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.

The education system based on how they believed children developed at certain ages + a man made 01/09 birthday fine line = promise to meet children's individul need never met.

Me too so agree about some children could be so capable, focus, efficient, into things from very early age, and some could be so self motivated,work so hard.

My DS2 was sick at home today.He practiced piano at least 2 hours to get something when I was ironing, cooking, chatting, neglected by him! I am not 'good' enough to be Tiger Mother, but I think I got a little tiger.

About learning through play ,I think it will benefit a lot to anybody,any age, any ability.Play makes learning make sense, real, tangible. kUMON is a typical place to learn pure maths.

Richmal,
I don't think many people can do this like you, so dedicate, and keep going for years. You must hold the key, balance is one of them.
It is very hard for me to find time to teach mine, although it seems not that necessary for the moment.I am always wondering how did some people do home teaching regularly that much? How did they find there are 'a lot of hours in a day '!?

I admit I'm lucky enough to be a SAHM. Teaching dd is a bit of a hobby, in that I do like teaching her. I do not teach her as consistently as I would like. There are weeks when hardly anything gets done, and weeks when I do lots (mainly holidays).
I just think it would be disingenuous of me to call dd gifted when she is educated and I think there is a stigma in the present day about parents educating children for fear of being labeled pushy.
I used to do things like a sum from her times table each time I took her to school and now do maths now and then as she has breakfast.

My parents made some bad decisions after (because) I was labeled gifted as a child, so "how best to parent a Gifted child" is more personal for me than most people (I imagine).

Some DC have sometimes attracted G&T labels in academic things.

I was shocked to discover 2 DC may also be very good at sport. DD especially may have 1-2 sport-related "gifts": she has the type of stamina that gets stronger the longer she goes on (so she excels at endurance events), and otherwise does strenuous exercise with a huge grin on her face.

(And If that's not a gift, what is?? )

Richmal,
It is very true 'there is a stigma in the present day about parents educating children for fear of being labeled pushy.'You are brave to share your experience . I am really pround of you appreciated you example .Here I learnd at least you got two keys: you are trying to make learning fun; you are trying to maximum use of petty time.
Really lovely somebody come to share their expericences.

Ragged,
Gifted is usually about main curriculum subjects, talented is usually about Art, Music and PE .Bu,t I know what you mean, of course it is a gift, so go for it, use the gift!

It's interesting, my ds is on our school's G&T talented program (well it's really just a few enrichment sessions) but my dd is (at the moment anyway) the higher achiever in terms of grades. She works hard and generally does what she is told (she loves her teachers and really enjoys school) whilst he gets very uneven grades and spends far too much time in the head's office. He is also dyslexic, but we've been told he is to bright to get any help or allowances for it (which in some ways in great and in others is frustrating).

I don't think either of them are truly exceptional academically, but then my expectations are quite high as I come from a very academic family. I'm also not sure in the long run it's a particular advantage - I wouldn't be at all surprised if dd doesn't do better at school than ds.

It seems it's not just giftedness but also a child's own motivation which determines success. I think this self motivation is something I will aim to encourage in dd, particularly as she grows up.

Curiousmind, thank you for starting such a thought provoking discussion.

I do, too, encourage my boys to build up their own inner motivation and determination. I am sure this is the main power supply could last forever and more reliable.
I don't think many people will agree with me about 'being good, do what you are told'.I can honestly say I allowed my son not doing spelling sheet for weeks (already) because it's far too easy for him.I would rather spend £100 for goodies but not a penny on rubbish.Same as on time spending.
By the way, Richmal,I hardly got any fantastic comments for my writing at school.

It is worth remembering that whilst cognitive ability is the best predictor for career success, it is rarely much use on it's own. More important (increasingly so) are skills such as (blah blah drone) the ability to empathise, to work as a team, to be inspired, to inspire others, to make people feel good about themselves, etc etc

The GT label does tend to over emphasise cognitive "aheadedness", which is rarely that useful in the grand scheme of things.

DS and DD were both gifted and talented because they were 8 and had the spelling and reading age of 17, however this was normal, they enjoyed books, as do I, I don't like to bring it down but it says more for 17 year olds than my 8 year olds. DD now 16 doing A levels, DS 14 taking his choices.

My DD taught herself to read by age 3, and I was also 'told off' by her reception teacher for teaching her to read. She has always found work easy and was given the KS2 papers (for reading) at 7 and got a 5 for both the reading comprehension and the teacher assessment. Maths she finds easy and is given extension work. She is also pretty musical and has wizzed through her grades in piano and clarinet.

However, I just see her as a bright little girl who learns easily and has a sharp brain for information. School made a bit of an issue of it - putting her into year6 reading groups when in year3, and as a result she has deliberately 'dumbed down' (her words) in class so that her friends don't think that she is weird!

More important (increasingly so) are skills such as (blah blah drone) the ability to empathise, to work as a team, to be inspired, to inspire others, to make people feel good about themselves, etc etc--So true!Especially in primary school .
Stephrick, I can't imagine for 8 years old what reading and spelling age 17 looks like, amazing! Did you find it hard to get age appropriate books yet still challenging in language?I already found it's difficult for mine and they are nowhere close to yours.
Did you find being so advance in reading benefited them in other subject?

Sticklebug, You are lucky your DD got support in school .The problem is what will happen next year when new y6 children are no better than yours?Our school won't be able to get secondary school teacher anymore .

Curious mind - these traits do not spring from nowhere in adults.

Curious mind - I have asked the school the same thing, they are 'looking at an appropriate plan'!

Sticklebug,
I don't want to talk behind the back of our school, course they are very good in many ways.But, I can't believe they can really meet everybody's individual need in the reality, can they? I most of the time try to think on behalf of them of the impossiblity to teach individully, especially I think they got more pressure to raise up the worst group.
I am really interested in your school's appropriate plan.Keep me update!

I'm going on the G&T board now to see what people say.

Actually, I lived next door to a teacher who worked with G&T kids at her school. She said that if these kids were at a school in the neighbourhood we live in they would just be "average".....

Seems to depend where you live