HGC crowd is downright frightening!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It's because some kids REALLY need a different environment than their home school can provide.
And their parents cannot afford private school.

It's agonizing when you see your gifted child (130+ IQ) completely unappreciated and unrecognized at the home school. Then they come home every afternoon and throw themselves on books and ask to be taken to the library every day.

PP, what do you think the home school should be appreciating and recognizing your child for? And appreciating and recognizing how?

[Anonymous]

Eldest daughter was in HGC, second daughter just received rejection notice today. Oldest one loved it, it truly was what she needed and was immensely beneficial. Second one is smart too, but her scores were below the median of the accepted scores of the other children. Oldest daughter's scores were well above the median.

Am I disappointed for her? Yes. Is it the end of the world? No.

If you have a child with an independently verified high IQ, like my oldest, I can see being upset. They actually are challenged in the center. The oldest did not get accepted it into a magnet and is dying in school right now.

If you don't and you just think your child is a genius then I can't understand why you are getting twisted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It's because some kids REALLY need a different environment than their home school can provide.
And their parents cannot afford private school.

It's agonizing when you see your gifted child (130+ IQ) completely unappreciated and unrecognized at the home school. Then they come home every afternoon and throw themselves on books and ask to be taken to the library every day.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It's because some kids REALLY need a different environment than their home school can provide.
And their parents cannot afford private school.

It's agonizing when you see your gifted child (130+ IQ) completely unappreciated and unrecognized at the home school. Then they come home every afternoon and throw themselves on books and ask to be taken to the library every day.

Was that a Freudian slip? You say your child suffers at school because he is unappreciated and unrecognized? It's a tenuous enough argument for HGCs just when parents feel their children aren't challenged enough. There is absolutely no argument to be made for HGCs just because children are not made to feel special enough in their classrooms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Eldest daughter was in HGC, second daughter just received rejection notice today. Oldest one loved it, it truly was what she needed and was immensely beneficial. Second one is smart too, but her scores were below the median of the accepted scores of the other children. Oldest daughter's scores were well above the median.

Am I disappointed for her? Yes. Is it the end of the world? No.

If you have a child with an independently verified high IQ, like my oldest, I can see being upset. They actually are challenged in the center. The oldest did not get accepted it into a magnet and is dying in school right now.

If you don't and you just think your child is a genius then I can't understand why you are getting twisted.

???

If your oldest is so bright and gifted, then why didn't s/he get into a magnet?

If she's "dying" in ms, then why not supplement or go the private route?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

???

If your oldest is so bright and gifted, then why didn't s/he get into a magnet?

If she's "dying" in ms, then why not supplement or go the private route?

We aren't all able to send our children to a private school, even if we want to send them.

And "supplementing" isn't much help for the 6.5 hours a day the child spends at school.

I'm not the PP you're responding to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
It's because some kids REALLY need a different environment than their home school can provide.
And their parents cannot afford private school.

It's agonizing when you see your gifted child (130+ IQ) completely unappreciated and unrecognized at the home school. Then they come home every afternoon and throw themselves on books and ask to be taken to the library every day.

Was that a Freudian slip? You say your child suffers at school because he is unappreciated and unrecognized? It's a tenuous enough argument for HGCs just when parents feel their children aren't challenged enough. There is absolutely no argument to be made for HGCs just because children are not made to feel special enough in their classrooms.

Parents like that do a number on their kids. I blame them for the recent college grads at my office who expect a ribbon and a juicebox just for doing their job...and rolling their eyes when you ask them to do something administrative like fetch copies.

I don't tolerate it when my kids whine about being bored, and they know better than to do that. They can entertain themselves, challenge themselves, etc. If your kid can't, then that's on you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That's a rare occurrence. Most of the kids at HGCs are just normal, bright kids. Or, they are socially awkward and eager to leave their home school.

It's a shame that mcps can't function like private schools and simply stimulate and challenge all kids.

Private schools may (or may not) stimulate and challenge all of the kids they admit, but they only admit a select few. (And sometimes they expel, whoops, "counsel out", some of the kids they did admit.) So no, private schools don't stimulate and challenge all kids.

