Anonymous wrote:
There are posts saying that kids don't notice. It's possible (although those parents may just be fooling themselves).

Those parents are fooling themselves. It would take a special brand of obliviousness for a gifted 2nd grader to be reading long chapter books but not notice that the other kids are reading magic treehouse or easier. Kids also notice which other kids usually know the answers in class and which ones don't. The kids may not talk to their parents about school work or school groupings, but the kids have a pretty good notion of where they stand academically.

Anonymous wrote:Why is it wrong to tell a kid he's smarter than the others? Gives him confidence. I would.

Speaking as someone who was identified as gifted in K and skipped a grade, my takeaway as a kid was that I was smart, so therefore didn't have to work very hard. I don't find that helpful.

My kid knows he goes to center for AAP but no we have not told him he is gifted or shown him a WISC score or told him he qualifies for Mensa or anything. I’m not saying it is “wrong” but my child does not need that information at this young age. We talked about how just like being tall in and of itself isn’t an achievement, neither is “being smart” because you still need to read, pay attention, work hard, do your best, be kind, etc. Being tall might mean you could be good at basketball but you still have to learn the rules and practice, height is just an advantage. Same general idea.

Why is it wrong to tell a kid he's smarter than the others? Gives him confidence. I would.

We never said anything but at some point they notice based on the group of kids they typically do their work with. I have both an identified child and typical child and I honestly don't see that much difference in their work/assignments. That said, they are still in ES in APS.

Don’t say anything until asked. Then don’t make it a big deal.

I made the mistake of telling my kid and now he is overly anxious about it and feels like he won’t measure up. I blew it.

My DD was identified for Level 2 services in FCPS in 2nd grade. While not gifted services, they are differentiated and advanced. We did not tell her, but it was obvious to her that she and another 3 students in her class were receiving different work all year.

Anonymous wrote:Gifted kids tend to notice that they are gifted, and if they don't their gifted cohort will tell them.
I told my DS about his intellect because I wanted to be the first to deliver the right message- smart is, as smart does.

Gifted kids tend to notice that they are gifted, and if they don't their gifted cohort will tell them.
I told my DS about his intellect because I wanted to be the first to deliver the right message- smart is, as smart does.

No, I would not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you accept the resources for your child then your child is going to figure out that they are GT. It's not exactly a secret.

APS isn't a pull out program. it's all done in the classroom so some parents opt not to tell their kids.

Won't they figure out that their lessons are different from their friends' lessons? Kids figure this stuff out. They understand about reading levels and which book the "smart" kids are assigned, etc.

I wouldn't make a huge deal out of the kid being "gifted". Maybe call it Advanced Academics.

There are posts saying that kids don't notice. It's possible (although those parents may just be fooling themselves).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you accept the resources for your child then your child is going to figure out that they are GT. It's not exactly a secret.

APS isn't a pull out program. it's all done in the classroom so some parents opt not to tell their kids.

Won't they figure out that their lessons are different from their friends' lessons? Kids figure this stuff out. They understand about reading levels and which book the "smart" kids are assigned, etc.

I wouldn't make a huge deal out of the kid being "gifted". Maybe call it Advanced Academics.

Anonymous wrote:If you accept the resources for your child then your child is going to figure out that they are GT. It's not exactly a secret.

APS isn't a pull out program. it's all done in the classroom so some parents opt not to tell their kids.

If you accept the resources for your child then your child is going to figure out that they are GT. It's not exactly a secret.

Rising 3rd grader in Arlington Public School.

Thoughts?