What makes your child 'GnT'?

[CURIOUSMIND]

I am just wondering, everybody come to this topic with some reason.So, what makes your child GnT, registered or not( so we don't need to consider the difference between schools).
Not for boasting for sure, but for helping us to look at the world from some distance.

ed psych reports. for some reason, institutions (schools, governments, doctors in our case) always need to know eactly what they are dealing with, and two out of three have other issues that made knowing what their real potential/ current attainment difficult, so formal testing was advised or demanded by the authorities in each case.

on a less formal note, two out of three were v early self taught readers, one appeared to have taught himself quite complex maths by 3, one just works really hard and is a people pleaser and so earned her tag and some additional stuff that way. one didn't walk or talk until way past three, but by the point she became verbal she had taught herself to read c s lewis. all a bit weird really. real mixed bag stuff.

i didn't think any of it was particularly unusual, but the reactions of other people, and then nurseries and schools to my perfectly normal children (normal rather than nt lol) meant that i paid a bit more attention to what was considered normal at different stages, and looked a bit closer at what 'education' consisted of.

school telling us

I prefer "advanced/early at X and Y."

Well, well, all makes sense. How about more details?
We are seeing our children being compared to other children in a school or a in a teacher's ,HT's own experience.How about we make a chance to see the big wild world?
I will start:
My ds1 ,8 now, is learning maths level 7+(at least). He is so addictive to maths, master any new concept easily.His interest and ablity is hard for us parents to understand despite I was a mathwizzer myself.

Yes, Iggly2, GnT is really..... silly,just let's say it's Giggle and Tickle.

nursery flagged it when DD started 2 days after her third birthday and was reading roald dahl books to the other children

now been exteneded from just literacy to literacy and maths

I just tell her not to be a big head incase it explodes

er, no. ed psych reports are supposed to take into account entire peer group, not at local level. only one of the three was done by school psych (and that was the hard worker). when you asked for not school reported detail, i added a couple of anecdotes as to how others reacted to the dcs and what i had noticed... interesting that you then go right back to school reported data yourself - level 7+?

i'm not sure what you mean about the big wide world? that's the reason for formal testing, so that that comparison can be made rather than the top 10% or whatever it is for g&t in the uk. dd2 was tested because she has cerebral palsy and we wouldn't have been allowed to emigrate to canada without proving formally that she doesn't have a learning disability. so i'm not sure how much wider world you can get than internationally recognised testing tbh. (without going into the 'real world' application of iq/ academic testing, it's a pretty blunt instrument with which to measure the same, but it's the only one that's internationally recognised, and has been so for donkeys.)

ds1 is the mathwhizzer here he scores over the 99.9th centile on testing.

my kids are only 'g&t' because that's what the professionals in that field (the ones that do the testing, not schools) have labelled them. it isn't a term i use personally. it also happens to be the one mn uses. i can't get hung up about it. they are all kids, and all working at their own pace, whatever level that happens to be. it's interesting to discuss what happens in other settings for other kids who are working above grade level though. and i'm particularly interested in threads where bright kids also have sn to deal with - it can throw up other challenges which schools can struggle with.

i'm also interested in the effort v ability line. schools are often content to let bright kids (or kids whose sn mask capability) cruise. the whole dweck thing has been adopted by ds1's teacher, and she feels it would be better for him to stay with her and try to put coping strategies in place for his attention and social issues, rather than move up grades. and dd1 can't write due to her disability, so how you motivate and challenge a bright kid with cp (when everyone assumes they are at best going to be cognitively average, or at worst have a severe learning disability - hello canadian government) so it's real stuff i'm trying to deal with, not a nebulous 'oo, my kids is so clever and no-one understands'. i think the g&t board has got an unfair reputation for being a smug bunch of navel gazers. i'm kinda hoping you're not trying to add to that.

I don't think she is, she's just DD (as DS is just DS). But now she's in reception, she also has a label of G&T. Not sure what it means at this point (if anything), she's only had it a term - part of the reason I've been reading and posting on this board is to try and find out. Also not sure whether she's G&T for reading, literacy, maths, something else. Not bothered, as it won't change anything at home so it's not relevant to us.

Like OBE - which makes you sound like a medal or that you should have 'wan kenobi'added on ;) - I had the ed. psych assessment for other reasons. Had I suspected she was advance in Maths. Yes. Would I have labelled her gifted - probably not. Am I freaked out by ed. psych. calling her 'genius'- er yes...

