Considering Giftedness testing/evaluation

[scrapbookbuzz]

My 8yo son has an amazing mind: great at memorization, amazing at grasping language and concepts, etc. He also has told me lately he feels like no one

really understands him. There are other things, too, but the more I think about it and talk to people about giftedness, it makes me think I should at least have

him tested. Have any of you been there/done that with your son?

[Catwoman]

I guess it all depends on your goals for the testing.

 

What will change if your son gets tested and the results show that he is gifted? What will change if you have him tested and the results are that he's average or above average, but not truly gifted?

 

I know my opinion may not be popular here, but I'm not always overly excited about labeling kids. It sets up a lot of expectations (one way or the other.)

 

One of the best things about homeschooling is that we can work with our kids at whatever level is appropriate for them, so I don't personally believe that testing for things like giftedness are necessary. (If you were talking about him having some sort of learning disability, I would answer differently.) I'm also not so sure the test results are always entirely accurate.

[Tammi K]

I'm mama to a pretty clever 12 year old. We've asked ourselves the same question about testing. Here's what we considered:

 

The first thing you should ask yourself is what you will do with the results. Will you pursue enrichment programs that require verification (Stanford, Hopkins, etc)? Will you seek advanced classes through a school program? Do you just want reassurance that what you see is verifiable?

Your end goal might help you determine your path. It sounds like you have a good grasp of your son's strengths. Is it possible to teach to those strengths without testing? Or do you feel like you need direction to help him find specific areas of strength?

 

IQ testing will tell you if he's 'gifted' in a conventional sense and may give you insight into areas of strength but it won't necessarily help you chart a course.

 

ETA: I must have been posting at the same time as Catwoman. Great minds thinking alike!!!

[scrapbookbuzz]

Good insights and great questions. My best friend asked me pretty much the same thing: would I do anything differently? In all honesty, I don't know.

Maybe what I'm trying to figure out is the best course of education for him. He can do an amazing amount of academic work for an 8 year old boy before

he has to say, "Mom, I'm tired" Guess I just need to think about why I think it's important to get him tested.

[Catwoman]

I'm mama to a pretty clever 12 year old. We've asked ourselves the same question about testing. Here's what we considered:

 

The first thing you should ask yourself is what you will do with the results. Will you pursue enrichment programs that require verification (Stanford, Hopkins, etc)? Will you seek advanced classes through a school program? Do you just want reassurance that what you see is verifiable?

Your end goal might help you determine your path. It sounds like you have a good grasp of your son's strengths. Is it possible to teach to those strengths without testing? Or do you feel like you need direction to help him find specific areas of strength?

 

IQ testing will tell you if he's 'gifted' in a conventional sense and may give you insight into areas of strength but it won't necessarily help you chart a course.

 

ETA: I must have been posting at the same time as Catwoman. Great minds thinking alike!!!

 

Apparently so, because I completely agree with everything you just posted! :D

[Staceyshoe]

Our oldest has been through testing a couple of different times. It was helpful for me in ways that I never expected it be. When you don't know what the results will be, it's hard to know how you will respond to them. It helped to answer questions that I hadn't even been able to verbalize. The second tester we used was particularly helpful. He didn't just provide us with basic information about the actual scores. He spent a lot of time in interviews with us and ds both before and after the testing. The raw scores weren't nearly as valuable as the discussion we had about them.

 

I think it's important to approach testing realizing that it's one source of information--and that it's a fallible one. I guess I don't see a "downside" to gathering more information this way if it's put in the proper perspective.

[Rebecca VA]

Knowledge is power. If you know what a child's strengths are, you can challenge him. If you know his weaknesses, you can work with him on those, or at least be merciful when he struggles.

 

I had my child tested years ago when we were thinking of putting her in school (we didn't at that time). The testing showed high strengths in surprising areas, and it also showed some mild learning disabilities. I was very glad to get that information.

[Alessandra]

I would test. I am coming from the other end of the spectrum, special needs. Information about learning issues has been tremendously helpful.

 

I know several parents IRL who have truly gifted dc. In at least two cases, the children have some difficulties due to giftedness. Having the dc do some advanced work -- as at the CTY program -- has been a big confidence builder for these kids, as they have peers they are comfortable with. So, yes, it has helped those parents to know. From what I gather (NOT my personal experience), gifted kids can have behavior problems because they are not challenged in school -- everything comes too easily; then, in high school, when real work is required, some gifted kids may be at risk for failure because they don't know how to study/organize.

[Dana]

You may also want to ask on the Accelerated Learner Board.

 

My son has participated in talent searches through Northwestern (NUMATS), Johns Hopkins (CTY), and this year Duke (TIP).

The talent programs let your child take an out-of-level test. The programs have explanations on their sites on why to take an out-of-level test (spreads out the upper end of the bell curve if your child is testing in the >95% on a standardized test).

 

We also had an IQ test done last year.

I'd met with a psychologist who does IQ testing a couple years before when someone else set it up. She said "You test when you have a question you want answered." We didn't have a question that needed answering until seeing results from Explore testing...then we had an IQ test done with the university (so it was more affordable).

 

Testing doesn't change the child in any way.

It has given me more information so I've been working at changing the way I interact with my son.

