What is gifted?

[RBBMummy]

I feel like the term is overused. My son loves learning and increasing more and more people are calling him gifted particularly today. But I thought gifted meant having a natural ability, he just can't stop learning. Its not gifted if it's just learning is it?

Also I agree with OP that when a child is independently doing multiple-digit column addition at nursery age, then giving advice such as 'point out numbers on car number plates, house numbers' does give the impression that the responder has not read/not understood the situation.

Also, providing a child with worksheets that they can do if they wish, is surely less dictating than either making them do worksheets, or withholding anything that might remind anyone of a worksheet from them because that doesn't fit one's expectations of what children that age are meant to be doing.

However, RBBMummy, I do see a danger that predictable solitary things such as worksheets could be (or become) the things your DS chooses to do, not because he really wants to, but because they provide him that comfort of predictability and of not having to interact with other children. An escape from overwhelming social situations. Perhaps it would be wise to gently guide him away from his comfort zone sometimes. So although he would happily sit and do worksheets all morning, perhaps it would make sense to not let him.

Oh he has all of those kinds of toys

Twofishfingers I let him play with what he likes. If he chooses a worksheet he chooses a worksheet. He just enjoys learning

DS1 just did not suit Playschool at all, he was just so far beyond all the other children in terms of academic ability and what he was interested in- eg he enjoyed reading the dictionary!!
But he was so far behind in social skills and fine motor skills so I was happy for them to concentrate on those aspects.
He spent enough time at home learning /teaching himself that I used the 2 hours he was at Playschool as a chance for him to interact as a child. Didn’t always work and more often than not he’d be in the corner on the computer or reading.

@brilliotic yeah insisting he’s not gifted yet pointing out his gift of maths for example or do you know loads of toddlers doing maths like that?

Greenyogagirl, it's not me insisting he's not gifted.

But I fail to determine how you conclude that OP is saying ‘Oh woe is me my child is gifted what on earth can I do...’ ... don't know where that sentiment comes from... maybe projection?

Op posting that he’s not gifted yet going on about how clever he is etc either op is bragging and wants people to tell her how gifted her child is or it’s bs and op is just bored 🤷‍♀️

I think having a superior natural ability is 'gifted'?

There is a little girl at my daughter's montessori who likes to draw. I have seen her artwork and it is incredible. You would never think a child her age could produce it. To me, that is gifted. I have asked her mother about it and she made light of it but I would be surprised if this little girl doesn't make headlines at some stage.

brilliotic thank you. I can see that. Though I've only been sending him in with a couple sheets and it's given him something to do during learning time. He already brings books in but again only a couple. He only has a few months left there so I can't see it becoming a big issue in that time.

Op if he’s happy to learn he’s happy to learn, I would carry on sending him in with worksheets some harder ones for maths but you haven’t mentioned whether he’s the same with English and spelling etc? If not maybe see what they are teaching in reception and print of some sheets so he has a bit of a challenge. I’d also really consider what school you send him to unfortunately a lot of schools have a set criteria they need the children to meet and if your son is at that standard already I doubt he will be taught much more. Personally I think the nursery teachers are using the fact that he’s “gifted” as a cop out to not have to put any effort in. Essentially you pay them to care for your child, sticking him in a corner is not caring I mean how hard is it for them to print these worksheets out themselves?

A child sitting down to a worksheet as part of the mix of what they do, I do not see what the problem is.
I also have a dd who is ahead, but hate the term "gifted" as it suggests superiority. I am not saying all children are genetically the same intelligence, just that it is pointless asking the question of what their IQ is. Rather, just see what they can learn. It is my belief that a good education is the best thing I can give her to have a good career. So I used to do the early learning books and play maths games with her and taught her to read before school. She also played, watched TV, went to playgroups and was taken to zoos, etc.
The OP wanted her child to take in worksheets so that he could join in learning at the table with the rest of the children during learning time at nursery.

I think my view might have been a bit skewed, Op. I can totally understand there are children who likes to do sitting down work. My ds was one of them, but I assumed it was only because he was very ill and couldn't do a lot of physical stuff when he was small, stuck to hospital bed. And that's the things which held him back in a way.
I think it's great he can join in learning time with his peers.

Greenyogagirl I think you need to read through this again

Fullerhouse Hes a fluent reader and he can spell phonetically, not necessarily right but i don't know what i could send him in with for that. They definitely use the label as a cop out. Hopefully the school wont, im not letting them do their usual hand over so they at least wont instantly label him

JustRichmal Exactly!

irvineoneohone hes been really enjoying it so far. I think he likes feeling included

Also kids can blossom at different time surely? Until year 5 DS was deemed to be a low achiever in English, was always below age related expectations and often in the thickie groups with get extra help from a teacher, despite being a very bright engaging little boy with excellent general knowledge empathy. Then in year six his ability suddenly
shot up and he got almost full marks in his English SATs, beating classmates who had previously excelled. In his Year 7 English exam he got the highest score in the year.

