Gifted classes/school --- why the overwhelming demand?

[disneyjunkie]

That's ********. My son took the test with no prepping at all. Do you think we send our third graders to test preparers? How ridiculous.

Maybe you didn't, but there are plenty that do. There are preschools here that charge big bucks(20K) and they spend tons of time prepping kids for the GT exam.

GT is a big deal here. The applications go out in the fall for kids entering k-4 the following school year. The apps are due in by late Oct or early Nov. They start test kids in January and February. Test results go out in April. This year they were emailed to parents 12:00am April 26.

 

[stepmommyof1]

Leajess99
i was popular and I'm happy where I am without regrets. I'm sorry that your former classmates haven't experienced that.
Clearly, popularity is NOT the MOST important thing, but in my experience it DID make the high school years more FUN.
Maybe you just have the same eyeball rolling reaction to the word popular that I have to he word gifted.

 

[okeydokey]

I was popular and I'm happy where I am without regrets. I'm sorry that your former classmates haven't experienced that.
Clearly, popularity is NOT the MOST important thing, but in my experience it did make the high school years more fun. When people think it's bad to care about popularity I usually just assume that they were unpopular when they were in school.

I guess some could also assume that those who don't care about gifted education were not that smart when they were in school.

Funny, I think you edited your thread right after I quoted it.

 

[stepmommyof1]

Yes I went back and edited my post because it was rude.
Anyway, nope I guess I'm not smart at all.
I was always on an IEP with bad learning disabilities across the board. I barely made it through school and wanted to drop out of college because I couldn't get into the program I was trying to get into and could barely make passing grades. I did not drop out but it was the biggest challenge ever and I had to do an "easy" major that I wasn't even interested in, just because it had the only requirements I could pass.
My stepson struggles in reading but is fine in math.
But my parents told me the same thing I now tell stepson. Try your best, work hard to get passing grades, and focus on your strengths- people at school like you and your popular which means you have the opportunity to be a positive influence. You can also find other areas of life you have talent in, maybe it doesn't involve school but you will be good at other things (art, athletics etc.)

 

[tasha99]

I don't know much about current gifted programs--the one of my three kids who is bona fide gifted is in college and my younger two are very bright, but not "gifted" in the classical high IQ sense (they're smart, but only a SD or so over the mean).

I do know what the OP means by gifted kids being at risk for dropping out. I come from a family of high achievers who dropped out of high school. Funny, but of my siblings, it's the smart but not gifted ones who graduated in the normal way from high school. The three of us who were in TAG dropped out or got adult diplomas, but all ended up getting advanced degrees in later life. Go figure. My smartest sister dropped out at 13, yet got a 1600 on her SAT (back in the day when that was the max). I guess what I'm trying to get at is that gifted and good grades/school success don't always go together, especially for teens.

 

[Leajess99]

Leajess99
i was popular and I'm happy where I am without regrets. I'm sorry that your former classmates haven't experienced that.
Clearly, popularity is NOT the MOST important thing, but in my experience it DID make the high school years more FUN.
Maybe you just have the same eyeball rolling reaction to the word popular that I have to he word gifted.

Tell ya what, get back to me when you have been out of school for 20 years and let me know how important that being popular in high school really is.

In ref to a latter post, did anyone get you help for your struggles?? Colleges have programs to help those with LDs.

As a parent I have always told my kids they can do anything they want to do in life with hardwork. My kids are raised to know that school is important and doing your best is what helps you to succeed. Clothing and popularity do little to help with that. My kids don't care about the name brand clothes and so care about other people. None of my kids are followers.

I could care less about "popularity" as your looks can only get you so far in life and then they fade whereas your brains can get you a lot farther.

I hate Science and Math but I did not let that stop me from taking the classes necessary for the Computer Programming Degree I was going for once upon a time. I had to take Physics and I had to work harder at that than I have every had to work in my life. I was also a single parent with 3 kids, youngest was 3 with special needs, but while she was at school I was working on homework and getting help if needed.

If your stepson struggles than find him help. That would be the best thing you could do for him. Spend some money on a tutor so he can succeed.

 

[Leajess99]

I guess some could also assume that those who don't care about gifted education were not that smart when they were in school.