I'm seeing a bit better how to challenge him. I've got a bit more information on where his strengths are and more info on what his capabilities are. I still work at recognizing when I need to push and when I need to back off. (Is it an issue of him not understanding something or is it an issue of him not focusing?)

 

It sounds like you have a question.

I'd get testing done. There's nothing to lose with it.

I do understand earlier posters concerns about labeling... but a label isn't an identity... and it can help with explanations. I'm also almost always in favor of more information :)

 

Best of luck!

[EKS]

I've had both kids tested. The first kid has a host of diagnoses in addition to being gifted, which is why we started the testing process in the first place. We tested the younger one because we wanted to be sure we weren't missing something given that his older brother had so many issues. We also wanted to know how out there he really was.

[AnIslandGirl]

My 8yo son has an amazing mind: great at memorization, amazing at grasping language and concepts, etc. He also has told me lately he feels like no one

really understands him.

 

Regardless of if you have testing done, I'd find a way to address this first. Many gifted children do have a hard time relating to their peers, and often you will find that interactions with adults and older children give them the intellectual stimulation they crave. Find your sons passion and roll with it. We see so many bright minds that really do need "more" of everything. They may feel things more intensely, they want to learn more in depth... always wanting more. You many want to look into the organization SENG as well.

 

Testing can be wonderful for many. You may find that you see your child in a different light, but remember that he is still the same child. As a GT coordinator, I have seen both sides to testing. Usually it is a great experience and really opens pathways for the gifted learners, but you have to really watch out that a number doesn't cloud your expectations. When you find yourself thinking, "You're smarter than this, it should be easy for you", that's when it's time to take a step back. An IQ is really just a number not an indicator of ability.

 

Then there is the difference of a gifted child and an advanced one. If you do have a gifted child, what are your goals and expectations that having formal testing will accomplish? How will you as a parent and also your child himself feel if the testing comes back lower than you may anticipate? The older the child is, the more emotional the entire process is. If you're looking into gifted programs or schools, then great! Remember though, that you can offer your son opportunities for advancement, or deeper coverage of topics starting today. You certainly don't have to wait for testing. I love when parents let the child's interests lead them, providing support and encouragement to "take it to the next level".

 

Good luck in whatever path you choose. It sounds like you have a wonderful young man!

[magnificent_baby]

I think it can be very helpful. Dd was tested in PS, which gave teachers something concrete to work with in order to meet her needs. It was very necessary in that situation. I didn't use the information specifically when we homeschooled as I could customize her work easily, but if you feel any academic or social struggles, it can have tremendous value for you. She hasn't been tested in years, but knowing where she stands (or stood at the time) helps me decipher issues from a social standpoint. It sounds like he may be struggling a bit too from a social perspective.

 

I think the key is to find someone who can interpret test results for you, and give you advice on what to do with the information. I received all the test results from her school, but had to research to figure out for myself how the results would have an impact on her from here on out. I have made a lot of phone calls but no one specialized in giftedness, so I didn't persue it further.

 

I would not recommend one particular online "test" that the parent takes that gives you a range of what IQ could be. It actually was somewhat accurate and came close to the IQ from her previous testing. I felt like it was a waste of money, and just gave generalizations that I already knew. I thought the info given after the test would be more specific. I can PM you the site.

 

There's a website with very valuable information called Hoagie's. You can find online forums with so much great information, in fact I think there is a homeschooling section on there somewhere.

 

Good luck to you and Ds!

[jhschool]

I would test *and* educate myself as to what the results meant and as to the

needs of gifted children.

 

We tested when DS was 5 but I did not educate myself. As a result we did nothing special for him.

We just kept doing everything the same way we would have done if he hadn't tested.

(Because I thought--why should the numbers change what we do?)

 

Only lately (this year) am I educating myself as to what you can do for gifted kids and how

they can really benefit from support.

I wish I had done this 10 years ago. I would have understood DS much better, selected

his environment better, protected him from some things, exposed him to other things, etc.

He did turn out a wonderful young man (hardworking, polite, good attitude, happy),

but I actually feel heartbroken sometimes when

I realize what it must have been like for him not having his needs met for so many years

and how frustrating and unsatisfying so many experiences were--and now I know why.

He did his best with what we provided but it could have been so much better.

 

I would say go ahead and test. But then get as much information as you can as to

what you can do about it--and then make the decision that fits your family the best.

[Mango]

Interesting topic. My 7 yo ds started cello lessons in January and has just finished the first suzuki book. Musically talented to the nth degree evidently. I wonder where he got that gene!!! But it has made me think that he might be gifted in other areas too. He's an easy kid to teach. But it's only with music that we've seen this explosion of energy, passion and dedication. This is the kid who has to be told to take a 10 minute break for every 30 minutes of practice. And then we shut him down after 2 hrs. :lol:

 

I wonder though where else he might be gifted or maybe not?

[AnIslandGirl]

Mango,

The book, You're Smarter Than You Think: A kid's guide to multiple intelligences is always a top recommendation to bring up giftedness across different areas. Some children will immediately recognize their strong areas as it has easy to understand checklists. Our local library has a few copies, so you may want to check yours as well.

 

http://www.amazon.co...s/dp/1575421135

[wapiti]

Old threads on the Accelerated Learner board might be helpful. Here are a few:

 

Intelligence Testing

Would you pursue additional testing?

Advantages vs. Disadvantages of testing

Is it worth testing?

Testing for giftness?