G&T application process - 3rd graders

[Anonymous]

The teacher portion is a checklist- it's not a letter, like for college.

A child who scores mary-poppins-perfectly-perfect-in-every-way is actually moved down the list of considered students, not up.

They are looking for students who's needs cannot be met in a mainstream classroom setting. It's actually better for acceptance purposes if your kid is a hall wanderer with frequent bathroom breaks, or takes 10 minutes to sharpen a pencil while they stare out a window daydreaming. They don't want disruptive students, of course....there is a happy medium.

[Anonymous]

11:19 Are you a teacher? I can't believe they would overlook a talented student becase they were not disruptive..

[Anonymous]

Yeah, this isn't true. My child was admitted and he wasn't disruptive.

But it is true that they are looking for kids whose needs can't be met in their local elementary school. It's not a talent contest -- it's meant to meet children with extraordinary needs.

[Anonymous]

that would be academically talented..not a great singer/actor (though those are gifts too)

[Anonymous]

How sad that our normal schools are not equipped to meet the needs of extraordinary kids. I guess that means that they are also not equipped to nurture and/or recognize extraordinary talents as kids grow. Too bad for all the kids.

[Anonymous]

If the teacher reads "Charlotte's Web" to the grade 3 class and your child leaves the group, goes to his desk and takes out of his bag Loius Achar's "Holes" and start reading quietly, that's a typical situation when a teacher would recommend something else for your child. Q: Why did you leave us? A: Because I read Charlotte's Web two summers ago..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the teacher reads "Charlotte's Web" to the grade 3 class and your child leaves the group, goes to his desk and takes out of his bag Loius Achar's "Holes" and start reading quietly, that's a typical situation when a teacher would recommend something else for your child. Q: Why did you leave us? A: Because I read Charlotte's Web two summers ago..

Well, this is a really good example. If your child is the only one reading Holes, he/she will be isolated and it's not enough to have the teacher recommend something else. Kids need peers.

[Anonymous]

I think that is what 11:19 was talking about with the pencil sharpening and hall wandering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the teacher reads "Charlotte's Web" to the grade 3 class and your child leaves the group, goes to his desk and takes out of his bag Loius Achar's "Holes" and start reading quietly, that's a typical situation when a teacher would recommend something else for your child. Q: Why did you leave us? A: Because I read Charlotte's Web two summers ago..

Well, this is a really good example. If your child is the only one reading Holes, he/she will be isolated and it's not enough to have the teacher recommend something else. Kids need peers.

By "something else I meant "apply to the HGC". To be clear, I have not recommended yet any of those sharpening a pen for 10 minutes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the teacher reads "Charlotte's Web" to the grade 3 class and your child leaves the group, goes to his desk and takes out of his bag Loius Achar's "Holes" and start reading quietly, that's a typical situation when a teacher would recommend something else for your child. Q: Why did you leave us? A: Because I read Charlotte's Web two summers ago..

Well, this is a really good example. If your child is the only one reading Holes, he/she will be isolated and it's not enough to have the teacher recommend something else. Kids need peers.

By "something else I meant "apply to the HGC". To be clear, I have not recommended yet any of those sharpening a pen for 10 minutes.

Phew, I'm glad you cleared that up before I sent my kid off to school tomorrow!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:According to this site there are two parent informational meetings in October. Does anyone know if they are worth attending if you are planning to apply?

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/enrichedinnovative/events/elementary.aspx

There are 2 meetings, but they are the same. I found it worthwhile to attend one - helped me understand more about the program and what kind of child it was meant for. Thus, I was able to write a better parental
section of the application. My child was accepted, and I felt like the program
we attended was as I understood it would be based on the info meetings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The teacher portion is a checklist- it's not a letter, like for college.

A child who scores mary-poppins-perfectly-perfect-in-every-way is actually moved down the list of considered students, not up.

They are looking for students who's needs cannot be met in a mainstream classroom setting. It's actually better for acceptance purposes if your kid is a hall wanderer with frequent bathroom breaks, or takes 10 minutes to sharpen a pencil while they stare out a window daydreaming. They don't want disruptive students, of course....there is a happy medium.

oh please, this is crap. "perfect in every way" kids
don't get moved down. but, it is true that having a bored and
spacey or bored and mischevious kid won't necessarily count
against one.

[Anonymous]

My child just started in the program (4th grade). I really think it's mainly the test results that are considered...because the results really show whether the child is of the HGC caliber or not. I'm sure the teacher recommendations help some (it's the 3rd grade teachers, by the time they need to fill out the forms they've already had your child in class for at least 4 months). I wouldn't say you'd have to worry too much about the parent application, I think all we wrote was that our child wasn't challenged by the assignments he was getting at the old school.

That being said, the new school is way different from his old one....tons of homework and projects, all very challenging, but also take a lot of time to complete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child just started in the program (4th grade). I really think it's mainly the test results that are considered...because the results really show whether the child is of the HGC caliber or not. I'm sure the teacher recommendations help some (it's the 3rd grade teachers, by the time they need to fill out the forms they've already had your child in class for at least 4 months). I wouldn't say you'd have to worry too much about the parent application, I think all we wrote was that our child wasn't challenged by the assignments he was getting at the old school.

That being said, the new school is way different from his old one....tons of homework and projects, all very challenging, but also take a lot of time to complete.

Would you say that most of the kids in the program are just very smart children -- as opposed to the "hall wanderers, "10 minute pencil sharpeners," etc. that have been discussed above. I like the idea of more challenging work for my DC, but I am reluctant to put him in a situation with for lack of a better term "rainman" types (like the kid who is 3 years ahead in math at our school, but mumbles to himself all day and looks shell-shocked all the time). Also, how much is "tons" of homework? It seems that if the program is enriching, studies would suggest homework is much less necessary. Thank you for your input.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child just started in the program (4th grade). I really think it's mainly the test results that are considered...because the results really show whether the child is of the HGC caliber or not. I'm sure the teacher recommendations help some (it's the 3rd grade teachers, by the time they need to fill out the forms they've already had your child in class for at least 4 months). I wouldn't say you'd have to worry too much about the parent application, I think all we wrote was that our child wasn't challenged by the assignments he was getting at the old school.

That being said, the new school is way different from his old one....tons of homework and projects, all very challenging, but also take a lot of time to complete.

I agree with this. I do know (for a fact) that in the decision-making meeting, the first order of business is to eliminate applicants who tested below a certain level.

The remaining pool is then vetted according to the test results + other factors (teacher recs, etc.).