My point isn't that he is gifted, in is that surely a toddler is too young to be labelled as such?

I think gifted toddlers do exist. Just that it's super rare to be born with an innate ability

Mathematical potential is to a large degree innate but mathematical attainment requires tuition - even the best mathematicians needed teachers: Newton famously referred to standing on the shoulders of giants (though this may have been a dig at Robert Hooke who was on the short side). Euler had 1:1 tuition from Bernoulli. Even Ramanujan, though very isolated, had some good textbooks to learn from. All of us, no matter how brilliant, need to be taught what has gone before. But some need only the faintest sketch of a concept before they grasp it - they learn it so quickly that it seems like they're remembering something they knew before.

Another related one I don't really buy is "he taught himself to read". Really? He picked up a book with no pictures, stared at it hard for a long time, then miraculously it all fell into place and he was able to read it? Or did someone teach him the alphabet, perhaps put magnetic letters on the fridge, read stories with him every day, probably pointing to the words as they read, let him watch alphablocks or other children's programmes which are loaded with phonics knowledge, etc.? Genuinely "teaching oneself to read" is a feat on par with deciphering the Rosetta stone. Being immersed in a phonics-rich environment and filling in some gaps is rather different, though again they need only the faintest outline of a concept.

The point being that "He requires some degree of teaching, therefore the ability is not innate, therefore he is not gifted" is a false line of reasoning. If he loves learning, learns exceptionally quickly, and is doing KS2 maths in nursery, then the closest word we have for that in English is ... gifted. You might not like it or its connotations, but that is the word other people use, and avoiding or denying it cuts you off from the literature that would tell you how to deal with it.

I should clarify when I referred to "he taught himself to read" I'm not saying OP or anyone on this thread has said that in this case. But I've seen claims to that effect on other threads and I think it adds to a misunderstanding that if a child didn't self-teach something like this then it's seen as evidence that they are not gifted, which I think in general is not true. i.e it contributes to a myth that only kids who exhibit innate (completely spontaneous) abilities are gifted. That is not how the term "gifted" is commonly used in education.

I get what you're saying, but even if he needs less teaching per topic than average he still needs and deserves to be taught with the rest. Not to be just passed off because he's "gifted". That's all the term has been used for so far

Tbh, you are expecting too much from nursery. Your comment is valid if it was a school. Nursery/pre-school are not the place to teach academic stuff. They are the place to make children ready for school.
Also one thing that will make his life easier once he is in school is encourage him to find him to self entertain. Make up challenge himself. Don't get disheartened by easy questions, make it more interesting himself.
My ds has very good example. His class was once asked to make "8". He used all his knowledge, +,-,x, /, fractions, powers, roots, negative numbers, etc to make 8. Teacher had to admit that his mathematical knowledge was far beyond.
LIke I said up thread, there are far more resources available for us these days than compared to when we grew up. He can access that at home, and leave him to learn more physical/emotional/social stuff at his preschool?
It's great he can do workbooks when others are sitting down and learning, but expecting beyond that, I think it's a bit unreasonable.
Unfortunately, even primary teacher's knowledge in particular subject like maths is limited. It's far better to use established online teaching resources for learning new concepts.

mint, I do agree with your posts. Especially, "I think it adds to a misunderstanding that if a child didn't self-teach something like this then it's seen as evidence that they are not gifted, which I think in general is not true."
What surprises me is how much teaching a child can get from Ceebeebies, computers or being read to and playing with magnetic letters, and the parent still classing it as "teaching themselves."

"he still needs and deserves to be taught with the rest."
Yes, he still needs and deserves to be taught. The problem (for the nursery/school) is "with the rest". You're probably going to find he's so far beyond what they're doing that this is not possible - there is no overlap between what is learning for him and what is learning for them (in numeracy and perhaps literacy too). FWIW the fact they've recognised he is very able is a good sign - some nurseries would be oblivious to it.

I agree with what Irvine has written. Nursery for him will mostly be about the social side, gross and fine motor skills etc. (all of which is important). Anything academic is a bonus. One child known to me was reading fluently at 3. The pre-school teacher arranged for him to be subject-accelerated 2 years to Y1 of the attached primary for literacy lessons. So he was taught "with others" but the others were much older.

You'd perhaps be better to lower your expectations from the nursery, and focus on finding a primary school that is flexible enough to deal with this when he gets that far. He will be at primary a lot longer.

The ability to do mental arithmetic / multiplication / read as a toddler is definitely learned. No toddler just picks up a book and teaches themselves to read or just starts to recite and then apply the six times table - they have interested parents who patiently teach them. This support continues as the child grows older and so the gap only widens. This is why Indian kids tend to be ‘more gifted and talented’ than others earlier in countries outside of India - but in India they’re considered normal.