Not catholic schools.

I attended some of the best catholic schools in the area. They know how to raise the bar and demand excellence.

You must be crazy, I had to take my super high iq kid out of catholic school because it was a whole year of complaints about him not adhering to the rules, asking too many questions, questioning the teacher, etc, etc, etc. We had a note sent home practically every other day. Since entering an HGC, he is surrounded by peers and teachers who let him run with ideas instead of discouraging him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

???

If your oldest is so bright and gifted, then why didn't s/he get into a magnet?

If she's "dying" in ms, then why not supplement or go the private route?

We aren't all able to send our children to a private school, even if we want to send them.

And "supplementing" isn't much help for the 6.5 hours a day the child spends at school.

I'm not the PP you're responding to.

Your kid will learn the basics in public school, and you should supplement...whether your kid is gifted or not.

They aren't doing anything magical at HGCs. Trust me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That's a rare occurrence. Most of the kids at HGCs are just normal, bright kids. Or, they are socially awkward and eager to leave their home school.

It's a shame that mcps can't function like private schools and simply stimulate and challenge all kids.

Private schools may (or may not) stimulate and challenge all of the kids they admit, but they only admit a select few. (And sometimes they expel, whoops, "counsel out", some of the kids they did admit.) So no, private schools don't stimulate and challenge all kids.

Not catholic schools.

I attended some of the best catholic schools in the area. They know how to raise the bar and demand excellence.

You must be crazy, I had to take my super high iq kid out of catholic school because it was a whole year of complaints about him not adhering to the rules, asking too many questions, questioning the teacher, etc, etc, etc. We had a note sent home practically every other day. Since entering an HGC, he is surrounded by peers and teachers who let him run with ideas instead of discouraging him.

You sound like you enable your kid's poor behavior. It's never okay for a child to challenge a teacher. Period.

I was tested as a child and was off the charts. I excelled in catholic school. My catholic high school was far more challenging than law challenging. Undergrad was a breeze in comparison.

Fwiw, while your kid with behavior issues might excel in an alternative learning environment, he will likely do poorly in HS, college and grad school given the more traditional approach to teaching. That's the key to why kids who graduate from catholic school do so well in college and grad school: academic discipline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Your kid will learn the basics in public school, and you should supplement...whether your kid is gifted or not.

They aren't doing anything magical at HGCs. Trust me.

Why should we do that?

My kid was at an HGC, where they did a lot (magical or not), and is now at the home middle school. Would the magnet middle school have been heaven on earth? I doubt it. But it would have had its advantages and disadvantages, just like the home middle school does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


You must be crazy, I had to take my super high iq kid out of catholic school because it was a whole year of complaints about him not adhering to the rules, asking too many questions, questioning the teacher, etc, etc, etc. We had a note sent home practically every other day. Since entering an HGC, he is surrounded by peers and teachers who let him run with ideas instead of discouraging him.

You sound like you enable your kid's poor behavior. It's never okay for a child to challenge a teacher. Period.

I was tested as a child and was off the charts. I excelled in catholic school. My catholic high school was far more challenging than law challenging. Undergrad was a breeze in comparison.

Fwiw, while your kid with behavior issues might excel in an alternative learning environment, he will likely do poorly in HS, college and grad school given the more traditional approach to teaching. That's the key to why kids who graduate from catholic school do so well in college and grad school: academic discipline.

PP #1: All private schools challenge and stimulate all kids.
PP #2: Catholic school did not challenge and stimulate my kid.
PP #1: That's because your child behaves badly.

Huh.

(Maybe PP #1 should have said, "All private schools challenge and stimulate all kids, except for badly-behaved kids"?)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
It's because some kids REALLY need a different environment than their home school can provide.
And their parents cannot afford private school.

It's agonizing when you see your gifted child (130+ IQ) completely unappreciated and unrecognized at the home school. Then they come home every afternoon and throw themselves on books and ask to be taken to the library every day.

