DD just got IDed for nonexistent GATE program - a little rant and a question

[Chrysalis Academy]

I'm feeling very mixed up today. :001_huh:

 

Small backstory: a year ago, at the end of 3rd grade, Miss P took her school's test used for ID-ing GATE students, the Structure of Intellect (SOI). Finally, (yep, a year later) we got the results - last night. Well, obviously we gave up on the school serving her learning needs a long time ago, we started hsing last October. Getting these test results makes me feel really mixed up, though.

 

I feel a) vindicated - like, "See, I told you so! I told you she wasn't challenged, & needed more!" Homeschooling was the best parenting decision we have ever made. I also feel like I now have permission to post on this board. I know, that is twisted, but I have been a little shy b/c of the whole weird gifted thing - is my kid *really* gifted, or just Gifted In My Own Mind? :glare: Anyway, ongoing struggle to try and let go of the labelling/structure of ps is colliding with my weird overachiever wiring.

 

b) frustrated - why does a school bother testing/identifying gifted students if they aren't going to do anything for them? This one I know I need to just let go of . . . we are so done with this school.

 

c) isolated - no one, I mean no one, IRL, wants to hear about hsing in the first place, and they *really* don't want to hear that you are doing it b/c your kid is high achieving. When people ask where she goes to school, and we say she is homeschooled, they automatically assume something is wrong with her (or me). If we say "No, actually the school wasn't challenging her, or meeting her learning needs" or whatever talk-around we come up with, they recoil. Visibly. It's like people feel threatened by our choice, for some reason. I don't know if they just don't want to be reminded that it's possible the schools aren't serving kids well? Or something? I'm curious how you guys answer questions about hsing to people IRL. I don't want to impose my choice/opinion/whatever on anyone, but I also don't want people thinking there is something wrong with my kid! (we live in a small town).

 

d) grateful - for this community. There is no one IRL, besides DH, I can talk to about any of this stuff. I am so grateful to be able to talk, listen, learn, and even rant here once in awhile. You guys are great.

 

 

So, on a different but related topic: :D

The one part of the test where Miss P scored "high average" rather than gifted or superior was in Figural Learning. This was defined as "The ability to work with shapes, objects and spatial relationships" and to "perceive stimuli as 'gestalt'" In my ongoing quest for perfection :tongue_smilie: does anyone have any favorite games, puzzles, etc. for working on this kind of thing? This is definitely my weak area, too, so I want to make sure not to inadvertently ignore it, as I'd be prone to do given my own and Miss P's proclivities.

 

Thanks for listening! You guys are great. :grouphug:

[Parrothead]

I'm feeling very mixed up today. :001_huh:

 

Small backstory: a year ago, at the end of 3rd grade, Miss P took her school's test used for ID-ing GATE students, the Structure of Intellect (SOI). Finally, (yep, a year later) we got the results - last night. Well, obviously we gave up on the school serving her learning needs a long time ago, we started hsing last October. Getting these test results makes me feel really mixed up, though.

Wow! Not on top of things are they?

 

I feel a) vindicated - like, "See, I told you so! I told you she wasn't challenged, & needed more!" Homeschooling was the best parenting decision we have ever made. I also feel like I now have permission to post on this board. I know, that is twisted, but I have been a little shy b/c of the whole weird gifted thing - is my kid *really* gifted, or just Gifted In My Own Mind? :glare: Anyway, ongoing struggle to try and let go of the labelling/structure of ps is colliding with my weird overachiever wiring.

I get it. I have my own issues, but I get yours. :grouphug:

 

b) frustrated - why does a school bother testing/identifying gifted students if they aren't going to do anything for them? This one I know I need to just let go of . . . we are so done with this school.

I think they have to attempt to identify these students. Technically they can list these kids as special needs. So while the school may not be actively providing adequate instruction for gifted kids, they may be getting extra federal money for them.

