, so I tend to go to her for what she thinks is "normal." She's also got a master's in special ed, and teaches in a fully included classroom, with kids all over the spectrum, as well as behavioral and emotionally disturbed... So I have a very "harmless" opinion about these labels. They're just tools, to make conversations easier.

 

My older child is average, if not a little behind, in reading, writing and spelling. But he's far ahead in his listening and comprehension skills. And his life skills- he's always been incredibly self-aware and empathetic beyond his years.

 

My younger is almost off-the-charts academic, not prodigy level, but she'd be one of the brightest in a public school first grade class right now. Yet because of her birthday, she wouldn't even start kindergarten until the fall. She, on the other hand, is pretty immature and does not seem to comprehend anything read to her. Which is pretty average for her age.

 

I think because I have the full range of levels in both my kids, I do not mind the labels or semantics. Because they don't bother me, I tend to be less sensitive with how I use them. That might be the case of moms on here- we throw things like that around, not meaning it as a bragging, but just a way to explain our situations. But, yeah, we probably talk about our "not average" characteristics (above or below) more than our "normal" ones. For me, at least, it's because that's where I need advice and input.

Edited May 11, 2012 by LillyMama
typos

[CandaceC]

:D I have "just average" kids academically and I love 'em to pieces!!

[LittleIzumi]

I think many HS kids appear more advanced because they are getting one-on-one instruction. Most kids would do significantly better with that sort of instruction than in a PS setting, IMHO. (But not all, of course.) I have one who is gifted in certain areas, but right on grade level or a bit behind in other/core areas. We're just trucking through grade-level work in those areas, one day at a time. If she was in PS that's probably all she would be working on, those core areas.

[iafrmgrl77]

OP I wonder about this too. But what is average? What is gifted? Everyone has strength and weaknesses. As hs parents we are able to embrace each child's uniqueness. One reason I took my son out of ps was the belief that everyone should be taught the same. Whether he is gifted, average or struggling he deserves to be considered an individual.

In our family we have three 9 year olds each excells/struggles in different areas. One is academically gifted but his emotional development is behind, one has motor/behavior issues but academically sound, one struggles academically but is the most socially/ behaviorally even keel child. I love to watch them interact, it's amazing to see how well they adjust to each others need.

Feel like I'm on a soap box but the term "gifted" drives me nuts. Individuality is what we should embrace.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

Yes! This is what I was trying to say earlier but obviously did a terrible job of it! I was trying to encourage you, OP, and others that may worry about where their children stand, academically or otherwise! :)

[TheCoffeeChick]

Yep -- my kids are pretty average academically. I think this is wonderful, although sometimes when other people find out we homeschool, I feel like they think I'm a failure because my kids aren't doing calculus yet. :001_rolleyes:

[Crimson Wife]

Feel like I'm on a soap box but the term "gifted" drives me nuts. Individuality is what we should embrace.

 

To quote The Incredibles, "Everyone's special, Dash." "Which is another way of saying no one is."

 

Every child is a gift from God, but not every child is intellectually gifted. Maybe that's not politically correct in today's society, but it's the truth.

[Critterfixer]

Well, let's see. Two eight year olds, in second grade who are only 40 lessons into MEP, have to review phonics rules although they are reading pretty well, who have the attention span of a gnat when it comes to questions like "Did you flush? Did you brush? and Where do your boots go?" (These questions have obvious acceptable answers and the answers should be known after MONTHS!)

Yep, I'd say that's pretty typical boys.

 

My neurotypical boy reversed 19 for two days last week. Talk about wanting to yodel a bit. And it doesn't matter that we can recite the FLL sentence about starting sentences with a capital letter. Same neurotypical child forgets, and then remembers with a growl when I put my pencil on it.

 

Yep. Pretty well average.

And I wouldn't trade a thing. It's not a bad thing to have work hard, to struggle sometimes, and to fail at other times. Sucess is all the more sweet when it comes, because they know how they earned it.

[Momling]

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

Yes! This is what I was trying to say earlier but obviously did a terrible job of it! I was trying to encourage you, OP, and others that may worry about where their children stand, academically or otherwise! :)

 

I understood what you meant and agree with you. Who exactly are homeschoolers comparing themselves to in order to be "average" or "ahead" or "behind". All of our kids are somewhere in their educational journey and have plenty more to learn. Standards and scope/sequence and test items are shockingly arbitrary and we don't all have the same reference point to be comparing anyway. Plus, what's the need?

