Reply to HGC crowd is downright frightening!

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
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. 
[/quote]

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.[/quote]

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. [/quote]

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.

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This is really melodramatic. You are proving the OP's point. Now we fear kids who don't get into HGCs will become depressed and suicidal?[/quote]

No, it's not.  I don't think she's saying those that don't get in will be suicidal, rather that some who get in might be suicidal otherwise.   I'm a different poster, but I had a child like this.  Before kindergarten, dc was so excited about learning.  I had to practically drag dc out of the library, promising we could come back later for more books.  Dc would pick out books on geography, all kinds of science, history,  etc.  You name it, dc wanted to know it.  By third grade, dc had shut down.   Dc hated school, didn't feel dc was learning anything and was apathetic about learning.  Add to this severe bullying issues (not helped when the teacher announced dc's MAP-R scores to the class).  Dc wasn't suicidal yet, but I was scared dc would be in a few years if we didn't turn things around.  I still shudder at the memory of dc's eyes at that time.

Going to the center gave dc the opportunity to feel like dc was learning something.  Dc had a chance at normal peer interactions, although dc was still somewhat traumatized from her previous school.  Even people who knew dc in other settings commented on how much difference there was in dc.

I also had a second child who was very bright and motivated.  Both kids were in the HGC.  The second child did more with the opportunities afforded by going to the magnet, but my first child needed it more.  My second child would have flourished wherever dc2 went, but I really don't know what would have happened to my oldest if left dc in first school.  If dc hadn't gotten in the HGC, I would have home-schooled her because I was literally terrified for her.

However, I suspect the kids who don't get in probably fall more in the category of my second child (they could benefit greatly from it, but will do just fine without it).  My experience suggests the number of kids who are damaged without it is a smaller percentage of those admitted to the centers.  I just wish dc could have had something earlier, before the crisis, before dc started shutting down.[/quote]

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