 

c) isolated - no one, I mean no one, IRL, wants to hear about hsing in the first place, and they *really* don't want to hear that you are doing it b/c your kid is high achieving. When people ask where she goes to school, and we say she is homeschooled, they automatically assume something is wrong with her (or me). If we say "No, actually the school wasn't challenging her, or meeting her learning needs" or whatever talk-around we come up with, they recoil. Visibly. It's like people feel threatened by our choice, for some reason. I don't know if they just don't want to be reminded that it's possible the schools aren't serving kids well? Or something? I'm curious how you guys answer questions about hsing to people IRL. I don't want to impose my choice/opinion/whatever on anyone, but I also don't want people thinking there is something wrong with my kid! (we live in a small town).

Hang around with us. We don't mind. Really lots of us live in small towns with no one who gets the multitude of reasons parents homeschool.

 

d) grateful - for this community. There is no one IRL, besides DH, I can talk to about any of this stuff. I am so grateful to be able to talk, listen, learn, and even rant here once in awhile. You guys are great.

:iagree:

 

So, on a different but related topic: :D

The one part of the test where Miss P scored "high average" rather than gifted or superior was in Figural Learning. This was defined as "The ability to work with shapes, objects and spatial relationships" and to "perceive stimuli as 'gestalt'" In my ongoing quest for perfection :tongue_smilie: does anyone have any favorite games, puzzles, etc. for working on this kind of thing? This is definitely my weak area, too, so I want to make sure not to inadvertently ignore it, as I'd be prone to do given my own and Miss P's proclivities.

 

Thanks for listening! You guys are great. :grouphug:

No resources I can think of off the top of my head.

[Kathy G]

Sorry about the lack of gifted ed at the school. If it makes you feel any better, my DD waited until she was old enough to get into GATE, tested in, then was disappointed by the lack of challenge, then we pulled her.

 

regarding the testing- look at the visual spatial thread going now- that will be helpful.

 

Best of luck- and post as often as you like! This is often the only place I come for people who "get it" (other than my hubby of course!)

 

Welcome! :)

 

Kathy

[Stef03]

Wow that took them a long time!! I totally get your frustration :grouphug:

As for what to say to ppl in real life I'm all :bigear: to the responses you'll get. I always find it to be a very awkward subject so I avoid it/change the conversation as much as possible. It always seems that however I try to phrase it people will think something's wrong with DS, with me, or that I think my son's too good for the schools their kids are at.... :sigh:

[RanchGirl]

A year late with results AND no options anyway? That's crazy! How sad for the other gifted kids still in the school whose parents who don't realize they have options!

 

As for what to say about why you're homeschooling, I have the exact same problem and I have never come up with a good solution. People do seem to feel judged or intimidated because we have made different choices than them, no matter how supportive I try to be of them and their kids. On the one hand I don't understand it, on the other hand I do see there could be a cognitive dissonance thing going on with those who don't really want to even consider homeschooling as a positive option for their own children, some of whom might thrive in a homeschooling environment.

[Crimson Wife]

California requires districts to ID students for GATE but does not require the districts to actually do anything with them. :glare: The original mandate dates back to Sputnik era when the government actually wanted to tap into bright kids' abilities, but today the political climate is very different.

[SunnyDays]

A whole YEAR later, Rose? Good grief. I can certainly understand the mixed feelings.

 

I have a hard time figuring out what to tell people too. If it's a quick, shallow conversation, I usually toss out something like, "It gives us flexibility to help him pursue more interests." Which is true. Like math at the level he actually needs. ;) And foreign language, and computer programming, etc. We live in an area that encompasses a few districts, so it doesn't stand out as much for us, luckily.

 

At least you know you ARE meeting DD's needs now!! :grouphug:

[jenbrdsly]

:grouphug: Welcome to this board!

 

I'm unfamiliar with the test you are mentioning, but I'm wondering if the figurative/gestalt thing might look something like this on the Cogat. If so, maybe the Critical Thinking Press catalogue might help.

[slackermom]

A whole YEAR later, Rose? Good grief. I can certainly understand the mixed feelings.

