Teachers, is it true that most of the parents you deal with think their children are 'gifted'?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have absolutely nothing on paper to suggest that my child is gifted, and in fact she finds math pretty trick and difficult. But she is a strong reader (even so, not in the top reading group) with a deep, deep imagination and a sort of weird wiseness about things.

I believe she is gifted, though I don't push this with teachers or ask them to change her groups (unless it's to move her down because of anxiousness). But I've never asked for a teacher meeting to discuss my kid's special gifts or requested the teacher to move her to more difficult groups or push her harder. If a time comes when my kid's grades or scores or whatever back me up, and the school should be providing some service but isn't providing it, THEN I will ask for a meeting. But our school is pretty on top of things, I don't see that happening.

I don't think this is crazy or bad. We are the guardians of our kids' best interests and we have to look out for them. And I think it's good to see something special in your own kid that teachers who just spend 9 months a year with them and 20 other kids might not see. I'm not being pushy about it. But I think my kid is gifted. Maybe yours is, too.

How old is your child? What kind of information do you need before you will either revise up or down your estimates?

[Anonymous]

She's seven. Why does it feel like you're trying to trap me into saying something crazy? I don't know exactly what I'd need. I don't have things plotted out that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know my kid is gifted and have the WISC scores to prove it.

Well bully for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know my kid is gifted and have the WISC scores to prove it.

It is useless.

oh do tell PP. why do you think its useless? I'm curious because DD did not score well in a few areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the reason parents of younger kids think they have gifted children is simply because the developmental difference in those ages can be so huge. You have some 3/4 year olds learning to read whereas others don't learn until they are 6/7. I can understand a person who has very little exposure to children beyond her own to start confusing that developmental milestone with being gifted. By the time you hit the later grades these differences start to mellow out. You might notice some differences between your child and their peers but it's not likely to be as obvious as it was in kindergarten.

Agree.

+2. I was a very precocious reader and identified as gifted in elementary school. Trust me, I'm not gifted, lol.

Ha! Same for me. I was even in a gifted and talented program (nice name..sure that didn't make anyone else feel badly!), but I'm pretty darn normal. My kids are nice, bright, curious, but I wouldn't say they are gifted.

[Anonymous]

Hoping some teachers will actually weigh in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hoping some teachers will actually weigh in.

I did earlier. I think at least a few others did as well.

[Anonymous]

I taught at a very normal public school in another part of the country that would be considered low ses to dcumers, but was in fact just very normal. There was only a very smal contingent of parents that were determined to get their kids into the gifted program. They were the obnoxious moms that were more educated and had careers. (This was one) The vast majority were clueless about what gifted even meant. I loved informing them about how great their children were performing.

[Anonymous]

Supposed to say (this was ime)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private school teacher here. I think when the parents of students who are doing fine ask for a meeting, it is very likely because they want to complain about an A- or not being in the highest level group. It's not most parents, but it's most parents that request meetings when there is no obvious struggle.

That being said, when you're constantly trying to put out fires it's easy to lose sight of the quiet ones who do "fine" and get by, even when they need support, so it's good you contacted the teacher and it's good she was responsive. I always appreciate such reminders and conversations.

OP here. This is a very reasonable explanation and thank you for weighing in. Feeling silly about feeling like there was something about me that screamed "helicopter mom"!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private school teacher here. I think when the parents of students who are doing fine ask for a meeting, it is very likely because they want to complain about an A- or not being in the highest level group. It's not most parents, but it's most parents that request meetings when there is no obvious struggle.

That being said, when you're constantly trying to put out fires it's easy to lose sight of the quiet ones who do "fine" and get by, even when they need support, so it's good you contacted the teacher and it's good she was responsive. I always appreciate such reminders and conversations.

OP here. This is a very reasonable explanation and thank you for weighing in. Feeling silly about feeling like there was something about me that screamed "helicopter mom"!

Nothing to feel silly about at all. I see things from the other side now that I'm the mom of a people-pleaser who always follows instructions. I worry sometimes that these tendencies can mean she gets ignored in a large classroom full of more pressing needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know my kid is gifted and have the WISC scores to prove it.

Slow clap.

[Anonymous]

Dcum is like lake wobegone. Of course the DC area is full of overachievers

[Anonymous]

I am a teacher. I would say that most of my parents are pretty realistic about their children but there are a few that are not. Including one who responds to every "grade" with an hand-written essay handed back to me explaining how their child is brilliant and knows everything, despite what they showed on the assessment. Fun times.

[Anonymous]

I've actually never met an Asian parent that wasn't utterly disappointed with their child. I've rarely met an Asian child that wasn't successful in almost everything.

My child is average, I fully admit it but I believe it's his average abilities that have forced him to learn how to earn things. Who knows how this will play out in hs and college but it's been great for other childhood disciplines.