[sewingmama]

I think many HS kids appear more advanced because they are getting one-on-one instruction. Most kids would do significantly better with that sort of instruction than in a PS setting, IMHO.

 

I understood what you meant and agree with you. Who exactly are homeschoolers comparing themselves to in order to be "average" or "ahead" or "behind". All of our kids are somewhere in their educational journey and have plenty more to learn. Standards and scope/sequence and test items are shockingly arbitrary and we don't all have the same reference point to be comparing anyway. Plus, what's the need?

 

:iagree:

 

Where your kids "are" depends on who you are comparing them to.

 

If I compare my kids to the ones on this board then they are very average or even behind :001_smile:

 

If I compare them to the children in PS in our very low socio economic community -they are advanced or even gifted.

 

If I told everyone on TWTM that my 4yo can read I'd get a hundred replies from people saying their 2-3 yo can read and that 4 is very average for learning that skill.

 

When people in our local community find out he can read they are wowed and peg him as a little genius because that is not the norm here at all.

 

When I took my DD for her 4yo "school ready" health check the eye specialist was amazed because she could read the letters on the eye chart -she normally uses a different test for kids under 5 because "normally" they don't know all the letters of the alphabet yet. I wonder what she will say when my DS goes this year and he can read :001_smile:

 

One of the main reasons we homeschool is because my kids are way too advanced in the skills taught at grade level in our local PS. However when I read what kids are doing on this board I feel my kids are very, very average.:001_huh:

Edited May 11, 2012 by sewingmama

[Mom0012]

To quote The Incredibles, "Everyone's special, Dash." "Which is another way of saying no one is."

 

Every child is a gift from God, but not every child is intellectually gifted. Maybe that's not politically correct in today's society, but it's the truth.

 

Well, I think the real problem with the term "gifted" is that children are gifted in different ways. By using that term mainly for academics, it implies that only academically strong children are gifted. It's obnoxious, in my opinion. There has got to be a better label than that. Some people value IQ over other gifts, but that does not make those children superior to others. I think that's forgotten especially easily among homeschoolers since we are so focused on our children's educations. And I do think everyone is special. Just as having more than one child doesn't lessen our love for the others, each child being special in their own way doesn't lessen the specialness of the others.

 

Lisa

Edited May 11, 2012 by LisaTheresa

[nukeswife]

Just a bunch of average joes in this house.

[pitterpatter]

I have no real idea what my DD is. She's our one and only and we're not currently around a lot of kids who are six months either way of her age.

 

On here, I've been told she's a little advanced. I've also been told that she's totally not. :tongue_smilie:

 

DD is who she is. She seems normal to me. I just love watching her learn.

Edited May 11, 2012 by pitterpatter

[nmoira]

A lot of gifted people probably feel more cursed than possessing something good.

Yeah. Like my 10yo who started having existential crises before 4 years of age and would literally weep because she was so completely overwhelmed by the vastness of the universe and her comparative insignificance. It's always "big" questions with her, and I'm simply not equipped to give her the philosophical understanding she seeks. However, I do my best.

[stripe]

Well, let's see. Two eight year olds, in second grade who are only 40 lessons into MEP, have to review phonics rules although they are reading pretty well, who have the attention span of a gnat when it comes to questions like "Did you flush? Did you brush? and Where do your boots go?" (These questions have obvious acceptable answers and the answers should be known after MONTHS!)

Yep, I'd say that's pretty typical boys.

 

Thank you for this post.

[Embassy]

I think the term "gifted" is often misunderstood as academic precociousness. Some achieve academically and others don't. The word gifted makes it seem like it is a wonderful thing that anyone would want. Some find it to be opposite.

 

 

All children are special. We love our children whether they are good at something or not.

[angelmama1209]

thank you so much for this. sometimes i feel like i must be a failure at this homeschooling thing because my oldest is a slow reader and behind in math. seems like every thread i see mentions an advanced child and every siggy lists higher than grade level curric. glad to know i'm not alone.