 

 

This is what we are facing too. Our school system tests in late September/early October of third grade in order to determine whether or not they qualify for a more advance curriculum starting in fourth grade. And that fourth grade placement is not guaranteed, even if you test higher than other students, due to various other priorities within the school system. You have to apply for a seat in the more advanced program, and you find out in the spring where you will be assigned in the fall. :glare:

 

This is why we afterschool for now. DD was so bored and frustrated with K and 1st. :banghead: At least her 2nd grade teacher has been willing to work with us. I think by the time we find out about whether or not DD gets into the "advanced" program, she may be too far ahead of that class to bother. We'll see. I am getting more comfortable with the idea of homeschooling the remainder of elementary school, but I think I would have to join a co-op or something so we could say she goes to the "(whatever)" school.

 

I am also very grateful for this place where I can discuss DD more openly. For some reason, people who had really positive reactions to an advanced 3 or 4 year old have a different reaction to an even more advanced 7 year old.

[tarahillmom]

I am sorry too that you are feeling so frustrated. I hope as you continue to homeschool you will meet like-minded people IRL. I find it difficult IRL to talk about my son because my frustrations of meeting his needs can be seen as me bragging about how smart my child is. It is not my intent, I am just frustrated that the resources don't exist for the highly gifted here in small town SC. You are so right about having this community for support and guidance.

[Slipper]

Here's another "look on the bright side" type post. :) My daughter was in gifted education for the last two years. The first year, she went to a pull-out program twice a week for 1.5 hours each time. Unfortunately, the teacher didn't show up very often, maybe 1 or 2 times a month.

 

This past year, her teacher was more reliable, but they only met 1x a week for 2 hours a time. The projects they were assigned were not very challenging or inspiring. It was truly a waste of time.

 

We will be homechooling her next year. I know there are places with great gifted programs, but ours wasn't. I ordered a lot of things from The Critical Thinking Co. and she is really enjoying them. Good luck :)

[Chrysalis Academy]

:grouphug: Welcome to this board!

 

I'm unfamiliar with the test you are mentioning, but I'm wondering if the figurative/gestalt thing might look something like this on the Cogat. If so, maybe the Critical Thinking Press catalogue might help.

 

 

Yes, I think that is exactly what it looks like. I will have to pull out our BTS 2 book and maybe work through the figural chapters after all . . . we thought the book was kinda boring and workbooky when we tried it before, but I know that some of the figural analogies and rotating figure exercises would be very good for her.

 

We are also going to tackle the Geometry chapter of BA in August (she's been working through BA 3B on her own) and I think that will be a good challenge - I keep reading that people find BA ideal for visuospatial learners (which is how I interpret the figural learning thing).

 

I was also looking at the visuospatial learning thread, and I think that I'm looking for things like the game Set, Pentominoes, etc. Maybe Math Mind Benders? She did the wordy mind benders and really enjoyed that.

 

Any other fun games like Pentominoes, Set, Tetris, etc. that you guys have liked, that rely mostly on figural/visual stuff, instead of words? I'm not trying to turn this into an ordeal, just to have some fun with figural perceptual games & stuff, because it's not something we would naturally gravitate to or seek out.

 

And thanks for sharing your experiences with IRL friends - it's nice to know I'm not the only one running into these issues! :001_smile:

[crazyfordlr]

California requires districts to ID students for GATE but does not require the districts to actually do anything with them. :glare: The original mandate dates back to Sputnik era when the government actually wanted to tap into bright kids' abilities, but today the political climate is very different.

Yep, another CA parent here. My ydd has been accepted into GATE but there's no money. All they're currently doing is making accommodations in the classroom. Well, I'm the teacher and her classroom is our dining room table. I do nothing but accommodate all day! Frustrating to say the least!

[calimom04]

I'm in CA too, and this doesn't surprise me! I'm glad to homeschool. I'm not sure they really care about challenging the kids nowdays. Its more like just getting them to go to school so they can keep the doors open kind of an education.

[daijobu]

Are you in the Bay Area? You might try joining BAGHS (bay area gifted homeschoolers) for more support.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Are you in the Bay Area? You might try joining BAGHS (bay area gifted homeschoolers) for more support.

 

Thanks for the suggestion! We're actually in Sonoma County, so that's a little bit of a schlep for us. But I'll keep an eye on it, thanks.

[jenbrdsly]

For some reason, So CAL is MUCH better about GATE. San Diego Unified has one of the oldest programs in the country.