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My older son was tested for the GATE program and passed. I had to check the mailing address because I thought surely it was a mistake.
He was slower at everything, potty training, walking, talking, reading, etc. Also, people always said curiosity was a sure sign of intelligence. So, if they get into cabinets and drawers, this meant they were smart. Well, my son just sat with his Legos day after day, year after year. He didn't want to read, or color or play sports.
So imagine my surprise when he tested as "gifted".
Ever since then, he tested in the 99% range in all categories. His teachers always remarked on how smart he was and would tell me about his accomplishments. He score a 30 on the ACT.
Blah. Blah. Blah.
Now, he's 21 years old, never went to college, never held a job, never even got a drivers license. He is couch-surfing at his father's place and on the computer all day.
Oh you're little darling is gifted? Good luck.
My youngest is an ace in getting into cabinets, escaping, and generally getting into trouble due to her inquisitiveness. I guess she's a gonna be a gosh-durned genius
This is great! I did not know there were any real people like this right now. thanks. I have heard of some in the past. Good to know they are still around. Not sure we should have special programs in our schools to develop four or five kids giftedness. They probably do not go to normal school anyway, at least not for long.
You said "uncommonly brilliant and creative". Those are going to be, well, uncommon. Perhaps we need to just jettison the term "gifted" and realize that there are kids with more aptitude and provide them a more challenging curriculum.
The brightest of them are going to end up in college programs like this one:
But then, all the threads on the parenting forum debating giftedness are interesting.
There is a difference between being academically advanced and being gifted, in my opinion.
There is a difference between wanting to "do something great" or with one's giftedness and wanting to just live an average life despite being gifted. And it could very well be that a gifted person chooses to live an average life -- doing so is not an indicator that the person crashed and burned or wasn't gifted after all. Anyone can fail or choose not to live up to their "potential."
I, perhaps naively, believe that most parents who push for challenging or rigorous academics for their children are doing it for the benefit of their children, not for bragging rights. But I do notice the bragging parents who want their children to outshine everyone else and get the best teachers and receive all the special benefits. They are annoying, but teachers and principals who play into that and hold those children above the others are just as bad.
Yet the ones who proclaim, "you're no more special than anyone else" should think about that they are saying and the message they are trying to convey. Because it can very easily sound like one is intimidated by the very highly intelligent or the gifted. And since we all have something to contribute to society, I don't understand the intimidation. It's not easy being gifted, just like it's not easy being of low intelligence. It appears that this society likes to dump on both groups of people.
Yes there's a big difference between getting into the Gifted and Talented program and being truly brilliant. I was a smart kid and always in the G&T program, AP classes etc. but my IQ is only a little above average and I worked hard for my grades. My son (he was adopted so these aren't my genes) is highly gifted in that he has an IQ in the 98%. Those are the kids who wind up with the social and emotional issues that go along with high IQs. We work with a psychiatrist that specializes in gifted kids.
OP could it be that her kid really is gifted? Why do you care again?
But then, all the threads on the parenting forum debating giftedness are interesting.
There is a difference between being academically advanced and being gifted, in my opinion.
There is a difference between wanting to "do something great" or with one's giftedness and wanting to just live an average life despite being gifted. And it could very well be that a gifted person chooses to live an average life -- doing so is not an indicator that the person crashed and burned or wasn't gifted after all. Anyone can fail or choose not to live up to their "potential."
I, perhaps naively, believe that most parents who push for challenging or rigorous academics for their children are doing it for the benefit of their children, not for bragging rights. But I do notice the bragging parents who want their children to outshine everyone else and get the best teachers and receive all the special benefits. They are annoying, but teachers and principals who play into that and hold those children above the others are just as bad.
Yet the ones who proclaim, "you're no more special than anyone else" should think about that they are saying and the message they are trying to convey. Because it can very easily sound like one is intimidated by the very highly intelligent or the gifted. And since we all have something to contribute to society, I don't understand the intimidation. It's not easy being gifted, just like it's not easy being of low intelligence. It appears that this society likes to dump on both groups of people.
Yes.
And the petulance/smugness regarding gifted people "not being able to live in the real world" is a bit bemusing as well.
Truly gifted, non linear, connect the dots that we don't even know exist yet gifted people don't end up in the real world, nor should they.
They are courted by high level academia, mega corps, and governments, because they have the capacity to completely change our existence as we know it. One just hopes that they are used for good and not evil.
However, recall that she was very proud her kid was taking assessments to ascertain ability. Talked it up. Then the machine was broken, and then nothing more was said about assessments. Othertimes she complains about standardized testing because they don't factor in creativity. Pretty much anytime there is an opportunity to measure her kids performance against a standard, something comes up and the results are never discussed. Just endless talk about being gifted and the gifted books mom is reading and gifted this and gifted that.
However, recall that she was very proud her kid was taking assessments to ascertain ability. Talked it up. Then the machine was broken, and then nothing more was said about assessments. Othertimes she complains about standardized testing because they don't factor in creativity. Pretty much anytime there is an opportunity to measure her kids performance against a standard, something comes up and the results are never discussed. Just endless talk about being gifted and the gifted books mom is reading and gifted this and gifted that.
Well I agree that's just icky whether the kid is gifted or not.
Yes, but most employers/college have wised up and realize that they are just superficial labels. All the concepts are the same. "Honors" and "AP" courses have the same curriculum as the general classes, often with more useless busywork so it appears that the child is doing advanced work. If a new concept is introduced then it will just be taught later for the general public of school, so AP and honors are really just labels. Employers really couldn't care less if your kid was in AP and honors classes in school.
Not in our experience. if that was the case, mine wouldn't have graduated high school with 42 college credits, and maintained his academic scholarship through the college honors program. He isn't a genius, he's advanced. And, he works hard. Which really, makes the difference as far as success goes.
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