[sagira]

Ds is average, with a very active imagination :) In math, we're a half a year "behind". For my "have all ducks in a row" type mind it's a bit frustrating, but at the same time wonderful that I'm homeschooling and able to serve him well. I picked the wrong program for us at the beginning of his schooling (MCP math), hence the delay. However, he's understanding everything now and has really showed progress. Very happy with MM.

 

A lady whose son was tested gifted told me once when talking to ds that he was gifted and he should be tested, but I didn't take heed. He is, after all, homeschooled :)

[Farrar]

I guess I chafe a little at the term "average." It always feels to me like one is literally taking all of a child's strengths, weaknesses and unique qualities and lumping them together to say they're the same as nearly everyone else. I do think that's a bit of what schools do. I'm not saying no one is gifted or that some kids aren't ahead or behind - more that I think schools seek to fit kids into these very simplistic boxes, which isn't really to any child's benefit or understanding of themselves as individuals.

 

But I'll happily say that I have two second graders doing what I consider to be second grade work.

[Donna T.]

Hmmm... I truly do not know. Please tell me this isn't something else that I need to look into!!

 

I think my kids are average but each has an area or two in which they particularly excel. And, they have areas in which they have struggled... though I'm thinking that may have more to do with their teacher than with them. I always feel like we are behind other homeschooling families because we aren't as far along in some areas. I tend to use resources with them when they are a little older than the children of others that I know or read about here on the board. But, I think that may be because we study a whole lot of different things so that broadness slows us down sometimes. There is only so much we can do in a day. But, it's usually me who tires out and they do study on their own. They love to read and that helps. It has allowed them to develop their own interests without waiting for Mom to get it going on.

 

I think they are average but super amazing and I'm happy with where they are and who they are.

[amselby81]

Average overe here! She's five and a half and still not really reading. She can read some words, but she's not reading books yet, other than maybe the first couple books from the first set of Bob Books. I feel kind of bad when I hear about 3 and 4 year olds who are reading on 1st or 2nd grade reading levels. I tried to push her this year, and she just wasn't ready, so we've been sticking with enforcing her phonemic awareness by working each individual letter, doing rhyming activities, and beginning sound activities. It's been slow and steady for us this year, as we've only been doing pre-k level work.

[alisoncooks]

Average overe here! She's five and a half and still not really reading. She can read some words, but she's not reading books yet, other than maybe the first couple books from the first set of Bob Books. I feel kind of bad when I hear about 3 and 4 year olds who are reading on 1st or 2nd grade reading levels. I tried to push her this year, and she just wasn't ready, so we've been sticking with enforcing her phonemic awareness by working each individual letter, doing rhyming activities, and beginning sound activities. It's been slow and steady for us this year, as we've only been doing pre-k level work.

 

Same here. My DD will be 6 in June.

[happy-hs]

I'd consider most of my kids "average." They are bright and eager to learn. They each have their academic strengths and weaknesses. They are all doing well, enjoying school, and I'm happy with where they are in their education.

 

I only have one (my 3rd grader) that blows me away with how fast and easily he learns things and how far ahead he is academically.

 

Melissa :)

[Ecclecticmum]

Pretty average here.

 

Atlas is slightly "advanced" in certain areas, but nothing noticeable. She has a love for history that tends to mean she knows more than other kids her age. She loves science, but she is average there for the most part too. Basically shes just a very curious child, and I tend to feed her curiousity, but she's not "advanced".

 

Chaos is advanced in logic & Maths (and possibly other areas, gathering by certain things I've noticed) but also has quite delayed language skills, so its hard to actually "test" on where he is, and I am still trying to figure out ways to encourage the areas he is advanced on. Really all I want to do with him is concentrate on his language skills full-time, so I can't really comment until he's further along with that. Perhaps its like senses, when one fails/slows, another area perks up, so possibly this is something similar.

 

Eve I have no idea LOL. Since she's closer to Chao's age and because of his delay, its easy to rate her high on the vocabulary scale, but whether thats true or not, I don't know.

 

Basically my kids are average, and are just kids, but they all have a huge natural curiousity that leads to lots of questions, which I use to my advantage ;) but as far as testing, all would probably come out completely average :) Children are individuals, and most children are always going to have one area that their curiousity grows in leaps and bounds.