Funny, I think you edited your thread right after I quoted it.

Wow, I just read her response you had quoted and just had to laugh. I could care less about being popular (had more than enough friends and high school was fun though I still studied and got pretty good grades) and thus far my kids are the same way.

Clothing changes over time and looks fade away and then what do you have??

 

[Poohforyou]

Amen! My DD was in g/t in elementary school, and we moved to another state. She didn't QUALIFY for g/t at her new middle school.

Well, she ended up with a 1500 on the SAT, 32 on the ACT, National Merit Commended, and scholarships from every single college she applied to. So, she turned out alright without the G/T!

Every program has to draw the line somewhere. I'm sure there are some very bright kids that don't qualify for G&T programs. Maybe her first school didn't have as high a cut off as the new one or maybe she had a bad day when she was tested. Middle school can be a tough transition for even the brightest child. Lots of kids are late bloomers and don't hit their academic stride until HS or college.

 

[babytrees]

But put them in a regular setting and see if they would be. But that is not the gist of this thread...just wanting to know about the overhhelming demand of the classes/programs.

my kid has been in G/T since 2nd grade, her sister wasn't. Both are of above average intelligence but one started school in a district that doesn't have a gifted program. Neither were/are at risk for leaving without graduating. Both were/are bored in most of their classes but not graduating was never an option for them personally.

I think the reason lots of people are wanting/pressuring their kids in G/T programs is to show how special their kids are. That and G/T classes are status symbols (for the parents).

 

[Poohforyou]

There is so much talk on this board about having gifted children.
I don't really get it...I'm just happy if my stepson does his best and doesn't get bad grades. More important than that is if he's a good kid- kind, responsible, generous etc.
Although I'll admit this...even though I'm not too into if he can be gifted, I am into being popular. It's important to me that he has the right clothes and is good looking and all that, because I care more about popularity than about getting the best grades. (People here have told me that's because I'm still young and when I'm older I'll feel differently.)
Maybe I'll understand all this gifted stuff someday if I have a baby of my own. Maybe I'll feel differently then, who knows. Maybe I'll want my baby to be gifted too!

There is a very small % of the population that can be classified as truely gifted. My daughter is not one of them IMO. However, she is very bright and learns quickly. We're in a top performing district and she was identified as an exceptional learner in 2nd grade. As a result she got pulled out in elementary school for math and reading and is now in honors math and language arts in middle school. She has an EALP that identifies the services she will receive to meet her academic needs. She doesn't get this from me or DH for that matter since DD is adopted. DH is much more of an academic than I am. Based on what DD knew as of last year I was definitely not smarter than my 5th grader .

She's cute to boot but doesn't give a hoot about wearing the latest fashion or being popular. I hope her academic achievements will get her into a good college and perhaps get her some scholarship money. But most importantly, like most parents, I just hope she grows up to be happy.

 

[stepmommyof1]

Yes, in college I used every resource available to me as a learning disabled student and spent money getting outside resources as well. If I had not, there's no way I would've gotten through. I barely made it even with all the help. While students around me spend 20-30 minutes working alone on their math assignment, I spent 3-4 hours every night working with a tutor on the assignment , and when we got done with that we'd spend more hours on the review and practice problems. I had two quarters where I didn't take anything except one math and science course (that i had already taken and failed twice) because I couldn't learn the info for more than a couple things at a time. And even then I did not test well enough to pass the class, the professor just passed me along to get out of the class.
I had trouble studying for tests for history etc because I couldn't understand and retain what I read. And yes I got lots of resources there too.
But unfortunately at some point it isn't the tutor, it isn't the resources...it's just your brain.
My stepson has nowhere near he problems I had, he is smart and is good in math and science, he just has trouble with reading but we all help him and he has a tutor as well.
But I always get annoyed when people say things like "didn't you get a tutor?" or "if you work hard enough, you should be able to do it..." or "I passed and it was hard for me, so you shouldve been able to do it too"
Some people try very hard and get lots of help but it isn't enough.
I am proud that I graduated college. But that's why I think it is fine to focus on other aspects of school besides just schoolwork.
Once you're out of school, grades don't matter and there are so many more areas of life to enjoy and excel in.
I want my stepson to do his best and we get him help to ensure that he can keep up...but if he has other things going for him then that's great.

