OT: Gifted Screening

[Bertie9396]

My daughter is going into Grade 3 in September - we are in Simcoe County in Ontario - and I just received a note from the school today stating they recommend she goes for "Gifted Screening". Does anyone have any experience with this? She loves school and is doing well both academically and socially. I think we will do the screening and see what the results say but at this point I know nothing about the process. Thank you.

 

[Tower]

After the EQAO testing for grade 3 for DD9, 2 girls were selected for this screening. DD was one of the 2, so we opted to allow the testing as did the other girl. It consisted of a parental interview and testing of the girls individually and mainly in an oral fashion. In the end, our daughter 'aced' 2 of the 3 areas with high 90's, but did 80's I believe in the 3rd area. This disqualified her from going into any gifted program. For our daughter, it was disappointing, but she was glad she didn't have to be bussed to another school this September as she had a core group of friends that she would have dearly missed.
The other girl did qualify, but the parents were going to send her to a private girls school instead.

 

[mkmommy]

Both my kids qualified for the program, one went in and the other stayed in the mainstream program.

The screening was basically the test, once the results were back we had to decide if we wanted to put them in the program.

The gifted program is very self driven and project based. My daughter in the gifted program has probably done 30 projects and 0 spelling tests so far this year and my daughter in the main stream program has probably done 5 projects and a spelling test a week. The main stream program is worksheets, math and spelling tests and working as a class on certain ideas. The gifted program is the concept is put out there and the student can do whatever type of project they like to learn the concept, and most of it is on your own, with only some direction from the teacher. My oldest thrives on that, and loves coming up with unique projects, but my youngest does not learn that way and would have been miserable in the program.

The gifted program is not exclusively for the smartest kids, and I think it is really important to know how you child learns and not what the grades are. Both my kids do well in school, but I don't think they would both do well if they were in the opposite program.

 

[delsdad]

My daughter is going into Grade 3 in September - we are in Simcoe County in Ontario - and I just received a note from the school today stating they recommend she goes for "Gifted Screening". Does anyone have any experience with this? She loves school and is doing well both academically and socially. I think we will do the screening and see what the results say but at this point I know nothing about the process. Thank you.

Its good to have the testing done. You are not obligated to put them in a gifted program, even if they qualify.

Once the child is designated, a yearly review will be done on how the school will accommodate them. We were not at all pleased with the school at which we were offered a placement. instead, we opted for an IEP Individual Education Plan, that requires the teacher provide enriched opportunities within the regular grade 4 program. This gives the teacher a heads up as to the childs ability and strengths. THat way she can include alternate or more advanced at the gifted childs level.

So far it is working out very well in our school. That said, there are only 18 in her grade 4 class, so the teacher has time for the extra attention required.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Its good to have the testing done. You are not obligated to put them in a gifted program, even if they qualify.

Once the child is designated, a yearly review will be done on how the school will accommodate them.

I agree .

I was tested as a teenager in grade 9 (too late, IMH0....I am so glad that they have started addressing these special kids sooner). While our rural school board offered little in the way of schools for the gifted, I was provided was several unique enrichment opportunities that were really quite enjoyable. Of course, we're going back quite a ways (before the days of IEP's) so I am sure today's kids would be even better accommodated than I was.

But definitely....allow her to be tested, and see what the results are. Then you can choose how to approach things from there.

 

[DutchsMommy]

I agree .

I was tested as a teenager in grade 9 (too late, IMH0....I am so glad that they have started addressing these special kids sooner). While our rural school board offered little in the way of schools for the gifted, I was provided was several unique enrichment opportunities that were really quite enjoyable. Of course, we're going back quite a ways (before the days of IEP's) so I am sure today's kids would be even better accommodated than I was.

But definitely....allow her to be tested, and see what the results are. Then you can choose how to approach things from there.

On the flip side, I went into the program I think in Gr 6 and we were bussed to another school a few days a week. It was awful - not being with my friends, being at some other school, doing things I thought were 'dumb'....as you can see my tween girl hormones were already rearing their head....anyway, as mentioned previously, probably good to have the test but definitely get info about what happens after and discuss with your child if they end up qualifying....

