High potential programs - how can you groom your child early on or is it, you're just born smart?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a school counselor I was on my school system's GT screening panel and helped decide who was admitted to the program and who was not. We did not give high scores based on who was a better reader or was able to memorize the most information. We looked at work samples- both written and artistic. I had parents submit student directed projects created at home that provided evidence of a higher level thought process.

I also brought applicants into my office to complete worksheets- this was helpful because it allowed us an "apples to apples" comparison of applicants in the same grades.

I looked for kids who made connections that just didn't occur to every kid, their creativity reached higher levels than with other kids. They never "just" answered the questions- they provided more details and more information. I've had parents appeal the decision because she thought her DS/DD was the smartest kid out there "Just look at his grades!" But good grades don't equal gifted ability.

One thing I love about this area is that there are so many opportunities to participate in free activities. Take DD out and about as often as you can. Ask and Explain - All-The-Time! Open ended questions are key to helping your child think creatively and express themselves better.

Read. All kinds of books. Play all kinds of music- and talk about the origins of it. Show her art. The Smithsonian has a free kids series where the kids learn about artists and create similar types of art. It's really awesome. Libraries- in MoCo many libraries have discovery play rooms full of toys, puzzles, dress up, etc- other counties may have something similar. Also most have kid appropriate computer software- it will help her become familiar with technology if you don't have it at home. Build. Give her lots of opportunities to build things using a variety of material- it doesn't have to be with insanely expensive Legos- use what you have and let her get creative with it. Joke and play with words- have her tell you at least one made up joke every day.

I also highly recommend joining Our-Kids. It costs (about $12.00 a year I think)- but it's (IMO) the single best resource in the DC area for parents who want activities for young kids. Some things will cost, some things will be free but it's great to know about what's out there so you can make the choice for yourself. Our Kids also has GREAT giveaways (products and tickets to area events).

Once DD is in school I recommend that you stay in touch with the teacher. Volunteer as much as you can and get to know the staff- that way they get to know you and your daughter so if anything does come up you already have a connection to them. Also- as a counselor I was regularly told about programs or companies offering free or reduced cost services for students. Please let her/him know that you are interested in opportunities for your daughter to participate in such activities. Schools also generally have a fund to help with field trips, after school activities, etc.

I also read Unequal Childhoods and found it incredibly enlightening. One of the things that struck me was the difference between the number of words the lower class subjects heard (or spoke) in a day and the number of words for a middle or upper class subject. I don't remember the numbers but the difference was startling and sad. I definitely well worth reading- find a librarian and request it if you can't find it.

The fact that you're asking about it means that your daughter is likely to receive opportunities that her socioeconomic peers may not. You have a fortunate DD. Good luck!!

Having potentially gifted students complete worksheets is NOT a good way to find gifted students. I am a school psychologist and I sometimes help refer kids for gifted programs. By first grade many gifted kids have learned to do the minimal amount of work because if they finish their worksheets quickly they are given another boring worksheet below their level. There is often no reward for providing more details and explanations. There certainly are gifted kids (and hardworking bright students) that will do worksheets and provide extra information and details, but they are the kids that traditionally get referred by teachers because they know how to please their teachers. A better informal test is to play a novel game that requires some skill. I have a German friend who brought over some logic games for kids. None of the kids have seen the games before. I teach them how to play the game and see how quickly they learn and can apply strategy. I also ask kids while playing if they could change a rule in the game what would they change to see if they understand what would work to their advantage. I have met some really gifted kids who are referred because the teacher thinks they have ADHD and in reality the kids are profoundly gifted and hate coming to school. They would rather disrupt class and/or not do their work because it is so tedious. These are the kids that really need a gifted program.

PP here again. Worksheets were just ONE of the tools we used to assess kids. And to clarify- they weren't typical fill in the blank work sheets. They asked open ended questions that required thought and creativity. I guess the term worksheet was confusing but the work product that resulted provided the screening committee with very helpful information.

[Anonymous]

Back off formal instruction. Do what one poster said: read, read, read. Talk about things you see--don't take her to the grocery and spend all your time on the phone. Talk to her about everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Back off formal instruction. Do what one poster said: read, read, read. Talk about things you see--don't take her to the grocery and spend all your time on the phone. Talk to her about everything.

+1! And if she asks something and you don't know the answer- research it together. " My DD is seven and designs computer games. I've lost count of the times I've said, "I'm not sure, let's find out!"

[Anonymous]

Read to her. Talk to her. Engage with her. Play with her. The major difference between disadvantaged and more advantaged homes is exposure to a greater number of words, and that exposure needs to come from interaction with people.

Your child already has a major advantage in life, which is you. She is very fortunate. Good luck to you and your family.

[Anonymous]

I'm hearing lots of talk to your kids, interact with them etc... how do interverts do it?

I work FT and when I come home the last thing I want to do is talk some more!

ugh Mommy guilt!

[Anonymous]

I'm hearing lots of talk to your kids, interact with them etc... how do interverts do it?

I work FT and when I come home the last thing I want to do is talk some more!

ugh Mommy guilt!

Give her fifteen minutes when you first get home. Then park her in front of a short video or tv show and chill.

[Anonymous]

Years ago, there was a study that said that kids benefited just from seeing their parents read. I can remember when I was very small watching my dad read a book and wishing I could do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Years ago, there was a study that said that kids benefited just from seeing their parents read. I can remember when I was very small watching my dad read a book and wishing I could do that.

I think this is certainly true. It's very important for kids to see their parents reading books.

[Anonymous]

I agree with what others have said about reading. Unfortunately getting into some of these gifted programs comes partially down to pure natural intelligence and aptitude. Some of this just can not be taught.

