Help with DD school

[gabbysmom04]

My DD2 is in EI for speech and just had to go through a round of testing. One of the tests was an IQ test. The lady that did it said that she only tested one other child who scored as high as my DD! Now my DH and I do not know what to do with her. We planned on putting her in a catholic school next year for preschool. But I want to put her somewhere now! The person who tested her said that once she is put in school there will be no stopping her. I just want to find a place that can help her be all she can be! (other then the army) How do I find the right school or program?

 

[meandtheguys2]

If she scored that high from being with you, maybe that is okay for this year? You obviously are doing all the right things. No one else can give her the individual attention, and time. Read to her, talk with her, keep the TV off, and enjoy! Pushing little kids doesn't help them to succeed in the long run.

This is, of course, my opinion!

 

[Merriwind]

If she scored that high from being with you, maybe that is okay for this year? You obviously are doing all the right things. No one else can give her the individual attention, and time. Read to her, talk with her, keep the TV off, and enjoy! Pushing little kids doesn't help them to succeed in the long run.

This is, of course, my opinion!

I've got to agree. My DD9 is highly gifted and other than a part-time Montessori program, she was home with me until 2nd grade. I send her to a magnet (public) school for gifted children now. (Florida, surprisingly, is one of the best states for gifted ed.) Were she not an only child, I would probably still be homeschooling her...

I couldn't begin to tell you where even to look for a school or program equipped to handle a gifted toddler. It's hard enough finding appropriate placements for school aged gifted kids.

Where in NY are you? (We lived there--LI, Catskills and Syracuse--until 2 years ago. I think LI might have a school for gifted kids--private though. Be prepared to advocate for your child. Wen I inqured about gifted programming, our district in Syracuse told me, "We don't need those. We celebrate the giftedness of all of our children."

Good luck!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Long Island does have a school for the gifted. It is very expensive. I also want to say that 2 is very young to say a child is gifted. She may be and I am not disputing that but there are many components to it. Not all gifted children will use their gift to the fullest potential. It has nothing to do with schooling, it is just the individual. Schooling can help, but from personal experience it is not purely an academic thing. I think it's great that you are on top your your child's education, but I would just keep doing what you are doing. While many kids are very advanced for their age, sometimes it levels out as they get older. Also- as another poster mentioned, you spend the most time with her. You will be able to see her strengths and weaknesses more than anyone. I wouldn't go crazy trying to find some super academic pre-school. I would just find the place that you think is best for her before you were told this info. JMHO.

 

[Tigger&Aidan]

No advice really, just wanted to share that my son also had a cleft lip and bowel perf (resulting in a 10 week NICU stay). The bowel problem was from an infection in his belly due to being born prematurly and his cleft is unilateral, incomplete, with no palate problem. Wondering how your son is doing? My son had his lip repair at 6 months and is doing great (he's now 2).

 

[PlutoPony]

Most GT "professionals" I know don't put a lot of stock into an IQ number from pre-schools so it would be interesting to know which test she used for this... I DON'T mean to doubt that your DD is bright so please don't take this the wrong way!
In our school system, children are termed potentially gifted up until the end of 3rd grade. The reason is that children who excel at early ages do so because of either sheer intelligence and/or nurturing. By 3rd grade the benefit of nurturing has mostly leveled out and they can determine who's really gifted. By then the kids who didn't read until later have caught up with the "early readers" and the nature of student's work differentiates between the bright child and those who are truly gifted.
Even if your daughter is "off the charts" I wouldn't push her any further at this time. The true nature of giftedness isn't so much the ability to learn things earlier/faster but thinking "outside the box" and almost extreme creativity. Just encourage her to explore her world and see where it takes her!
Good luck!

 

[FayeW]

I'd just take it with a grain of salt, and not get too carried away. At her age, it really just means she has been introduced to concepts and stimuli that others in her age group may not have been (good job, parents!). Not to put a damper on your excitement, but as those other children enter preschool and kindergarten the results may even out.

My son was tested a few years ago and according to those results, he's darn near brilliant! We live with him, so we know better and brilliant is not typically a word I would use to describe him ...disorganized, forgetful, and even at times. lazy, yes. Brilliant? Not so much.

