Why do DCUMs always need to tell you that her child has a high IQ?

[Anonymous]

I am 22:57. Tried to go private for small class size. DS admitted nowhere. Regular K was very tough. No offer of IEP or 504 from school. Is it usually the parents who have to make the move and not the school? whatgrade do GT centers begin in for MoCo?

[Anonymous]

GT centers are 4th-5th grade in MoCo.

You might want to post your question on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GTAletters/:

"Gifted and Talented Association of Montgomery County, MD, Inc. (GTA). Discussion is serious-minded, frank, and occasionally intense.Topics include advocacy for appropriate instruction in the home school, honors courses and magnet programs, accelerated math, college search, curriculum and assessment, understanding the opposition, charter schools, minority student achievement, and more. "

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Right on PP. Private school teachers can adequately serve TAG students within the "regular" classroom because the curriculum allows for it. I'm not posting here to bash public schools. I would much rather our kids continue in our neighborhood school - but starting in 3rd grade I became very disillusioned between the focus on SOL testing and review and the complete waste of time and resources associated with identifying and excluding kids from the TAG program. I really believe that the test centered curriculum is the problem - and a richer, flexible curriculum would benefit kids on multiple levels. As it stands, everybody is short changed and drop out rates are soaring.

Private school teachers can serve TAG kids in the "regular" classroom, because the private school has already screened out most learners who are scoring below 75-80% on a standardized exam (usually wppsi or wisc) and is also screening out kids who have poor performance or behavior at schools (done via transcript review and recommendations), not because of the "curriculum."

In a public school classroom, the teacher is unlikely to be able to adequately differentiate for the "gifted" (or top 10-20% in terms of skills, scores, whatever you'd like to call it) because there is such a wide spectrum of ability, motivation and mastered skills in the classroom.

I do agree with your views on the effect NCLB type tests have had in the classroom. But, I believe the reason public schools have a hard time serving TAG kids is not so much because of the testing regime, but because of the nature of public school -- everyone is there -- and the choice public schools make generally in not serving kids academically where they are (i.e. everyone gets the same thing & if you're ahead you wait/are bored, and if you're behind you struggle to catch up or are pushed to catch up in a way that focuses on test performance only).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why should highly gifted kids get a pass on sitting still and fidgetting, when average but energetic, or struggling kids, don't?

It's the bright kids WITH adhd and/or other regulatory issues, not just a free pass to all.

It's these 2e kids that truly benefit from a GT center program, as the GT center teachers (in general) have lots of experience with 2e kids. Putting a 2e kid in private school is very risky as their is little to no opportunity for accommodations (504 or IEP).

And the fact that private schools are much more willing to expel a 2E kid for mild (i.e. non-violent) bad behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But, I believe the reason public schools have a hard time serving TAG kids is not so much because of the testing regime, but because of the nature of public school -- everyone is there -- and the choice public schools make generally in not serving kids academically where they are (i.e. everyone gets the same thing & if you're ahead you wait/are bored, and if you're behind you struggle to catch up or are pushed to catch up in a way that focuses on test performance only).

This really varies by public school (and perhaps by district). One might argue an opposing viewpoint--that private schools can't differentiate because they don't want to alienate any parents of kids not needing accommodation, though I'm sure that differs by school as well.

[Anonymous]

In my experience it even varies within schools at the level of the teacher. Teaching requires a heck of a lot of energy -- I'm not sure I could do it. And then to address each kid's individual needs.... I have great respect for teachers who can do this, but our DCs have also had teachers in both public and private schools who had physical disabilities or problems in their personal lives, and just weren't up to it.