For example, I have 2 kids raised in the same environment with access to the same things. One is gifted academically and other is gifted in other things. Its just how they are. One will be in a gifted school program and the other will not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD is starting to read at 4, I really want her in one of those gifted programs. What's the best way to approach this? We are from a disadvantaged background so any way to uplift our family that doesn't cost a lot of money I am willing to put the time in.

You're too late.

You should have started when she was in the womb.

or, even better, with genetic engineering

[Anonymous]

For example, I have 2 kids raised in the same environment with access to the same things. One is gifted academically and other is gifted in other things. Its just how they are. One will be in a gifted school program and the other will not.

My neighbor thought that about her kids. She got it reversed. DD didn't make the 'pool" and her struggling son did. This is when FCPS based the pool on the IQ tests.

[Anonymous]

DS just got into GT. Just thinking about what we did for him from an academic standpoint:
- preschool starting at 3.5
- activity books which they enjoyed. We never forced it on them. It helps with learning alphabets, numbers and shapes, and they aren't that expensive, maybe $5 or so. there are also lots of free online sites where you can print coloring pages, alphabet and number tracing, etc... If your library has access to the internet and a printer, you can try to print them there. I still use those free online sites to print out things for my kids-- math problems and such..but my kids are older.

As PPs have stated, we read to both kids from infancy pretty much every night...we still do for younger one, but she's reading on her own now at 5; she just likes to be with us. We have always spoken to them in full sentences, not baby-talk. We do explain a lot to them. It's endless talk, talk, talk. And when reading with them or discussing something with them, we sometimes stop and ask, do you understand what this means, etc... Sometimes, it is exhausting. But if you're up for it, it's the time you need to put into your child not necessarily $. It's wonderful you want to put the time into your child. I don't believe in hiring tutors for ES...too young.

I've heard parents spending lots of $ on tutors, prep classes and prep books for gt test (they are like $75 when I looked at them after a mom told me about them). We did none of that From what I can see, a true GT child doesn't need these things. If a child passes the GT test after all the tutoring and such, is the child really a GT? So the child knows now how to take the GT test, but how will the child do in the program without the extra prep classes and books? More than likely, the parents will have to help a lot (if not do the actual work).

Part of the reason we also didn't spend $ on these prep classes and such was because we didn't want to make a huge deal of it to DS Encouraging the best of your child is great.. pushing them too hard just to get into GT is terrible, IMO. I want my kids to enjoy learning, not hate every minute of it. That's pointless.

News articles have touted how students in Asia do so much better than kids in the US, but what they neglected to say is that the suicide rates in S. Korea due to intense pressure to excel in academics is extremely high. And the kids there go to tutoring classes before and after school...they are in "class" from 7am to 11pm, and yes, even ES go to these types of classes, maybe not as long. It's horrendous. I don't know about other Asian countries, but the pressure is immense in S. Korea. I could go on and on about it. Don't put that kind of pressure on your kids here...it's not necessary. Your child can succeed in life without this kind of pressure.

Encourage...don't pressure. Try your best...and if that's not good enough to get into GT, then that's ok. There are other things in life that are important too, like love of learning. Oh yea, and in the GT open house they said that was one of the key factors of GT kids...they love to learn! So pressuring won't lead to love of learning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Read to your child every day and talk to her like she's not a child, so she picks up words that expand her vocabulary. Encourage her to explore the world around her, do field trips to interesting places. (do what 11:51 says.) Work on numbers and counting, addition and subtraction when she's ready.

This, but also remember that she IS a child. Many kids who read early and have great vocabularies and who are talked to like adults are often expected to think, behave, and have the emotions of adults - - they don't. So grow the vocabulary and the mind, but remember that the emotions and the frontal lobe lag way behind. I would add to the above great suggestions: answer questions with questions sometimes, admit when you don't know an answer then work together to try to find one -- if there isn't a "right" answer, allow for that and make it the most interesting point. Point out patterns and similarities and differences; make up stories together; lay in the grass and look at clouds; stay up late one night and bundle up in blankets to look at stars -- note patterns up there and wonder aloud what's up there? Play what makes 40? (get 40 of something and see how many different ways you can group them and still have 40). Read the names of all the colors on the giant box of crayons, then make up your own names. Find unexpected uses for everyday objects. Count to the "really big numbers." Instead of teaching -- expose; put things in the child's environment for her to discover herself.

Another book suggestion: Jane Healy, "Your Child's Growing Mind." My favorite image from there is the description of two children building block towers. One has a mother show her how to do it correctly, ands she does it right the first time and then repeats it. Child looks to adult for approval and is praised for doing it right. The other is left alone with no guidance and makes a gazillion failed attempts to build a tower, the blocks falling all over the place. Finally he gets it to stand, albeit a little crooked. Then he knocks it down and makes something totally different. The author asks: Which child has learned more? (about gravity, physics, balance, frustration, perseverance, self, etc.) I also had early readers and really appreciated her section on how the brain reads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm hearing lots of talk to your kids, interact with them etc... how do interverts do it?

I work FT and when I come home the last thing I want to do is talk some more!

ugh Mommy guilt!

I'm an introvert too. I actually get an energy boost from the change from work to home, but it doesn't last long. I take my son out to exercise so there isn't much chatting.

[Anonymous]

Another vote here for any book written by Dr. Jane Healy, PhD. She's a true pioneer in her research and real understanding of childhood development. Easy to implement her recommendations to.

BTW, she clearly exposes the serious dangers of young children being given screentime. And more importantly, what they're missing.