what to do with a gifted child?

Kimberly - posted on 12/30/2009

Hi ,I have a gifted child who 13 now there are programs that can help you .Try MENSA .com it gives you detailed info.in what to look for and what programs your child can get into .

Deborah - posted on 12/29/2009

Quoting Rosemary:

Hi Loran, no he has not been tested. He goes to a suburban public school. One of the best districts in the county but no he hasn't been tested. I wish I knew how I could get him tested though.

Hi Rosemary,

I took a look at what state you live in and then looked at the gifted requirements for your state. IL is one of the states where gifted programs are not mandatory and no funding is alotted for it. This doesn't necessarily mean that school districts don't have gifted programs but the state doesn't provide funding for it. So if your district has a gifted program it probably doesn't offer the full gammet of testing. If you still want to test your child you can do so but you would probably have to go through the private sector. Some people contact local universities to see if they can test because the cost is a lot less, however, for gifted children testing might not yield the best results if you don't have a tester that is use to gifted kids. IE. asking a child where milk comes from ... most would answer a cow and this would be the accepted answer. Lots of gifted children would answer mammals or a specfic mammal type and they would be counted wrong.

Just things to consider if you do look to test him. And your son is close to the preferred age to test: age 8. So the test results (besides what I mentioned earlier) should be pretty accurate.

Hope that helps! I did see your other post about no one commenting. I have noticed a pattern on this board where people get involved in other things and don't really stay active on here. It can be frustrating because the board is really here to help each other.

Cat - posted on 12/22/2009

Talk to your son's school about when they do gifted testing, and if it's not for a couple of years yet, ask what alternatives are available, or what you can do to get it started earlier. If nothing else, find out what can be done in his classroom or grade to get him work at his level. Plan on being a persistent, pleasantly annoying parent from here out. They will usually accommodate someone if they can't get you to go away. If they are totally inflexible, start looking for alternatives (different school, different district, private school, home school), even if you have to make some sacrifices or spend some time building up to it.

Missy - posted on 12/22/2009

Schools in our area test in 2nd grade, no matter what.

Definitely do your best to provide new things to do, read, and learn about. My son just got a space station documentary that he has watched several times and he really enjoys encyclopedias and computer games about subjects in which he's interested (currently how our bodies work, animals, and outer space).

Kelli - posted on 12/21/2009

Hello Rosemary! I have a gifted 5-year old son (reading 5th-6th and learning new languages) who has not been tested, because, as Laura pointed out, some schools don't test until later (like in my area). As a matter of fact, we had to take him from public to private so he could get a good start without the frustrations of getting held back in his "inclusive" public classroom.
Getting bored is a kid thing and sometimes a special challenge w/ gifted kids, but catering to their strong interests while at home helps. I always try to sneak in a little something that challenges him, and perhaps that will help your son too.

Laura - posted on 12/20/2009

Some public schools will test for IQ when they test for the gifted program. that is what ours did. I have learned that testing for gifted depends on the school. We were told at our last elem (same district) that he would not be tested until 3rd grade. The new school tested him at 2nd grade for which I thank God for. He can be a behavior problem when he is bored. Check with the school and see when they test I suggest talking to the principal or school counselor.

Jenn - posted on 12/18/2009

In the US, public schools test students for "giftedness," in the hope of providing an education that is approprate for their learning style.
Basically "gifted" means that your child learns things more easily or quickly than the "standard" student. (Requires less repetition...may become bored in standard classroom.)
I highly recommend the website HOAGIES for gifted/talented information.

Loran - posted on 12/18/2009

Rosemary, Thanks for your reply. Find a child psychologist or psychiatrist that specializes in testing. If you live near any big city (within driving distance) check the 'net for info there. There's bound to be a prep school there that requires testing. They will know EXACTLY who to refer you to. Insurance won't cover it. The fee was about $185, if I remember correctly. Another place you could look for info is the public school system, your pediatrician, or any learning/therapy place near you (like a speech therapy place). Someone is bound to put you in touch with the right person. You may even get biographies on several and be able to choose one you like.

Good luck. : )

Rosemary - posted on 12/18/2009

Hi Loran, no he has not been tested. He goes to a suburban public school. One of the best districts in the county but no he hasn't been tested. I wish I knew how I could get him tested though.

Loran - posted on 12/17/2009

Hi Rosemary! I just joined and your topic sounding intriguing. My son is 7 and attends an academic magnet school. He's doing 2nd grade work in the 1st grade and his teachers say he needs a challenge. He has a 4.0 GPA. He loves math and making up math games. I wish there was an "engineering" program after school for him! Sounds great. Maybe next year when we move to Huntsville, AL, engineering mecca of the USA. Has your son been tested for IQ? Brendan had to be tested before K, to apply to a private college prep school. I'm still trying to figure out if he's "gifted" or just extremely intelligent.

Missy - posted on 12/17/2009

Hi, Rosemary. My son is 5, so not exactly in the same age group, but I wanted to welcome you to the group. Sorry you've been frustrated with the lack of responses :(