Gifted kids moving here (Houston: private school, teacher, learners)

[texas7]

Why is it that everyone who moves to Houston has gifted kids? We should be the top country in math/science/arts/technology/writing etc because our entire city is already filled with only gifted kids with thousands more moving here by the week.

While yes there are kids truly gifted, I don't believe there are so many gifted ones. I think except for a few exceptions, gifted is actually the new normal. Gifted keeps them out of the classes with the slower learners and the troubled ones.

[GTRdad]

it's normal, before puberty

[texas7]

Lol. The normal classes must be empty, should have a great teacher/student ratio.

[lipbalm]

Our definition of "gifted" has changed quite a bit since i was a kid. You almost had to be the next Albert Einstein to qualify back in the day.

[Dopo]

I disagree,
I bet most parents just think that their kid is gifted.

I have a gifted son that is 9 (4th grade), he learned how to read when he was 3 and was always 2 years ahead in reading in his class.
Guess what... It's not all great, because gifted kids, like my son, tend to be behind in social skills and sports.
In math, science, reading ... he can anybody's b... anyday
Every single day I have to work with him on his social skills and try to get him to go outside and play a game or sport, because he would rather stay inside reading books.

I was just told that this year's GT project for him is "research the black hole"
piece of cake for him, he's always talking about it.

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by lipbalm

Our definition of "gifted" has changed quite a bit since i was a kid. You almost had to be the next Albert Einstein to qualify back in the day.

Yeah. All ours started reading at 3. One read Watership Down at 6 years old. He was just a normal A/B student in private school, but needed constantly entertainment and motion. My nephew is crazy smart, but got labelled hyperactive child because he was darn bored. He was dsylexic as well, aka dumb in public school... It was kind of a nightmare. He's at Stanford now.

[AOLiga]

Originally Posted by lipbalm

Our definition of "gifted" has changed quite a bit since i was a kid. You almost had to be the next Albert Einstein to qualify back in the day.

I agree with you. When I think of "gifted," I think of Einstein, Mozart, Hawking, etc. Today's version of gifted just seems to mean "very bright."

[key2thecity]

The term "gifted" is a dime a dozen these days. My daughter is one of the "real" gifted ones... she began reading and talking early, her reading, math and language skills have consistently been three to five grades ahead since she entered school, etc. Her teacher (20 yr veteran) even confessed to me that the term "gifted" has run its course and that only a small percentage of people in general should ever receive the "gifted" label. She said that the qualifications for the term has changed over the years.

I feel that gifted kids should be engaged and pushed to do more, especially in STEM fields. But I also believe that labeling kids - positively or negatively - is a waste. People should focus more on cultivating a child's talents. Every kid isn't going to be book smart or the next Einstein. Some of them will be good at basic things and should be pushed to excel within their talent.

I'm proud my child is as smart as she is and I plan to nurture that, but I think people need to get over the labels already. Like the op said, we should be the smartest city in the nation with all the "gifted" kids we have moving here, lol.

[GTRdad]

My son is gifted too. He jumps off outdoor play structures that is 6 foot high starting at 3yo. He finds slides are boring

[swopoe]

With our son, in second grade, the elem school pretty much ran out of appropriately leveled texts for him to read because he was so far ahead. He pretty much reads our adult books now at home. But, I agree that the gifted label can be a misnomer. Our daughter is not labeled gifted, but she is much better in math than our son and has other talents, such as art. Each child is different and special in their own way, and they should be treated as such.