Question for HGC parents

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I want to offer a slightly different perspective. We were in another state for DC's K and 1, but the school did offer to test him for giftedness in 1st. They then gave him 1 hr/week of "enrichment" with the other kids who tested as gifted (one in second grade, two in third and one in 4th, I think.) They just had them all together and let them do graphing projects and the like. That is, pretty minimal, but it was what they could do.

Then when we got here, they did move him to 3rd grade math in 2nd grade, but otherwise did nothing to enrich. Then in 3rd grade, they stopped accelerating in math, so he took 3rd grade math again. Finally, in 4th grade he got into the HGC and things were a little better academically.

However, we didn't do much to push or enrich in the previous grades, even though he was academically under-challenged.

I feel pretty strongly that the best things to do with any child, even (or especially) a gifted child is to let them PLAY, a lot. Gifted children tend to greater anxiety I find (at least mine did) and physical play is great for that. Also, they learn a great deal through physical movement and in interaction with nature. Many gifted children are also not the most social, and play allows them to develop greater understanding of themselves and others.

Sometimes it was hard for me to resist pushing my child forward, but I have no regrets whatsoever. I think too much rushing to learn things at a very young age can backfire when they are older. My goal is to grow happy, stable and well-rounded people.

Oh, the one thing I did do when DC was almost 7 was to start piano lessons. I think he put a great deal of his extra energy for learning into that, which I feel is quite beneficial on many levels.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the child, but I second the PP about letting the kids play. My DC is in HGC now. We didn't push. We had some workbooks, brain teaser books and such that DC did if DC wanted. We never had set-aside time. It was all just for fun.

But, if your DC really wants to do more academic stuff, then try out some of the links that your school provides. Our's has links to math games and such.

OP here.

I completely agree with you and the PP. There is plenty of creek stomping, fort building, ball throwing and general mayhem around here. We encourage it. I hope you didn't take me for some rigid task master I merely focused on the academics in my post because I've looked at the curriculum over the next two years and it's what my daughter can do in her head now. It just seems like such an empty path to follow... I guess I'm just looking for ideas to make it... not so empty.

And I just checked out code.org that a PP had mentioned. That looks awesome... thanks PP!

You're welcome! One of my other kids stumbled on code.org, and it is fantastic -- our 4-year-old begs to do it because OMG, Elsa is teaching coding! It's like playing video games, but it's teaching them to code, how logic works, spatial analysis...but what do they know, they're just having fun. Khan Academy also has coding lessons, but it requires learning syntax, so probably better for older ones...although my older ones love Scratch, which also uses the visual interface -- they are creating their own video games and animations. Sumdog is also a fun math game site -- we learned about it through HGC one year (all the kids signed up as part of a school-based challenge). The kids compete against one another online playing math games...they earn virtual coins to buy things for their digital avatars....for when the kids are bored of IXL and Khan Academy...

[Anonymous]

For your mathy kids: This weekend! http://www.mathfest.org/

[Anonymous]

OP, if you are looking for a challenging math curriculum, keep in mind that HGC uses the same math curriculum as the rest of MC. The only difference might be that only 2 kids in the class might not be in compacted math. Takoma Park for middle school has a different math and science curriculum just for the magnet kids and the kids in the program also take computer science all three years. Until middle school though, you may have to continue supplementing in math.

[Anonymous]

Have you asked the principal? That is a good MAP-P score. I think my child had in the upper 220s then. If the school is not responsive you could get the AEI involved. Google it. All depends how much you want to push it. We never did. My son is happy enough even though math at school has never been remotely challenging. If I had pushed he would not be in math with his classmates and we'd be facing sending him to middle school in 5th grade for math. I am actually sort of glad not to have these complications. And glad he gets to enjoy being a kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the child, but I second the PP about letting the kids play. My DC is in HGC now. We didn't push. We had some workbooks, brain teaser books and such that DC did if DC wanted. We never had set-aside time. It was all just for fun.

But, if your DC really wants to do more academic stuff, then try out some of the links that your school provides. Our's has links to math games and such.

OP here.