 

[meandtheguys2]

My son was tested a few years ago and according to those results, he's darn near brilliant! We live with him, so we know better and brilliant is not typically a word I would use to describe him ...disorganized, forgetful, and even at times. lazy, yes. Brilliant? Not so much.

lol...your son sounds like my boys!

 

[Minnie_me]

My advice to you, as a Kindergarten teacher, is to do nothing special. The woman who tested your daughter makes her living testing children who are receiving EI, right? Most of them don't have very high IQ scores, so she may have just been saying that it was higher than the kids she usually tests. Educators don't put a lot of stock in preschool IQ scores because they are affected so much by a child's home life, experiences, etc. It rarely means that a child is "gifted".

But there's no doubt that she's bright! And that's wonderful!! Continue doing what you have been doing. Once she starts school, if she seems to be way above every other child in the classroom, consider having her tested again.

Most kids even out by 3rd or 4th grade anyway. The truly "gifted" are the ones that the teachers can't even handle in the classroom because they are so far above their peers.

 

[gabbysmom04]

No advice really, just wanted to share that my son also had a cleft lip and bowel perf (resulting in a 10 week NICU stay). The bowel problem was from an infection in his belly due to being born prematurly and his cleft is unilateral, incomplete, with no palate problem. Wondering how your son is doing? My son had his lip repair at 6 months and is doing great (he's now 2).

He is doing great! Dominic is 17 months and is a all boy! His perforated bowel was inutero and caused a ecoli infection! He is such a happy baby! How is your little man?

 

[gabbysmom04]

My advice to you, as a Kindergarten teacher, is to do nothing special. The woman who tested your daughter makes her living testing children who are receiving EI, right? Most of them don't have very high IQ scores, so she may have just been saying that it was higher than the kids she usually tests. Educators don't put a lot of stock in preschool IQ scores because they are affected so much by a child's home life, experiences, etc. It rarely means that a child is "gifted".

But there's no doubt that she's bright! And that's wonderful!! Continue doing what you have been doing. Once she starts school, if she seems to be way above every other child in the classroom, consider having her tested again.

Most kids even out by 3rd or 4th grade anyway. The truly "gifted" are the ones that the teachers can't even handle in the classroom because they are so far above their peers.[/QUOTE

Her score is high enough that she can join Mensa. She was tested with the stanford binet test. I'm not signing her up for Harvard lol, I just want her to be in a good school that can help her develop her potential.

Not to ruin my chance at mother of the year but almost everything she knows is from TV not me. With my DS having special health needs I just try to get through the day!

 

[Tigger&Aidan]

Glad to hear he's doing well! Aidan was 2 in Dec and is all boy too! He won't need a lip revision til probably next year and we're hoping that will be the last surgery! As for his intestines, he had 1/2 removed when he was a week old and was left with a temp. ostomy for a few months. Had that reconnected and he's been great since! We are very lucky (and blessed) that he is here with us today - I'm sure you can relate! Glad to "meet" you!

 

[Minnie_me]

Her score is high enough that she can join Mensa. She was tested with the stanford binet test.

Well, that's kinda what my point is. She can't join Mensa. Mensa doesn't take preschoolers, because the tests simply aren't valid for children under 16 when determining "genius".

Please understand that I'm NOT putting your daughter down. I'm sure she's very bright! The woman who tested your daughter really did you a disservice by telling you what she did. But if she were a "genius", she'd be reading middle-school level books.

My advice to you is the same as it was before. Sure, put her in a good preschool. But most importantly, keep doing what you have been doing at home. Read to her, write with her, help her satisfy her natural curiosity about the world around her.

 

[gabbysmom04]

I don't think it is personal. But I also think that you are wrong. Mensa does take preschoolers, we were sent the paperwork today. They have on their website that they have members from 4-90 I never said that she is a "genius" Mensa takes people in the top 2%. they have no limit on the age of people they take.

 

[gabbysmom04]

What kind of people are Members of Mensa?

There is simply no one prevailing characteristic of Mensa members other than high IQ. There are Mensans for whom Mensa provides a sense of family, and others for whom it is a casual social activity. There have been many marriages made in Mensa, but for many people, it is simply a stimulating opportunity for the mind. Most Mensans have a good sense of humor, and they like to talk. And, usually, they have a lot to say.

