to be suprised there is a "gifted and talented" board here

[fromparistoberlin]

sorry its really made me giggle

but seriously!? is this a major worry for people?

[Pagwatch]

It is refreshing to see an op say that they felt they posted inappropriately so good on you OP.

The current G&T label s unhelpful IMHO.
The board does have it's share of 'my dd is reading Proust at 18months and I think I should be moving her on to more challenging material' but honestly, I can well imagine the issues and problems around having a child who is extremely intelligent but with necessarily the emotional intelligence or social skills/development to deal with being different.

[mrscumberbatch]

OP is a reasonable human being people. No need to panic. AIBU has intervened

Nice to see a rubbishy OP turn it round.

[Pagwatch]

Doh - that should be without , not with.

[lalouche]

There was a news article I read recently about the youngest child ever to get an ABRSM diploma in music, aged something like 9 or 10. He apparently wanted to to go Cambridge then become prime minister too. It struck me that a child like that was likely to be so divorced from his peer group as to make normal life and friendships impossible. I certainly don't envy parents of children like that, and hope that mine end up bright and talented enough to be able to do whatever they want to do in life, but certainly not little Mozarts/Einsteins/whatever.

[WilsonFrickett]

Well said OP.

[2tiredtocare]

Don't namechange OP that is ridiculous

[Fleta]

Thanks OP

[fromparistoberlin]

Oooh I wont namechange, and I am always fast to admit when I get it wrong

Honestly I am so new to this education malarkey, I just through that G&T was a term for clever kids. I did not even consider it was a problem in some ways, and that it caused suffering and angst

The third thing I have learnt, from a deeper skim of the board is that..... my DS1 is NOT even remotely G&T!!!! gutted

[2tiredtocare]

Good, I don't think I'm cultivating any genii here either but I love it that my DC (for now!) think I know everything

[HopeClearwater]

gifted, there's a thin line between it and insanity

Any evidence for this?!

[Retropear]

Tbh I think the op has a point.

I have a G&T child with an IEP but think the whole thing is a crock.

Kids go up and down,truly gifted children are rare and many gifted or very able children like my DS are perfectly able to get on just fine without a lot of hoo ha.My ex teacher hat is on here.

The scheme causes angst amongst parents and to be perfectly frank I think it's incredibly unfair.All children should have the chance to do enrichment activities not just a few(out of my 3, 1 doesn't go on courses and it pisses me of greatly as said child would benefit greatly from a day doing something he/she excels in too).

Children just under the label can miss out as they may not get stretched enough.I think it can lead to complacency re stretching all children ie there can be oh we send some on courses job done kind of mentality.

Also parents pay for those courses so many kids will be missing out due to lack of funds.The title can mean they don't get anything extra bar courses anyway.

As I said I think the whole thing is a crock and to be honest it's high time they got rid of it.That said an enrichment programme of courses for all kids imvho would be a great idea but clearly economically sadly probably not viable.

[HopeClearwater]

I used to work in a school where the kids came in at 7, with lower than average end of KS1 scores. Much lower, for a variety of reasons. We would still have to identify a certain number as G&T, but it was obvious that in another school those children would not necessarily be labelled as G&T. So I tend to agree with Retropear above. It's a load of rubbish and leads to a lot of parents thinking they have this very unusual child on their hands, when they don't.

[Retropear]

Exactly,standards can differ from class to class within the same school too.

[Retropear]

I have never,ever discussed the term with my DS.

I once walked behind a mum with a letter for one of those courses loudly prattling on to get son about how it was because he was gifted and talented.I remember thinking that I hope for his sake he actually is as one day he is going to come down to earth with an almighty bump if not.

[whogivesadamn]

it's a big problem being brighter than your parents and your family and most of the other dumb asses you have to share the planet with.

A special forum is a good idea.

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

Retropear and Hope - that is an interesting point.

I agree that the term is bandied about far to freely and loosely.

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

I just through that G&T was a term for clever kids. I did not even consider it was a problem in some ways, and that it caused suffering and angst

Well exactly - look at e.g. Sheldon and all his (social) problems!

[hazeyjane]

A special forum is a good idea.

There is a special forum/board here

[FanFuckingTastic]

Raising incredibly intelligent children does come with difficulties. One of mine is so sensitive that everything upsets him, and the other is so difficult behaviorally that I find myself ripping my hair out trying to keep up with her.

I was also highly intelligent, and I was left to languish at school and it meant I never had any work ethic when it mattered at exam time. I went from straight A student to only just passing my exams in some cases. I don't want the same to happen to my kids.

[DalmationDots]

OP have you seen 'Child Genius' on 4od, the most recent episodes with the competition.
There was a few children on there where you saw genuine struggling parents where the child was super intelligent (far ahead of their age) of their own accord but emotionally and socially 'normal' age. It led to real difficulties how to cater for the child educationally.

G&T (shouldn't) be about bragging parents but about addressing the problems that comes with it of catering for that child and the parent's struggles to know how to deal with it. Do you encourage the child to pursue interests/progress even further ahead academically or do you try and keep them in line with their chronological age to help them socially? A lot of dilemmas.

[JugglingFromHereToThere]

I think it's probably better than muddling those threads up with the SN board, which just has enough on it's plate already.

[bodygoingsouth]

glad mine are average really. there are problems at both ends of the academic scale.

[JugglingFromHereToThere]

That's interesting Retropear - we've had letters saying our two are G&T at various things from time to time but I don't think it's made much difference. We had a leaflet about some website and courses you could sign up for but didn't partly as DS was just leaving primary anyway.
If someone actually offered me an educational enrichment opportunity for my DC I would gladly accept. I just don't fully understand what might be on offer. I feel vaguely guilty about that in case they're missing out on something, but at the same time I know my DC do loads of enriching things anyway.

[RockinHippy]

oh FFS, It surprises me that there's a Sleb Twaddle board on here, too. How could MNHQ? Lowers the tone, don't you think

Yabu. Hide something if you don't like it, not difficult. Do you need instructions

lljk that made me


OP YABVVU & obviously have no clue of the difficulties often involved in parenting much brighter DCs, things often missed by schools too - for many of us that board has been a godsend, just as much as the SN boards are for those that use them.

Would you start a thread to poke fun at that board ?? - I suspect not

[Retropear]

Fan my son isn't easy,uber perfectionist,very sensitive etc however I think the title needs to be ditched.

I think all children need to be stretched and catered for.Schools should be expected to do that instead of ticking a box,giving a label and separating the top 10 as worthy of something just because.

Many children have behavioural issues with different reasons,all are worthy of attention.If a child is playing up because he isn't be stretched then it needs to be dealt with.This will apply to many children,none are more worthy,there doesn't need to be a special label for the top percentage in that particular class in that particular school.