to loathe the smuggery that goes with any G&T post

[FunnysInTheGarden]

' oh my dc is miles and miles ahead of her peers, but I really want her to keep it real and mix with the thick folk just so that she understands that we are all different. Obv she'll move to private for her GCSE's'

FFS, when I was young there was no G&T and we all got on with it. I would have been a G&T type, but so glad there wasn't the distinction then. Tis shite

I would have said YANBU

then I read your penultimate line: "I would have been a G&T type"

YABU

Get over yourself

The G&T register is silly, someone on it in one school could be merely average in another

I disagree with this. The point of the G&T register (as I understand it) is to identify the top 10%, ie the top 2 or 3 pupils, in the class in that subject, so that they can be given work which will stretch and challenge them. The point is that within their peer group they may be bored and the teacher should recognise this. It doesn't matter IMO if they would only be average at a different school. Why is that relevant?

Werll, I posted on there once, different user name. The issue I has was with lack of friendships and loneliness.

Sorry if that sounds smug.

Can I just say that not all gifted and talented children have difficulties socialising, it's something that may go along with being very very clever, but there are lots of very very clever people who have good social skills. It's not inevitable, but it is stressful and people have every right to post about it without being accused of smuggery.

Clothes of sand

The best revenge is a life lived well.

my quote of the week...

We had G&T when I was at school (40 years ago) - it was called 'Grammar school' in those days. :o

mumofthreekids that's a very good point actually, but I think the problem is with the way the G&T register is sometimes spun (or perhaps just not explained) to parents. It is probably not a good idea to allow them to labour under the illusion that their child is super-bright compared to the whole population as opposed to working in the top 10% in their cohort in a particular subject area. So long as everyone understands what it means and how it works it should be fine. But I am not sure everyone does. Perhaps the problem is with the name. Gifted and Talented implies something which may not actually be true. It could (in a low-performing school) just as well be called 'Turns up at least 80% of the time' or 'One of the the few who makes an effort to listen and obey intructions'.

Anny sign of the OP?

No?

Rightyho then.

I am not smug that dd is bright/gifted/whatever you might like to call it. And I'm not worried about it either as thankfully it hasn't come with the social challenges some children experience.

But I will tell you what I am: I am bloody relieved. Because in her situation- off school with chronic pain about 30-60% of the year for the last 8 (!) years with noone around to home educate her- she is going to have to be bloody bright to pull her education off. Otherwise she is going to stand no chance.

She is not physically strong enough to get a non-skilled job, if she can't get a skilled one she will never work. Her talent is the one hope we have to cling to.

And if ds' condition deteriorates, then heaven help him is all I can say- he would have Nothing.

So I take it OP you have never asked for advice on anything on mumsnet before? G&T labelled kids are more likely than most to have social issues, boredom & frustration issues, laziness issues or behavioural issues. If you think parents asking for help & support for their DC are unreasonable just because they are G&T labelled YABVVVVU!!! It's what mumsnet is all about. I dare you to start a similar thread regarding special needs threads! You wouldn't? So why on earth would you deem it acceptable to bash the kids on the G&T register? All children have their strengths and it is up to us a parents to make sure we play to these as much as possible. It's called building confidence. G&T labelled children are more likely that most to struggle with their confidence & we must to our best to support them.

FellatioNelsonsDog yes I do see your point. If you tell a parent their child is Gifted or Talented they may well take that to mean more than it does.

Oh don't worry, I'm still here. Just realised after the rather rabid response that I was not actually that bothered.

Interesting POV from LeQ an Pag though. Also from Fellatio

As you were, don't let me interrupt the biscuits and generally tuttiness

I don't think the people who have explained what the g & t section looks like have been particularly rabid.

Late to this thread and skim read. However I think the term 'gifted and talented/ G and T' is fairly revolting. Enough to make any child big headed [mostly without good reason] if they knew they had the label.
Somebody up thread said 'more able' sometimes used - a less whoopydo look at me term.
G and T just makes me cringe a bit.

I meant the ones making accusations of having a go at special needs children

Perhaps it would have been helpful had you come back to comment on the differing opinions.

You may think that, I couldn't possibly comment.

besides, I don't think anyone wanted me to be helpful, although I suspect some might have liked more ammo for their bunfight

Just had a peek at the G and T section. A mixed bunch. Some obsession in one thread I looked through on 'reading levels'- op soon put in her place! Mind you that happens on 'primary' section too.
I just don't like the term and also think can give delusions of grandeur- and I am not just talking about the children.

Plenty of posters wanted you to come up with examples to justify your comment.

I just had a look at the G&T section and didn't see any smugness, Just parents asking advise from parents in a similar situation so I think YABU.

What would be the point? It would be like going to the litter box and boasting because you have a cat.

Yes,Soup but I wouldn't indulge. I got bored. This is AIBU and so I was.

*Basically all it means is that your child is in the top 10% in their year group
*

I didn't know this. My DD falls into this category

I know she is bright, she is very good at school and teachers love her.

I didn't know that she fell into the G&T group though. I always assumed that was the uber-uber brainy children.

I can start posting in the G&T topic (but I won't as I'm just happy that DD is happy and couldn't think of anything to contribute)

Funny, the only smuggery in this thread has been in your posts, which is a little ironic!

The fact that G and T is the top 10% of a year [is it really?] makes the label gifted and talented even more ludicrous. 'Able' would do or maybe 'more able'. Going to be lots of parents and children thinking they are very 'special' academically when just a bit bright compared to their cohort.