 

[LaurenLC]

Didn't you know that everyone's kids are gifted and above average now? That's why (some) schools don't keep score in sports or give real grades.... We wouldn't want to burst their little bubbles...

 

[babytrees]

There is a very small % of the population that can be classified as truely gifted. My daughter is not one of them IMO. However, she is very bright and learns quickly. We're in a top performing district and she was identified as an exceptional learner in 2nd grade. As a result she got pulled out in elementary school for math and reading and is now in honors math and language arts in middle school. She has an EALP that identifies the services she will receive to meet her academic needs. She doesn't get this from me or DH for that matter since DD is adopted. DH is much more of an academic than I am. Based on what DD knew as of last year I was definitely not smarter than my 5th grader .

She's cute to boot but doesn't give a hoot about wearing the latest fashion or being popular. I hope her academic achievements will get her into a good college and perhaps get her some scholarship money. But most importantly, like most parents, I just hope she grows up to be happy.

my favorite phrase to my youngest, almost 15, "You are too smart for my own good." I have been saying that since she was in 5th grade. Now she is also too tall for my own good.

 

[Art 1]

The kids school did not have a gifted program, never much heard of it before the DIS. Even so 99% of the graduates go on to college, most to the top schools. To me it sounds kind of strange reading and hearing about "gifted" children. Just something not right about it.

 

[stepmommyof1]

Art 1, that's what I mean, The term gifted!! It sounds like little hybrid alien children who have the ability to read minds! (I'm not saying that's what I think of smart kids or saying it's bad to be smart) I'm saying that is what the TERM "gifted" makes me think of

 

[NotUrsula]

What on earth does this mean??? Do you think your daughter isn't up to the level of the other kids academically? Or do you find yourself superior because your motives are somehow more pure than the others because you don't consider her gifted & talented and she isn't enrolled there to be prepped for testing?

If you think gifted & talented kids truly are so because they pass some tests, you're delusional. Kids who truly are blessed w/ the intelligence to deserve the label don't clamor after the knowledge to pass some tests, they want to see what they can do with that knowledge.

What it means is that her child will be competing against thousands of other children in her age cohort to try to get a place in one of the best NYC public schools, and because almost all middle-class families do some kind of prep for the placement testing, if she doesn't, her child could be at a distinct disadvantage, even if she is actually gifted. The catch is that formal test-prep with actual sample tests is frowned upon by the public schools; your child can be disqualified from consideration from some schools if the tester determines that he has been exposed to practice tests.

 

[Holly]

The kids school did not have a gifted program, never much heard of it before the DIS. Even so 99% of the graduates go on to college, most to the top schools. To me it sounds kind of strange reading and hearing about "gifted" children. Just something not right about it.

If 99% of the kids graduate from the school and go on to college, it must be a superior school and probably doesn't need a gifted program.

Not all kids are lucky enough to go to schools like that.
Some of the kids who don't, but who meet the criteria, are lucky enough to have their educational needs met outside the regular classroom.

I'm not sure what's wrong about that.

 

[stepmommyof1]

So you're supposed to get practice for these tests, but if they think youve gotten practice, then it's bad.
Wow.
I'm really glad I don't care about this stuff with my kid.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

The kids school did not have a gifted program, never much heard of it before the DIS. Even so 99% of the graduates go on to college, most to the top schools. To me it sounds kind of strange reading and hearing about "gifted" children. Just something not right about it.

Maybe at your school.

Heck here you can't even get that percentage to stay in school let alone go to college.

 

[tasha99]

If 99% of the kids graduate from the school and go on to college, it must be a superior school and probably doesn't need a gifted program.

Not all kids are lucky enough to go to schools like that.
Some of the kids who don't, but who meet the criteria, are lucky enough to have their educational needs met outside the regular classroom.

I'm not sure what's wrong about that.

The local Catholic school is like that. It's a great school, but it drops kids who do not fit that mold (including any girls who get pregnant, any kids who go through struggles that cause them to fail too many classes etc.) It's unfair to compare them to a public school that takes and educates all kids, problems or not, from all sorts of backgrounds.