Anonymous wrote:Barnsley has a GT/LD program. It is separate from the HGC.

exactly. this is the type of program the op should investigate.

Barnsley has a GT/LD program. It is separate from the HGC.

Anonymous wrote:Most people who are truly gifted (not just highest achieving and very bright -PP) have LDs. True giftedness often comes with deficiencies in other areas or thinking so differently that traditional learning styles don't work.

Too many parents see the GT centers as an elementary school version of the Ivy league or an escape from the lower standards in public education. They just make sure that their kids are well trained and achievement oriented. Gifted centers are not there to give NT kids a leg up on their educational competitiveness. They are there to provide a different learning style for actual gifted kids who can't perform in normal academic settings.

I'm sorry but you are misinformed. The HGC center are for the top academic performers in the county. These are kids who can score highly (or, in many cases, perfectly) on the standardized entrance exam and who routinely excel in their classrooms. While, yes, there could be kids in this group who happen to have some other issues (just like kids at the home schools could happen to have other issues). That said, this program is NOT designed to accommodate kids who "can't perform in a normal academic setting" as you claim. That is just not true. These are the top kids in their home schools. Maybe the odd term "gifted" is creating this confusion. This program is for really, really smart kids, not "gifted" in the rain-man sense. I've sent 2 kids through the program (a few years apart) and I can tell you that these are simply very smart kids.

At our school, routinely, some of the eccentric, disruptive kids take the test and don't get into the center (some even eventually go to middle schools while in elementary school b/c they are great at math, but can't hold a normal conversation). Often parents think the HGC will be the magic pill for these kids, but they simply can't get in b/c there are so many really smart kids in this county (kids who are have exceptional math and verbal skills). I agree, there need to be services for LD kids, but the HGC is not that resource.
The HGC is about academic achievement and performance. If a kid can't perform in a "regular" classroom there is no way that kid could perform in the HGC - lots of reading, collaboration, etc. There are other GT/LD centers - which are different from the HGC centers. These may be a better option for you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most people who are truly gifted (not just highest achieving and very bright -PP) have LDs. True giftedness often comes with deficiencies in other areas or thinking so differently that traditional learning styles don't work.

Too many parents see the GT centers as an elementary school version of the Ivy league or an escape from the lower standards in public education. They just make sure that their kids are well trained and achievement oriented. Gifted centers are not there to give NT kids a leg up on their educational competitiveness. They are there to provide a different learning style for actual gifted kids who can't perform in normal academic settings.

That's the claim. I'm not sure it's true, though (based on my limited experience).

+1
There are different kinds of children at my dd's HGC but they are on the whole super bright and many are also motivated to do well. Most of the assignments involve a lot of writing and require good organizational skills - several projects every year that need the kids to plan several different steps and meet multiple deadlines. There are a few kids who have a 'different learning style' or have a clear talent in one area or are very creative but in my opinion, the program isn't really designed with these children in mind. What they offer is an enriched curriculum and an accelerated pace of learning with rigorous and challenging (mostly written) assignments. There are enough spots for the top 2% of all MCPS students. The kind of children you are describing are probably a small group within that top 2%. I imagine the GT/LD centers might be better able to accommodate these children if they "can't perform in normal academic settings". I am not implying they have learning difficulties but that the GT/LD teachers would be more able to accommodate differences in learning styles.
The kind of child you are describing would probably enjoy the HGC but might not necessarily get great grades across the board - but that should not matter IMO, as long as they do not feel overwhelmed etc.

The middle school magnets are slightly different from the HGC- I think it would be even more difficult to get in and have a good experience unless you are organized, high achieving and so on.

Anonymous wrote:Most people who are truly gifted (not just highest achieving and very bright -PP) have LDs. True giftedness often comes with deficiencies in other areas or thinking so differently that traditional learning styles don't work.