 

[dsneygirl]

My DSs teacher recommended the testing this year (gr 1) he was interviewed by the board psychologist and had to score in the 98th percentile. He got 98.5. We were given 3 choices
1) do nothing
2) transfer to the gifted school
3) have an IEP and remain at his home school

we have opted for #3 for now as he loves french immersion and he would have to leave that. We did not tell DS about the testing, in our board they don't tell you what day it will be so you don't have your kids "study". We just told him he would be interviewed at some point. Then if he hadn't qualified no harm done.

 

[Maddysdaddy]

Without getting into a lengthy brag about my own daughter (9), we had her tested this past year and it was well worth doing. The only downside was the cost (approx $2000), so if cost is not an issue or the school is going to fund the testing themselves, there is no downside to it. The results of the testing will help you, and your son's teachers, figure out the best way for him to learn.

For us, we learned that my daughter is reading and comprehending at a high junior high/low high school level (she's in grade 3), but her abilities in math were only at grade 3/4 levels, which explained why she was having significant anxieties with math assignments (stress and tears, even though she was scoring 95%+ on all of her work) - simply because it did not come as easily to her as everything else did.

Knowing this allowed us to have her work with a psychologist to learn coping strategies for her anxiety, and allowed us to have her work one on one with a math tutor to help her gain confidence in herself and her abilities.

We explored sending her to the "gifted" school, but our application was rejected as their cut-off is the "Highly Gifted" threshold and she was 1 IQ point short - which ultimately may actually prove to be a good thing for her. We did explore other schools whose learning philosophies go beyond just giving the kids worksheets, and found one that both we and her are extremely excited about, and she will be going there in the fall. Without the testing and knowing what kind of learner she is, we likely would just have kept her in her current school, and she would have been perfectly content to continue not being challenged her studies.

 

[pigletto]

My son would likely qualify. The board he is in provides "enrichment opportunities" starting in Grade 5. They will pull kids identified as gifted out a few times a year for a day here or there and they go to workshops. That's it.

It's funny because I worked with kids with learning disabilities for a long time. And until I was a parent of a child who likely falls in the gifted arena it never occurred to me how much of a struggle it is on the other end of the spectrum as well. He will not allow himself to make a mistake. A mistake is a failure to him and he gets very upset. He brings his own reading material to class because A) he's borrowed everything from the 2 years above him and he's done his work quite quickly and bored. He also fills notebook after notebook with doodling because he doesn't have much to do.
I hesitated to push for any testing because I didn't want to be "that parent" who got the eyerolls. I didn't expect much empathy for a kid who was learning too quickly, and the completely overburdened resources of the school are going to the kids who need help to learn. It's a system that is stretched thin where we are and his class has at least 5 boys in program for behaivoural struggles. The teacher is at the end of her rope.

However as I watched his anxiety increase, as well as his enthusiasm for learning go completely south we needed an alternative.
And we have it.. French Immersion.
It will be a challenge for him and he's so excited!! He starts next year and I am telling you I have no problem if his grades sink because it's harder as long as he is engaged and involved and excited to learn again! The school we are switching to also has a robotics club and an eco team and all kinds of extra curricular programs that he's just dying to join.
I guess I just mention all of this to point out to people that sometimes when there aren't many options you can create your own.
There was a point this year I thought "If he does one more word search or fills one more doodle book he's going to go crazy", and I knew we had to search out an alternative. Hopefully we've found it

 

[Bertie9396]

Thanks for the input everyone. I spoke to a relative about it who is also a teacher and she encourages us to do the testing. I can say one thing - we will not be moving schools. She loves her school and has a great group of friends. I love her school as well. We'll see what the testing says but if necessary, we'll work on getting an IEP set up for her.

 

[dsneygirl]

Thanks for the input everyone. I spoke to a relative about it who is also a teacher and she encourages us to do the testing. I can say one thing - we will not be moving schools. She loves her school and has a great group of friends. I love her school as well. We'll see what the testing says but if necessary, we'll work on getting an IEP set up for her.