What does it mean - not a lot as she isn't even 5 :)

What could it mean in the future - ah, there is a different question.

At the moment she performs well above expectations for peer group based on the NC, but probably well below her 'potential'. Then again who actually reaches their potential? What does that even really mean. Again, I would say it doesn't mean a whole lot.

It could mean therefore that whilst performing 'above average' yet 'below potential ability' she will be seen as a failure.
It could mean that people expect her to excel in a subject that she may detest in years to come, even though she is currently freakishly interested in it.
It could mean that others define her by her 'potential' not by her interests, personality, likes and dislikes.
It could mean she faces bullying by others for doing well or eventually finds peer relationships difficult.

It might mean none of the above. It's no more important to me at the moment than her shoe size.

I came here as a friend recommended it after we were told about DS. I often think it has caused more worry than help (but appreciate that forums will attract more people with difficulties seeking help and advice).

Ds has never been officially tested (school have never asked and we would never test for anything unless there was a social/ academic problem). He is happy and very social, the school do a lot for him and we know they willl get him to reach his potential and discover his interests.

The first evidence was his concentration span and attention to detail (noted by nursery staff before the age of 2). He taught himself to read chapter books by start of reception at school (he has always prefered reading in his head) and maths he picks up very quickly. He is currently very advanced (multiple years) in reading/writing/maths.

I think interest and effort is more important than natural ability (which I think is vastly underestimated in most children). I know a number of children at DS's school that are more intelligent than DS he is just interested in areas that are considered "academic" and as such has needed slightly different teaching.

I think dd is G&T because she could read before she went to school and is further ahead in maths than the rest of the school year.
I believe she is like this because I educated her from a very young age.

iggly you are so right about interest and effort being more important than natural ability.
There is a cohort of very eager to please extrovert dc in dd's class,yes on paper and at the risk of a flaming i suppose dd has more natural ability than these children,however ultimatly these dc with probably achieve more than dd because they are well motivated.
Dd however is not,i have been reading up on intrinsic motivation and believe that this relates to dd giftedkids.about.com/od/glossary/g/intrinsic.htm

I'd always suspected, but it was confirmed by a BAS II test done by a psychologist which scored him in the 99th centile.

Unfortunately its combined with HFS which makes life very interesting.

Out of interest, DS can't read yet and struggles with the basics of school - he's still on the red band reading books, for example. But at the same time as the reasoning ability and skills in his area of special interest that are 5 years above where he is, so doing well at school isn't always an indicator.

Sorry for my ignorance babyheave but what is HFS?

The school told me - they arranged for her to go to high school for science at age 5. I have no interest in or knowledge of science and am v. grateful to them for providing for her.

What makes my kids gifted? They are the the fruits of my loins and I love them to bits. As far as I am concerned they are gifted because they are wonderful and everyone should love my children as much as me. Unfortunately I fall down to earth with a bump as my children are perfectly normal.

In all serious, ds is not on the gifted and talented register, yet he is doing better academically than a child who is supposely gifted. The particular child has been told that he is clever and doesn't think work is necessary. IMHO he has been damaged by being told constantly he is clever. A child who is not prepared to work will not develop his brain. I think the brain is like a muscle in that the more you use it the better it becomes.

I don't believe that IQ is fixed. Certainly a lot of learning difficultes are caused by child abuse. A lot of romanian or chinese orphans who were left in cots for years with no stimulation have very low cognitive ablity.

In all serious, ds is not on the gifted and talented register, yet he is doing better academically than a child who is supposely gifted. The particular child has been told that he is clever and doesn't think work is necessary. IMHO he has been damaged by being told constantly he is clever. A child who is not prepared to work will not develop his brain. I think the brain is like a muscle in that the more you use it the better it becomes.

I agree with what you are saying about the need to work etc,however
Your post is one reason why i dont want other parents to know my dd is gifted because of the expectations that would be placed on her and the comparisons that would be made between dd and their own dc.

High functioning austism. If we can get him focussed on something then he does brilliantly. Its just having to battle through the rest of his difficulties to get him to that place.