[thefragile7393]

Well I have mine....very average...actually my son is probably below average public school wise for kindergarten but to me he is where average kinders should be. I'm greatful....they are low-stress average kids and that makes my busy life easier

[Free]

I guess I chafe a little at the term "average." It always feels to me like one is literally taking all of a child's strengths, weaknesses and unique qualities and lumping them together to say they're the same as nearly everyone else. I do think that's a bit of what schools do. I'm not saying no one is gifted or that some kids aren't ahead or behind - more that I think schools seek to fit kids into these very simplistic boxes, which isn't really to any child's benefit or understanding of themselves as individuals.

 

But I'll happily say that I have two second graders doing what I consider to be second grade work.

 

I love this post, Thank you! My ds does very well in some areas, struggles in others. He is special and unique...by no means "average" though.

[fraidycat]

Pretty average here.

 

Both have advance degrees in bad attitude and whining, though.

[sewingmama]

FWIW - it's quite a blessing to be average. A lot of mothers who have children with special needs would give anything for their child to be "average".

 

I'm very grateful to have children who have no learning disabilities and can learn most things they want to if they put their mind to it.

 

I

[thefragile7393]

Pretty average here.

 

Both have advance degrees in bad attitude and whining, though.

Ahh you have met mine I take it lol?

[NittanyJen]

Rough assessments such as gifted, special needs (technically, gifted kids ARE special needs) and neurotypical, or average, tend to be terrifically misunderstood and misinterpreted.

 

You can be gifted academically in the clinical sense, yet still fail to achieve, due to personal and/or environmental and/or medical factors. An 'average' student can be extraordinarily successful or a failure or anywhere in between, thanks to those same factors, and those same factors can influence the outcome for a pencil needs kid; biology is not destiny, but it is a starting point.

 

Part of the problem is that too many parents mistake working above grade level as 'giftedness' when in some cases it may be nothing more than pushy parenting (and I have tutored all too many kids who got to college with reams of honors and AP courses... But didn't know a thing, because they were forced up nd away from academically appropriate courses where they might have actually learned solid, college prep fundamentals). With true giftedness, the kids do the pushing, and careful parents make sure they don't get sloppy and skip critical steps, or get stifled by being artificially held back; parents of gifted kids request help as much as parents of other special needs kids because it is just as hard.

 

Gifted is not how early you study calculus; it is the driving need to do it, not spurred on by the parents. Gifted kids need more stuff the way normal kids need food and water. Not fed properly, it can be a ticket to disaster, an invitation to coast instead of work. Fed properly, the gifted student's mind can be fun to work with and watch succeed.

 

Many an average kid has taken top honors in law school or medical school thanks to an excellent fundamental education, excellent study skills, and a top work ethic. An 'average' or typical kid, working at grade level is bright, can be engaged, enthusiastic, and successful, with nothing to apologize for.

 

Many a special needs student has put the rest to shame by demonstrating an understanding of how to work and discover one's own unique potential, or to double down and overcome challenges.

 

I hear the OP. sometimes it does sound like a contest around here. Sometimes people are misunderstood, because this is a message forum, and it is hard to get that there is a matter-of-fact tone, not a bragging tone being used. Sometimes there is a bragging tone being used. It's hard to tell. But designations like gifted are not fictitious, or irrelevant to homeschoolers; it is a different brain structure. It is not a better brain structure. It is just different, and as SN kids, sometimes a challenge to deal with. But the average kids are just as worthy, and on average will achieve just as much in the long run, along with a subset of SN kids not in the gifted realm as the gifted kids will, because f the other factors at work. And yes, they are all precious. And there are plenty around... That is why they are the typical kids :).

 

From tutoring I can tell you... I wish more kids stuck with work on grade level instead of forging ahead. It would serve them far better to master the fundamentals and arrive at college solidly prepared, than to pile up an impressive transcript representing very shallow knowledge because it was always slightly beyond them. If your kids are working at grade level and they are not gifted, they are doing exactly what they should be doing.

[NittanyJen]

Special needs, not pencil needs... Stupid iPad auto correct .....

[SunnyDays]

I don't think any child is truly average. Each child has strengths, weaknesses, and quirks that make up a very unique person.