I completely agree with you and the PP. There is plenty of creek stomping, fort building, ball throwing and general mayhem around here. We encourage it. I hope you didn't take me for some rigid task master I merely focused on the academics in my post because I've looked at the curriculum over the next two years and it's what my daughter can do in her head now. It just seems like such an empty path to follow... I guess I'm just looking for ideas to make it... not so empty.

And I just checked out code.org that a PP had mentioned. That looks awesome... thanks PP!

You're welcome! One of my other kids stumbled on code.org, and it is fantastic -- our 4-year-old begs to do it because OMG, Elsa is teaching coding! It's like playing video games, but it's teaching them to code, how logic works, spatial analysis...but what do they know, they're just having fun. Khan Academy also has coding lessons, but it requires learning syntax, so probably better for older ones...although my older ones love Scratch, which also uses the visual interface -- they are creating their own video games and animations. Sumdog is also a fun math game site -- we learned about it through HGC one year (all the kids signed up as part of a school-based challenge). The kids compete against one another online playing math games...they earn virtual coins to buy things for their digital avatars....for when the kids are bored of IXL and Khan Academy...

For the record... code.org rocks. My daughter completed the first Hour of Code tonight and didn't want to stop. She was ready to give up dinner, cartoons... or anything to start the next Hour of Code. Heh. Maybe tomorrow

It's thoughtfully laid out and since I have a background in programming I really appreciate the way they approach it. Kind of reminds me of learning Logo a very, very long time ago on Apple IIe's

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you asked the principal? That is a good MAP-P score. I think my child had in the upper 220s then. If the school is not responsive you could get the AEI involved. Google it. All depends how much you want to push it. We never did. My son is happy enough even though math at school has never been remotely challenging. If I had pushed he would not be in math with his classmates and we'd be facing sending him to middle school in 5th grade for math. I am actually sort of glad not to have these complications. And glad he gets to enjoy being a kid.

Thanks... I appreciate this. I'm trying to find the right balance between not pushing it and making sure that we take advantage of programs that are offered (but we might not know exist). It's an interesting voyage to be sure...

[Anonymous]

Logic puzzles, strategy games and some Khan Academy in the summer.

Recommend you google math stars and print some of the worksheets. Pre-HGC, my son had a teacher who gave the sheets to the kids. They had to do them on their own as homework and then talk out together how they solved the puzzles. Getting the answers didn't matter as much as the thinking process. My son really liked them. Get worksheets for a grade ahead. (We found the worksheets through a florida public school website.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the child, but I second the PP about letting the kids play. My DC is in HGC now. We didn't push. We had some workbooks, brain teaser books and such that DC did if DC wanted. We never had set-aside time. It was all just for fun.

But, if your DC really wants to do more academic stuff, then try out some of the links that your school provides. Our's has links to math games and such.

OP here.

I completely agree with you and the PP. There is plenty of creek stomping, fort building, ball throwing and general mayhem around here. We encourage it. I hope you didn't take me for some rigid task master I merely focused on the academics in my post because I've looked at the curriculum over the next two years and it's what my daughter can do in her head now. It just seems like such an empty path to follow... I guess I'm just looking for ideas to make it... not so empty.

And I just checked out code.org that a PP had mentioned. That looks awesome... thanks PP!

You're welcome! One of my other kids stumbled on code.org, and it is fantastic -- our 4-year-old begs to do it because OMG, Elsa is teaching coding! It's like playing video games, but it's teaching them to code, how logic works, spatial analysis...but what do they know, they're just having fun. Khan Academy also has coding lessons, but it requires learning syntax, so probably better for older ones...although my older ones love Scratch, which also uses the visual interface -- they are creating their own video games and animations. Sumdog is also a fun math game site -- we learned about it through HGC one year (all the kids signed up as part of a school-based challenge). The kids compete against one another online playing math games...they earn virtual coins to buy things for their digital avatars....for when the kids are bored of IXL and Khan Academy...

For the record... code.org rocks. My daughter completed the first Hour of Code tonight and didn't want to stop. She was ready to give up dinner, cartoons... or anything to start the next Hour of Code. Heh. Maybe tomorrow

It's thoughtfully laid out and since I have a background in programming I really appreciate the way they approach it. Kind of reminds me of learning Logo a very, very long time ago on Apple IIe's

Awesome! A new generation of girl coders!