My Ds1 was suspected to have HFA when he was little, not interested in talking, played on his own all the time, etc.We were seeing Speech Theropist and Child Development Specialist for over two years although they never draw a conclution. Anyway,that's the reason we got report everytime. It was always a very contrast report, something like this is 5 years ahead whereas that is 2 years behind. But, he picked up his weak point gradually and kept his strong point stronger.So, Babyheave, things could be changed.

It is very interesting to see the discussion about effort, interest and natual ability.
At the moment, my Ds2 ,6,started playing piano. We planed to practice 10 minutes, 3-4 times a week, (that's what his big brother did at the begining). It took him ages to play a simple tune, but he was still trying and trying and trying, until he got it with big smile and pround, that's 40 minutes at least! Not just piano, for maths, swimming, football,Ds2 is always slow but trying very hard with great interest. Obviouly his big brother has much better natual ability, will the little one be as good?
Really interesting, I will compare them secreatly.

"It took him ages to play a simple tune, but he was still trying and trying and trying, until he got it with big smile and pround, that's 40 minutes at least! Not just piano, for maths, swimming, football,Ds2 is always slow but trying very hard with great interest. Obviouly his big brother has much better natual ability, will the little one be as good?
Really interesting, I will compare them secreatly."

There is another theory that children live up to their labels and labelling children can be self destructive, whether the label is that of giftedness of learning difficulties or labelling a child as naughty.

www.davidmyers.org/davidmyers/assets/Arent.Child.Gifted.pdf

digitaljournal.com/article/217431

Percieving your six year old as slow will damage his confidence and affect his performance. Even if parents keep their views to themselves, children often pick up on body language.

In a tiny number of families the child who is percieved to be "gifted" gets more of the parental attention and resources. For example I know a lady in RL who sent her son to private school and considered state school good enough for her daughter. The girl's confidence was affected that her parents saw spending money on herr education as a waste. It was a very sad viscous circle.

I don't think that taking 40 minutes to learn a simple tune at 6 is slow.

Reallytired,
You are abosolutely right.I will not say this or show any negative reaction to Ds2 ,really I didn't, promise you.I definitely know the parent's attitude ,expectation can affect children's self confidence ,performance a great deal.
This is such an important point.Thankyou for reminding me.

I honestly didn't know my ds was gifted. I knew he was bright, I was a SAHM we didn't do playgroups or nursery, playdates and softplay didn't really illustrate the differences tbh.
I knew there would be other children starting school nursery at four who could read so thought they'll deal with it.
I remember the nursery teacher's look of dismay when I said he had never been to playgroup or nursery but didn't grasp why that might be a problem as ds was raring to go and barely gave me a backwards glance.
When she asked for a word a couple of days later I couldn't imagine what was wrong.
She just said you never said ds could read, I said "I didn't think it would be a problem" Then she asked if I knew he could write which of course I did and was I aware of how able he was mathematically.
Well no I wasn't I knew he wrote stories I knew he couldn't get enough sums but I'd never compared him to anybody else's child because it wasn't something I asked about.
She then said he isn't just bright, he's working probably at double his age, I want to get an ed psych to see him because I know his abilities are nothing like what we have dealt with before and I'd say he is very gifted.
The ed psych confirmed that he was indeed highly gifted so that's how I leant that my bright boy was in fact gifted.

I always knew my dd was intelligent as she as always been able to do things so easily, even from a young age. Was always asking questions about this and that. Counting a lot, reading a lot and she still does now 12! Was always told at primary school that she is so "gifted" etc but i don't think she was ever really pushed. Apparently the g and t register is taken from scores from CAT tests that the children have. Thats what the teacher told us. I was almost "told off" when dd started school at "just" 4 and she didn't go to any nursery or playgroup. I learnt dd to read and write etc and the reception teacher didn't really like this as most of the children who start at that school are well below average and it would make her teaching "difficult". This is what she actually said to me! Oh and another thing, teacher asked me was "are you sure she is only 4?" YES SHE IS. I know she has always been a lot bigger than other children who are actually older (she looked about 7 when she was 4 and now 12 she is 5ft7 and size 7 feet!) so i felt a little stupid. Anyway, no ed psych's involved and now at high school nothing really doing with the g and t. Sorry to waffle on.

ibiza I too got the feeling the teacher expected ds to be behind because he hadn't been to nursery or playgroup almost as if being at home with me was a lesser option. Ds never had any difficulties socialising and still doesn't but it wasn't as if he was raised in isolation he just didn't go to playgroup.