Best school string for gifted children.

[marekeener]

At what age did you all know that your child was gifted? I have 4.5 yr old twins. My son's pre-school teachers have hinted to me that they think he has ADD. They said he spaces out during class. They said he always knows the answers when asked but does not seem to be paying attention. He also hates to sit and write letters and things. He is well behaved and does sit still during circle time. The strange thing is that he LOVES math. He can add fractions like 4-1/2 + 6-1/4. He does it all in his head. Also if you ask him what 5+4+2+5 is he can figure it out in his head pretty quickly. My friends are saying they think he may just be board. I don't know what to do. I don't want him to dislike school as his teachers were starting to get short with him. He hated school by the end of the year. He used to go to speech for stuttering and his speech teacher insists that he is fine and that we should look at Montesory school for him. We can't afford that and am a little nervouse about that. Can you get a pre-schooler tested for giftedness? If they are what do you do then?

[Mattie]

Last Minute Mom, Fulton (at least North Fulton), does have a gifted program for high schoolers, called TAG. My son qualified for it, but so far he hasn't opted to take the classes. They are pulled from the usual schedule, and then the class that is missed must be made up. At this point he would rather concentrate on his AP work. However, next year, as a senior, it is my understanding that he will have the option of an internship in an area that interests him, such as engineering.

[Windu]

Originally Posted by marekeener

At what age did you all know that your child was gifted? I have 4.5 yr old twins. My son's pre-school teachers have hinted to me that they think he has ADD. They said he spaces out during class. They said he always knows the answers when asked but does not seem to be paying attention. He also hates to sit and write letters and things. He is well behaved and does sit still during circle time. The strange thing is that he LOVES math. He can add fractions like 4-1/2 + 6-1/4. He does it all in his head. Also if you ask him what 5+4+2+5 is he can figure it out in his head pretty quickly. My friends are saying they think he may just be board. I don't know what to do. I don't want him to dislike school as his teachers were starting to get short with him. He hated school by the end of the year. He used to go to speech for stuttering and his speech teacher insists that he is fine and that we should look at Montesory school for him. We can't afford that and am a little nervouse about that. Can you get a pre-schooler tested for giftedness? If they are what do you do then?

Yes, you can have your kids tested now, people do it everyday. Google "JATP test" and see if you can find the brochure that the Atlanta private schools give out to prospective families. It has names of counselors that test kids for intelligence.

Don't hesitate. If your child is gifted and/or has ADD (not mutually exclusive, see link below), you want to start providing what he needs now. Get ready for a challenge, and you'll be amazed what your kid can achieve if you provide the resources. My 5 year old learned to read 15 digit numbers in about 20 minutes the other day, and he's not in Kindergarten yet.

Here's a link to get you started:
ADHD and children who are gifted (http://www.gt-cybersource.org/Record.aspx?NavID=2_0&rid=11416 - broken link)

The Davidson Institute is there to help you with your gifted child, and plenty of other resources can be found online.

[NYVAFLtransplant]

lastminutemom -

I'm thinking of moving to ATL in the next few months and I have 3 children in gifted and advance classes. Would you happen to know the names of the schools in North Fulton where your friend's children went to schoo?. Thanks so much.

[208happystreet]

Georgia has state rules that you can look up on the Internet as to what is required in terms of admission and what a school must provide for gifted children. However, that being said, there are differences in the schools in GA as to what they do. Some schools may only allow a middle schooler to take one gifted class, whereas others you can take four. Advanced mathematics varies by county and this program does not fall under gifted but many gifted are in it. I believe there are only 5 counties in GA that have an advanced math curriculum whereby a 6th grader for example can take 7th grade math. Also, foreign language really varies here, as there are places with no foreign language to speak of until high school. Additionally, not all schools have honors classes in middle school.

[NYVAFLtransplant]

Originally Posted by marekeener

At what age did you all know that your child was gifted? I have 4.5 yr old twins. My son's pre-school teachers have hinted to me that they think he has ADD. They said he spaces out during class. They said he always knows the answers when asked but does not seem to be paying attention. He also hates to sit and write letters and things. He is well behaved and does sit still during circle time. The strange thing is that he LOVES math. He can add fractions like 4-1/2 + 6-1/4. He does it all in his head. Also if you ask him what 5+4+2+5 is he can figure it out in his head pretty quickly. My friends are saying they think he may just be board. I don't know what to do. I don't want him to dislike school as his teachers were starting to get short with him. He hated school by the end of the year. He used to go to speech for stuttering and his speech teacher insists that he is fine and that we should look at Montesory school for him. We can't afford that and am a little nervouse about that. Can you get a pre-schooler tested for giftedness? If they are what do you do then?

I knew very early on as they talked very early and were so inquisitive. My 15yo would sing almost any song she heard, perfectly since she was 2. My 13yo could tell you about any subject on anything by the time he was 4, and my 12yo stared speaking in complete sentences at the age of 18 months. All 3 have been stellar students, which has sometimes been difficult since I have had to find schools and curriculums that would keep them occupied. We tried a few private schools and some were great, while others just could not keep their interest. We finally decided on public school but in a different county (we are still in Florida). I was impressed with the way they structured their teaching and they were always willing to give the students more if needed. Now the 15 yowants to study music at Yale and Julliard, the 13 yo wants science and engineering at MIT, and the 12yo is looking forward to pre-med at Harvard.

[lastminutemom]

Originally Posted by NYVAFLtransplant

lastminutemom -

I'm thinking of moving to ATL in the next few months and I have 3 children in gifted and advance classes. Would you happen to know the names of the schools in North Fulton where your friend's children went to schoo?. Thanks so much.

I personally wouldn't move a highschooler unless I had to, especially if they are experiencing success where they are. If she really wants to go to Yale, teacher recommendations are going to be a key part of her package. North Fulton High Schools are huge and coming in late makes it even harder to build those relationships.

The top high school in the state based on SAT scores is Northview. All the feeders (elementary and middle) are considered very strong.