Gifted vs High Learning Potential

[chillikate]

I've been in here a lot since my DS was about 3, and I must admit I find it can be very negative. Comments like "your child can't be gifted because my child was doing that and so much more at his age" are completely unhelpful.

Parents search out this forum because something has happened that has made them question their child abilities - not because they want to boast or brag.

Interestingly PPUK have not only changed their name but have also changed their own terminology believing that the word "gifted" is misunderstood and outdated. Personally I think that "High Learning Potential" far better fits my own son and lots of other children whose parents come here looking for advice.

Please lets just help each other and not turn it into a boasting match. People come here because they need help & advice.

[Mistigri]

I'm not sure that a super-selective grammar type school would suit my DD, even though she is a high achiever. She doesn't seem to hang out with the other high achieving girls and she definitely positions herself as being a bit "different". I think she would be unhappy in a very pressurized, competitive school environment with a restricted social mix.

Plus, she likes schoolwork not dominating her life as she can spend time pursuing her hobbies!

For senior high (lycée) we have the choice between selective private and an intensive foreign language course at an ordinary sixth form college and if she is accepted she will probably take up the latter.

[morethanpotatoprints]

I don't like the term G&T in a school setting as it isn't measurable and transferable.
I happen to have a very gifted/ talented dd, it is a curse for us all including her so certainly not a boast.
Her gift is music and ability is amazing. however, schools have a G&T register in which dc who are just picking up an instrument are considered gifted if not many people in the class are playing music.
You can have an extremely gifted person on one hand and a complete beginner on the other, but both are classed as the same.

[morethanpotatoprints]

Sorry, forgot to add. High achiever would be no good neither as my dd is about average academically

[rotaryairer]

"he needs is a different teaching/learning method, focused on brainstorming and creativity that then connects with the traditional foundations of education, not the other way round..."

Yes to this! This would suit my DS totally. Unfortunately, the 11+ doesn't test creativity and someone G&T in only one area would fail.

Interesting article posted on here recently:

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/06/boris-johnson-missed-point-iq

There can also be a difference between G&T and high achieving:

www.bertiekingore.com/high-gt-create.htm

[jaws5]

Thanks rotaryairer, I have read those before, and they're spot on! Obviously there is enough information out there that confirms what we know as parents, but the education system hasn't caught up. My worry is that my child will become disengaged from learning in the classroom and won't try to do it their way, but stop caring when his confidence finally goes...