Too many parents see the GT centers as an elementary school version of the Ivy league or an escape from the lower standards in public education. They just make sure that their kids are well trained and achievement oriented. Gifted centers are not there to give NT kids a leg up on their educational competitiveness. They are there to provide a different learning style for actual gifted kids who can't perform in normal academic settings.

That's the claim. I'm not sure it's true, though (based on my limited experience).

Most people who are truly gifted (not just highest achieving and very bright -PP) have LDs. True giftedness often comes with deficiencies in other areas or thinking so differently that traditional learning styles don't work.

Too many parents see the GT centers as an elementary school version of the Ivy league or an escape from the lower standards in public education. They just make sure that their kids are well trained and achievement oriented. Gifted centers are not there to give NT kids a leg up on their educational competitiveness. They are there to provide a different learning style for actual gifted kids who can't perform in normal academic settings.

These programs are for the highest achieving, brightest kids in MCPS, they are not ld programs. Even an average kid with minor organizational issues would struggle in this program. It could be terrible foe a kid with real issues.

OP here. DC has ADHD and LDs affecting her writing. It takes her hours to write a simple essay. She puts the bare minimum words on the page but they are precise and very well thought out. She just can't stop thinking of every possible angle and then can't organize her thoughts. If the GT center requires a significant amount of writing, I just can't imagine that this would work for her. Giving her extra time isn't much help because she can take hours. Sending it home just means that she obsesses over it for hours at home.

If its designed for GT/LD kids who have writing disabilities but can express their ideas in other ways or who really excel at math and logic then its a good fit. I would love her to get the opportunity to do more in math and science but I don't want her to be tortured for 2 years with writing assignments that she can't produce.

In her home school, she has good friends, enjoys art, music, PE, and plays sports etc. She struggles with writing and the math is too easy so its not the best academic fit but its very good on other aspects. Her sports and other interests at home give her a lot of confidence so I'm worried that a GT center with a heavy focus on writing will mean hours and hours of writing homework every night.

I'm in the same boat with my son, OP. Hesitating between his current ES, where they support his LDs very well but do not accelerate him, a GT program where he might not get the LD support, or the GT/LD center which is really far away...

In the end, I tell myself it's the quality of the parenting and academic enrichment at home that matters. But still, I wish I could find a perfect solution for school

Anonymous wrote:My DD is at an HGC, no LD's for her and from what I've seen its a lot of smart kids w/o LD issues. The home school had many more LD issues in the classroom. I think there are plenty of people who down talk the HGC kids so they feel better about their child. I'm not saying that a LD child couldn't be accommodated at HGC just like at the home school, but I'm saying that it isn't a program dedicated to LD's.

My daughter struggles a bit with organization, but even with this she doesn't have any real problems doing well at an HGC. It can be a lot of work however, and if you're having problems with the workload in 3rd, I'd be hesitant. One of the things they emphasized at the orientation is that it's not just for smart kids; it's for smart kids that are willing to work hard. Not saying that your child wouldn't work hard, but the bar is set pretty high for kids w/o any issues. I would apply, and if accepted bring up your concerns and talk to someone.

My DD is at an HGC, no LD's for her and from what I've seen its a lot of smart kids w/o LD issues. The home school had many more LD issues in the classroom. I think there are plenty of people who down talk the HGC kids so they feel better about their child. I'm not saying that a LD child couldn't be accommodated at HGC just like at the home school, but I'm saying that it isn't a program dedicated to LD's.

My kid is a 2E at an Hgc and he is doing well. A significant portion if his class appears to be 2e.

There are kids in the regular GT magnets who have LDs and get accommodations. It really depends on type and extent of LDs. I would talk to Marisa Stemple at MCPS to find out what's the best fit for your child.

In mcps, there are separate gtld classes for those that meet the requirements, but like all programs they can be hard to get into.

I can not imagine DC in a GT center even though he received a recommendation and his scores are in that range. He is one of those kids who really struggles to do schoolwork due to learning disabilities but has a very high IQ. I don't think he could a GT center that was just for GT students but a center with a GT/LD option might be a good fit.