The psychologist in our board (Halton) explained that whatever decision we make now is not firm for the rest of his career, we can always re evaluate and consider another option.

 

[Mrs Eeyore]

Interesting how different the procedures are, even nearby (we're in Peel). Both my kids were designated gifted based only on CCAT and teachers' input. Up until grade 8 the gifted program consisted of special classes one or two periods a week in their regular schools. There was no talk of changing schools until they reached high school, when they had to choose whether to be bused to a school that offered the enhanced program. One of my kids chose the enhanced program, the other chose the local high school. Both are doing great.

Edited to change EQAO to CCAT, thanks to poster below. Darn acronyms always mess me up.

 

[rebeccaariel]

I was screened in grade 3 (I'm 20 now, so the process may be different) but I remember it being a very low-pressure situation. It didn't seem like a test. I remember the woman conducting the test would hold up pictures and ask me what was missing, things like that. Logic stuff. I may have had to do some math but it's hard to recall now.

My best friend and I were identified as gifted and we were given a tour of the local gifted school. It was tempting because we could be moved there together and into the same class, but ultimately both of our parents decided against it. I'm very glad they did. I enjoyed being able to work with peers who possessed different styles and abilities of learning throughout my school career. Yes, sometimes I was bored, but with my IEP, as soon as that was identified I was able to get enrichment.

 

[CKCruising]

We are in Upper Grand (ON). Everyone in grade 3 was tested (possible to opt out I think) in the fall. It was not the EQAO (which were done this week), but something called the CCAT. Anyone with the 98th percentile in 2/3 categories (or similar) had the option of identifying as gifted. That required a oral testing and making sure reading/spelling were at a certain level.
Once they were identified, they had the options of (a) change schools, or (b) remain in the same school with an IEP. Our gifted program is grades 4-8. High school remains the same (but with an IEP).
It seemed like it was easier to return to the original school if DS didn't like the new school, but switching either way was an option. Again it seemed easier to return at any point during the year (they would prefer not to change mid-year, but it is not restricted). Switching to the new school would be done at the start of a new year.

 

[Mrs Eeyore]

. It was not the EQAO (which were done this week), but something called the CCAT.

Dang it, it was CCAT for us too. I've edited my post above. Thanks for straightening me out. I think our kids had to rank in the top 3% on CCAT (Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test).

 

[mkmommy]

We are in Upper Grand (ON). Everyone in grade 3 was tested (possible to opt out I think) in the fall. It was not the EQAO (which were done this week), but something called the CCAT. Anyone with the 98th percentile in 2/3 categories (or similar) had the option of identifying as gifted. That required a oral testing and making sure reading/spelling were at a certain level.
Once they were identified, they had the options of (a) change schools, or (b) remain in the same school with an IEP. Our gifted program is grades 4-8. High school remains the same (but with an IEP).
It seemed like it was easier to return to the original school if DS didn't like the new school, but switching either way was an option. Again it seemed easier to return at any point during the year (they would prefer not to change mid-year, but it is not restricted). Switching to the new school would be done at the start of a new year.

There is a high school option, they get bussed to a school in KW.

 

[CKCruising]

There is a high school option, they get bussed to a school in KW.

We are in Orangeville and were told (from the board rep) they would attend the high school in their area. KW (Kitchener-Waterloo I assume) is not in Upper Grand.

 

[mkmommy]

We are in Orangeville and were told (from the board rep) they would attend the high school in their area. KW (Kitchener-Waterloo I assume) is not in Upper Grand.

I guess it is just the Guelph program that has the option to go to KW.

 

[CKCruising]

I guess it is just the Guelph program that has the option to go to KW.

That would suck. Being bussed to a different school 10 minutes further is bad enough.

 

[Bertie9396]

That would suck. Being bussed to a different school 10 minutes further is bad enough.

I am not sure, but my understanding is that the 2 schools in our area are either on the total opposite side of our town or another town just south of us. Either way, she would need to be bussed and it would totally upset our daycare arrangements in addition to her starting at a new school. Nope. Not gonna happen. If anything does need to be done, it will be an IEP at her current school.