Ask:
Does any one have a child that is in the program?
I am torn right now because dd1 who is 6 and in 1st grade just got recommended by her teacher for the program. I had to sign a permission slip for them to evaluate her. I signed it but I am torn whether it is a good or a bad thing.
If she is in it will being able to leave to go to a different class in the middle of the day effect how the students treat?
Will there be name calling like "smarty pants", or negative comments made?
Also, is this program something that allows the teachers to focus more on children that need more direct help?
Don't get me wrong I am so excited that they see how intellegent my dd is! I have known for a long time that she is smart and reads at a higher level. She always wants to be doing either workbooks or reading a book in her spare time. She connects better with adults. The list goes on. I am just skeptical that the program allows for them to get more attention and other students may not get as much as they deserve.
Am I wrong?
Help!
Please settle this for my own peace of mind! I guess I am looking at the other students before my own dd and I should focus on her. I just sometimes feel that she made it this far ahead does she really need additional educational needs?
If I confused anyone on the way I am thinking I apologize. I guess I just don't know much about schools and how they group students.
Thanks again!
Answer:
Name calling will happen for smart kids, whether they are in a special class or not. You could stunt her creativity and growth by keeping her back, so I vote for letting her go. This comes down to the school, once again, teaching appropriateness, and not allowing name calling. But your child needs to be challenged, and this could give her opportunities she may not have otherwise. Congratulations!
Answer:
My oldest child, dd, was in our gifted and talented program and I LOVED IT!!!!! She had really pretty much cruised through the first couple of years without really learning much she didn't know already. Then when she went into this program, the teacher was very creative and did really fun things in class. Plus, at least in my dd's case, she fit in better socially in that group. She had always been what I called "brainy nerdy" (in our family this is considered a compliment...not an insult). and she sometimes had trouble sociallly in regular classes because she wasn't into what the other kids were. She asked for a microscope for christmas in the second grade, and I remember in third grade when asked what she wanted for christmas, answering excitedly "Oh I'd love a book about the Lewis & Clark expedition". Kids in the regular classroom weren't always nice to her. But the kids in that class were more serious students like her and also "nerdy" somewhat, so they accepted her readily. I'm sure if I asked her now who her favorite teacher ever was, she'd say the 4th/5th grade challenge teacher. She loved her and so did my dh & I. I volunteered in the class one day a wk, to help with math, because she had the kids progress at their own pace in math. When I would go in, it looked very chaotic to me, but I guess it worked.
I'm sure each school system has their own way of doing things, but here, the kids in 2nd and 3rd grades were just pulled out for an accelerated math & reading, but in a regular classroom the rest of the time. Then they were in a separate combined 4th & 5th grade class of G&T kids all day long. I believe our schools have since gone to separate 4th & 5th grade classes because of the increase in the number of kids in the program.
Yes, there are some kids that will probably make fun of them, although my dd never told me about it. But I wouldn't go back and put her in another class for anything. My ds didn't make it to G&T and I always regret that he didn't get the wonderful opportunities that my dd did. So I say go for it!! HTH
Answer:
I wish we had a gifted and talented progam! I would defintely send her. Everyone will know she is smart no matter what. Let her stretch her wings and reach her potential
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I was put into the gifted program when I was in first grade. (Yeah, go figure - ME, gifted! ) It was 100% positive for me. I do not remember being teased for being smart or anything along those lines. The program gave me opportunities that I would never have pursued on my own.
Now that I am a teacher, I see what a positive thing this is for students now. I have not seen a negative side of it yet.
I say - go for it. If you decide later to pull your child from the program, that is your right.
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Thank you for all of the opinions. I do not know many parents and especially those that would be in G & T. I guess my guilt lies with the fact that I have 2 more children and I am always trying to have equal opprotunities for them and I need to stop and realize that they are all different. No matter what they do with themselves they will still succeed.
Thank so much for listening!
I know that I will keep her in the program if she does get in for sure. She just tested last week and said it was really hard. But I think this is exactly what she needs. She never feels challenged enough.
aliadam- Funny you say that about your daughter asking for stuff out of the ordinary for their age. My dd asked for a dinosaur excavation kit this Christmas because she is really into the history and ways of the dinosaur. Right now she wants to be a archeaologist!
Sonja
Answer:
I was in a pull-out program for gifted when I was in school. I was never teased. My 7 yo is in a gifted program, but they started a new thing in our district last year; he's in a 1st grade classroom comprised of ALL gifted students. Last year it was all gifted kinders. Next year it will be all 2nd graders. So there isn't a pull out.
If I were you, I wouldn't hesitate to put her in the program. As parents we need to consider each child's needs. If she had a speech problem, you'd see to it that her speech needs were met. Well, this is no different, it's a special need is all. She needs anything and everything that will help her stretch and grow and meet her potential.
Unfortunately, I felt the program was very limited when I was in school. It wasn't nearly enough. But there were many positives. Hopefully it's a better program these days!
Answer:
I'd definitely put her in. My first grader is now in our G&T program and loves it. She was so bored in regular class. She'd tell me she was ready to skip to 5th grade. They only go twice a week but on those 2 days she comes home telling me things that she learned. There are only 4 kids in her G&T class, so they get a lot of attention and focus. So far, there have been no negatives for this program!