Was that a Freudian slip? You say your child suffers at school because he is unappreciated and unrecognized? It's a tenuous enough argument for HGCs just when parents feel their children aren't challenged enough. There is absolutely no argument to be made for HGCs just because children are not made to feel special enough in their classrooms.

Parents like that do a number on their kids. I blame them for the recent college grads at my office who expect a ribbon and a juicebox just for doing their job...and rolling their eyes when you ask them to do something administrative like fetch copies.

I don't tolerate it when my kids whine about being bored, and they know better than to do that. They can entertain themselves, challenge themselves, etc. If your kid can't, then that's on you.

You don't understand, and if your children are not like that, then I don't expect you to understand. However a little sympathy, instead of an attack on my parenting skills, would be welcome.

I'm a strict parent and do not expect children to be complimented for doing normal things like chores and homework, and getting good grades.
I DO expect a child with special needs, such as gifts or learning disorders (because they are BOTH special needs, on either side of the spectrum), to be recognized as such by the teacher and school, and to be adequately supported by being given more challenging work or being given paraeducator help, whatever the need may be.
If these needs are not recognized, then children start to think they're stupid. Children learn to hide their talents. Children start thinking they're weirdos and aliens and shut down. They can become depressed or suicidal. They feel they don't belong, doubt themselves and disengage. That path does not lead to a healthy, successful, life!!!

I have another child who will do well wherever she goes. She is a bright self-starting high-achiever. Yet she does NOT have this devouring intellectual curiosity and mental rigor that my gifted child has. I need to help the child who has the gifts and whom teachers disregard completely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would you say these terrible things to the parent of an ASD child, learning disabled, ADHD??

Unusual brain wiring can be difficult to manage, and it's stigmatized to be weird or a nerd or whatever, and whenever we say anything we get these "cry me a river" sorts of responses.

I don't know. I've had plenty of mean things said to me about my child with language based learning disabilities and ADHD about how my kid doesn't "try hard" and is "lazy."

But the OP seems to be referring to the PARENTS of the kids. The parents really need to get it under control. It's like the parents at the rec league soccer and baseball games who are raising their voices loud enough for the ref/umps to hear. Give it a rest.

I saw a 4th grader ("Joe") melt down and end a lifelong friendship because one friend ("Bob") got into HGC and "Joe" didn't. That sort of pressure comes from the parents. And now both "Joe" and "Bob" are in the same MS Magnet and are pretty enemies (name calling, fighting during Outdoor Ed). So freaking sad.

That's awful. And so sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


You must be crazy, I had to take my super high iq kid out of catholic school because it was a whole year of complaints about him not adhering to the rules, asking too many questions, questioning the teacher, etc, etc, etc. We had a note sent home practically every other day. Since entering an HGC, he is surrounded by peers and teachers who let him run with ideas instead of discouraging him.

You sound like you enable your kid's poor behavior. It's never okay for a child to challenge a teacher. Period.

I was tested as a child and was off the charts. I excelled in catholic school. My catholic high school was far more challenging than law challenging. Undergrad was a breeze in comparison.

Fwiw, while your kid with behavior issues might excel in an alternative learning environment, he will likely do poorly in HS, college and grad school given the more traditional approach to teaching. That's the key to why kids who graduate from catholic school do so well in college and grad school: academic discipline.

PP #1: All private schools challenge and stimulate all kids.
PP #2: Catholic school did not challenge and stimulate my kid.
PP #1: That's because your child behaves badly.

Huh.

(Maybe PP #1 should have said, "All private schools challenge and stimulate all kids, except for badly-behaved kids"?)

Sure. You can edit my post.

Poorly behaved kids should face consequences. You do a disservice to your poorly behaved kid who can't follow rules or respect authority figures by justifying their actions by claiming they are bored or gifted. That's bs.

Are you going to be one of those parents who emails college professors?

I sat next to a law professor from Wake Forest who told me a million stories about helicopter parents...it was shocking. My parents never spoke to a teacher on my behalf once I hit middle school, and that's how I'm raising my kids (always be respectful, and don't be afraid to advocate for yourself politely). Ymmv.