Thursday, March 19, 2009

Sometimes the Apple DOES Fall Far From the Tree. . .

Generally speaking, I frown on boasting.

However, there are some personal exceptions, especially when it comes to my own kids.

Especially when I have confirmation that they are super-smart.

Especially since I have this blog to get the word out, because I wouldn't normally just go up to people and tell them . . .

Especially since we are parents of barely average intelligence (I am only speaking for myself! Husband is very intelligent, wise, and full of common sense)

I know ya'll can understand where I am coming from. . .


Yesterday I went to meet with Noelle's new S.T.R.I.V.E. instructor. We had been notified several weeks prior of her acceptance to the program, which is our school district's Gifted and Talented program.

The name is an acronym for:

Strenghtening
Talents,
Reasoning, and
Intellect through
Varied
Experiences.

We talked a little bit about how the program works, its goals for the children, and how they will be taught learn more effectively, and also do projects, puzzles, and other have experiences that will help them figure out what they want to do with their life . . .



Another thing we talked about was how she was picked to be in the program. It requires that she be nominated by 3 people, including teachers, parents, school counselors, and administrators. She also had to be tested and found in the 98th percentile or higher, in individual intelligence measures, achievement tests, and creativity assessments.

(Here is where the real boasting begins)

She easily qualified. She scored a 99.6 in Math and 99.8 in Language. That, with her combined scores in the other areas, put her at an average of 99+ percentile. (You statistics gurus know that there is no such thing as 100th percentile - I learned that only yesterday!).

We have always known she was very special. This is a kid who spoke her first word (hello) at just over 2 months old, and kept adding words and then sentences from there.


We didn't feel the need to send her to preschool because she had always been such a quick learner, and so when she started kindergarten, (as a brand-new 5 year old; her birthday is Aug 30) she didn't know ALL of her shapes and ALL of her numbers and the sounds of ALL of her letters (she knew most of them, trust me, and isn't that what they're supposed to learn in kindergarten, anyway?).

So, they put her in the Title One program! A great program, don't misunderstand me here, but I couldn't understand why she was there. . . but by the end of the semester, she was acting as a teacher's helper. I let her continue in the program because the teacher said she was so effective with the other kids, and it wasn't hindering her other classwork.

I feel we have been given a great gift, and an awesome responsibility to give her the opportunities to make the most of herself. . .

advice, anyone??

I would love some!

7 comments:

The Birthday Group said...

All three of my kids were in T.A.G. (Talented and Gifted), so I understand your desire to respect that gift she has and build on it. I wasn't very successful at it as I was a horrible student and dropped out of HS. I always felt inferior to their knowledge and capabilities, so I think I hindered their overall making of a well-rounded child. Meagan's brain is off the chart, she needs to be in Mensa. However, she didn't develop emtionally or socially. School was her life and it seemed since she was the first that we were always so proud of her that is what seemed to be focused on. Nothing else existed in her world other than school, which is how she wanted it, but I feel I failed her there.

My advice would be to show her how proud you are, but don't let that be the only thing. I'm sure you do that anyway. If there is something you don't agree with or have questions about that she is doing in school then ask or make changes. My kids didn't have the gospel when they were teenagers, so I think that played a big part in their overall development. It's amazing how grounded the gospel brings us and when we live worthily how everything in our world revolves in harmony.

Just love her, be proud of her, praise all her achievements and be the great Mom you are!

Mrs. O said...

I don't have any words of advice other than to let her feel challenged. What a fun adventure you're embarking on. Woot!

Kate said...

That is always so exciting. I just feel like kids with special abilities above others have the right to learn too, and sometimes in the regular classroom they aren't given that. I think you need to definitely encourage her but also focus on other things about who she is. Good luck.

Cynthia said...

Hey! That's certainly something to be proud of. Congratulations to the whole family.

And I agree with Kate, being so smart is just ONE of her multitude of talents and a part of who she is. Sounds like you've got a great, hard-working kid (because even smart kids won't score that high without having pushed themselves to do the work of learning).

Missy said...

Sounds just like Madison!;) My advice? ya right I should be getting advice from you! One thing I do with Madi is talk to her often and ask if there is anything in her life that is stressing her out. I would be stressed if I were her being involved in many things and also being so serious about her academics, but she reassures me she can handle it all. I just want her to be able to do all that she can but still be able to do the best she can.

R Allen said...

I have one kid in the GATE program and she's almost always grumpy and sarcastic. I am so glad the other two kids are just normal.

Annette Lyon said...

Hey, if we can't brag about our kids, what's the point? :)

Had to drop by to see your blog!