Mensans range in age from 4 to 94, but most are between 20 and 60. In education they range from preschoolers to high school dropouts to people with multiple doctorates. There are Mensans on welfare and Mensans who are millionaires. As far as occupations, the range is staggering. Mensa has professors and truck drivers, scientists and firefighters, computer programmers and farmers, artists, military people, musicians, laborers, police officers, glassblowers--the diverse list goes on and on. There are famous Mensans and prize-winning Mensans, but there are many whose names you wouldn't know.

This is from the Mensa international website....

 

[Minnie_me]

I stand corrected. I'm pretty sure it used to be that you had to be 16.

Are you going this route? Are you actually having her become a Mensa member? They come to your home to test her (at least that's what they did with us..). What purpose would it serve?

If I were you, I would wait. Let her be a little girl. Indulge her curiosities and keep her stimulated.

 

[Becky2005]

Just be careful with the scores. My son has a reading disability. In first grade he had all the usual tests for his IEP.

At that time he tested in the "extremely above average" category. The psychologist at the time told me only 3% of the population test into this category, etc....

Come this year to his 3 year review and *Hmmmm* NOW he tests into the Normal range -- so etiher my child dumbed down in 3 years or something was off on one of the IQ tests.

The tester said she knew there was a big discrepency between the 2 tests & doesn't have a clue as to why.

Now my son tends to think outside of the box & surprises us with some of his knowledge but I'm just thinking at 2 years old come when she is 5 or 6 you might find a discrepency too. There *SHOULDN'T* be one but apparently there was for DS -- either 1 of the 2 tests were flawed or who knows.

I just read Minnie Me's post to you & that is basically what I was told as to a possible reason for my son's discrepencies between his test in 1st grade and his recent one now in 4th grade. The other kids probably just caught up to him -- he just happened to have a wider world knowledge when he was younger or something to that effect.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I just wanted to add that my Mom has a genius IQ. She was tested over a period of time at a very reputable and respected center. She was in elementery school but nowhere near pre-school or kindergarten. The tester told my grandparents that my Mom may never use her IQ to it's fullest potential but she does have the ability. To this day my Mom is a really bad speller and has a hard time saying the right for word for what she means. She does however has a good eye for figuring things out, is super creative, and has amazing math capabilities. I also was tested and have a "gifted" IQ and was in the all the gifted classes and AP classes etc. I quickly figured out that it wasn't anything great, just more work. I went from being an A student to a school pyschologist wanting to send me to an Alternative school because she thought I was not very smart. I quickly corrected her and made her check my records where she was stunned. I did however excel at music and art. I was also very good at English when it was something that I was interested in. Often the teachers were shocked when I really made an effort since most thought I was just another bratty kid. My parents were asked when I was very young if I could skip a grade or two and they decided that it would not be a good idea. I was already one of the youngest in my class and they were very good friends with an adult doctor who was skipped and he advised against it. While he appreciated the academic part of things he never fit in anywhere except with people 30+ years his senior. He said that he found it depressing. He was very successful but he said he would have enjoyed his childhood more if he was treated more normal for lack of a better word. The point I am getting at is don't be enamored by the fact that someone said your child is gifted. While it is great to hear as a parent, it is really just a label. The best thing you can do for your child is encourage them to be the best whatever they want. It seems like you are doing a great job but I too have serious issues with labeling a 2 year old as gifted as most kids do fall into that category at that age depending on the stimuli at home that they receive. My 3 year old can count in spanish and I don't even know spanish! Kids are like sponges. They soak everything in and you should let them experience everything you can. I think it's great to have all this information but like another poster said- take it with a grain of salt and keep up the good work!

 

[gabbysmom04]

the only reason we would consider joining is to be able to meet other parents, and children. They Don't come to your home you only have to send them a copy of the IQ report. The women that we spoke to from Mensa said that now is a great time to get involved so we can meet other parents.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Remember she is the same little girl that she was before the testing. If you had choosen a loving stimulating preschool for her, that is where I would send her. Keep her happy and loved and stimulated and watch her grow.