 

That said, there are many kids who learn right on grade level... some do very well at that pace, some not as well. There are some kids who might learn at a bit slower pace. There are some who learn at an accelerated pace. And not a one of them learns everything at exactly the same rate and in exactly the same way.

 

Jen's post above about how gifted kids are wired differently is spot on. They do learn differently, and for many of them, it's not about acceleration, or not only about that. My son is gifted and also happens to be accelerated in some areas. He's also a typical tween boy and he can be lazy and unmotivated.

 

I do think there are a lot of parents out there that love to brag that little Johnny is a grade ahead in math, or read at an early age. I don't really see a lot of that on this board, though. Yes, there are accelerated kids here, but I really think most parents are really trying to find the best curriculum or resources for their kids.

 

There shouldn't be any shame in saying that you're struggling to meet the needs of an advanced learner, just like there shouldn't be shame in saying that you're struggling to meet the needs of your student who is just not getting something. Sometimes, that might be the same kid in different areas. :)

[desertmum]

Gifted is not how early you study calculus; it is the driving need to do it, not spurred on by the parents. Gifted kids need more stuff the way normal kids need food and water. Not fed properly, it can be a ticket to disaster, an invitation to coast instead of work. Fed properly, the gifted student's mind can be fun to work with and watch succeed.

 

...

From tutoring I can tell you... I wish more kids stuck with work on grade level instead of forging ahead. It would serve them far better to master the fundamentals and arrive at college solidly prepared, than to pile up an impressive transcript representing very shallow knowledge because it was always slightly beyond them. If your kids are working at grade level and they are not gifted, they are doing exactly what they should be doing.

 

Great post! I have an average kid. DS has an obsession about science and machines...but still needs plenty of help with reading. He can build an amazing structure out of bobs and bits but cannot tie his shoes. I think most children will be advanced on a couple of subjects, average on most, and need additional help on a subject or two. Physically children develop certain skills are develop sooner than others.

 

Whenever I run into an article about "age appropiate milestones" I cringe because thinking everybody develops at the same pace is just plain silly. This does not mean the children are not completely average.

Edited May 12, 2012 by desertmum
bad typo

[Gentlemommy]

I have 100% average/typical/grade level kids. Well, the toddler is probably advanced in fit throwing and monkey skills, but I won't count that here lol.

 

Dd1 is just as typical as can be-she'd much rather be playing than doing school, chores, or anything else I require of her. ;) She's on track/grade level in everything minus reading, where she is actually a bit behind due to vision issues. However, I would consider her very mature for her age (7) when it comes to animal care. She is amazing with animals of all sizes.:D There is just something special about the way she can...communicate if you will, with them. And it's a passion that drives her daily. She is completely motivated by her horse back riding lesson, volunteer work at the farm, ect. Even just sitting and holding an injured chicken for a while, making sure everyone has fresh water, cleaning out cages/stalls, she loves all of it. She is extremely compassionate, not just with animals, but with people-her sense of justice/right and wrong is very strong.

 

Dd2 is also typical when it comes to school type things. At 4 she knows her alphabet, can read a bit, can do simple math type things, ect. She is more eager to do school than her sister, meaning I can get her to sit and focus for 5 minutes as opposed to her sisters 3 lol. Her gifting is definitely physical. Every dance/gymnastics teacher she's had so far (4) has come to me and commented that she seems very naturally aware of her body. She also really enjoys her gymnastics class, and asks to go all the time. She recently started riding as well, and even there, it was easy to see that she understood rhythm and where her body was on the horse. She was posting and trotting in the first ten minutes of her lesson. :D

 

They are amazing kids. And I'm sure everyone, regardless of where their children are academically, can say that about their own kids. It's very hard, being a homeschooler, to have academically 'typical' kids. For some reason everyone feels like since we have more one on one instruction, they will be super geniuses. :confused: I can't force their brains to understand more than they are ready for, no matter HOW much time we have. And the truth is, *I* don't WANT to spend hours and hours a day on school, never mind them! There are SO many things we do, and not all of them are academic in nature. We get what we need to get done, and then we do other things. I consider ALL those things part of their education, whether they look academic or not.:001_smile: