Gifted and ... not gifted, in different subjects

[polbab]

So what would you do if your kid was in the top 2% in one subject (eg English), but in the bottom 2% in another (Maths)?

Would you expend your energy on the weakest subject, trying to raise the outcome? Or on the strongest, where you could get him to uni level aged 14 or so with a bit of effort? The government's policy is to spend more money and resources on raising low-scorer performances, but what about different abilities within the same child? Or within the same family? Do you spend your energy on your chess prodigy or your underachiever?

He will need at a minimum level of maths for pretty much any career, so he will at least have to get a GCSE pass in the subject.

you could get him to uni level aged 14 or so with a bit of effort? - perhaps you could explain why this might be a desirable aim and worth the effort.

Or indeed any effort.

That weak a performance in maths will hamper his ability to achieve anything so I'd concentrate on raising that. Same within a family actually, I think there is a strange dynamic going on in families that revolve around a very gifted child (thinking of music and sport in particular) that can negatively affect everyone else and will not necessarily improve the life of the talented individual. But raising the academic achievement of a underachieving child will help them and their siblings in the long run.

Definitely within a family try not to be very unequal in the amount of time you give to each. Not always possible, but big inequality may result in resentment.

In one child, they need to learn to work at something they are not good at. And maths is pretty important, so I’d like them to spend more time on that, but also have a bit of time to read beyond their year group for English and do story/poetry competitions.

As PPs have said, he'll need to pass a GCSE in Maths, so I'd focus on that. I also don't see the need to get him to uni level English at 14.

Top 2% is also not genius level English surely - in a 3 form entry school, it's the second in the year.

If they are already doing well in some subjects fine but depending on what the child's future plans are get help for maths. I see no point pushing a child to excel beyond the expected at any given age.
My daughter is very talented in art and top sets of all other subject (that have sets) but third set in maths. She is predicted a 6 for gcse in it but the teacher says if she really works hard may get a 7. However she has to work hard in the other classes where she is predicted to get 7 or 8s (and more but they won't predict 9s). She's bright but not 'gifted' except in art.
The math teacher knows she finds it hard and is very happy with her getting a 6. So am I, except she is moving schools for sixth form and most seem to require a 7 minimum for math and English. I will get her a tutor closer to the time to help her with math to boost her confidence in getting a 6 but she will really concentrate on her other more enjoyable subjects. If she does get 8s in the majority of exams then hoping a 6 in math will not be held against her as she will not be doing math based A levels.

How old is the child?
They can change massively, and a kid who seems to be excelling in one subject can be caught by their peers at some point.

How about other subjects? I agree that you need GCSE in maths at a pretty good level if you want your child to get into a good uni. Even if your child is amazing at or subject they can only get the equivalent of A* at A level. There will be lots of other kids who get that grade who are aiming for the top universities, but there will be ones that have 2 or three other excellent grades and all As at GCSE.

And this speaks to a bigger point. You should try to give your child as broad an education as possible. It will be of great benefit in later life. I think that we specialise too early in this country (especially in England and Wales).

This shouldn’t be an ‘either/or’ decision. It’s worthwhile putting effort into all core subjects and chosen electives. It’s good to encourage thinking to be logical, critical, broad and deep.

When you say top 2%...do you mean standardised nationally? Or within the school cohort?

I would consider spiky profile bright, but may be twice exceptional with specific learning difficulties like dyscalculia making Maths hard.

My son is gifted in music, good at maths and dreadful at English. At one point his predicted gcse grade was 2.

We put our effort into encouraging his music, but focused a lot on trying to get him up to at least a 4 in one of his English’s in order for him to be able to access further education.

Absolutely concentrate on bringing up the maths.

Has dyscalculia been ruled out?

I would try to strike a balance. On the one hand, they clearly need to get the maths. On the other hand, they also need an experience of enjoying learning, so I would also encourage them to read beyond the curriculum in English literature or whatever else they enjoy learning about. This absolutely will not turn them into undergraduates before their time or make them bored in class: reading more in the Humanities leads to a deeper understanding, more enjoyment, not to boredom because you have finished the task. The task is never finished.

I was like that, gifted and precocious at literacy and English but absolute pants at maths. My mum got me a maths tutor outside of school and I'm glad she did. Not sure I would have passed my naths gcse without the extra effort.

Maths. I am good at English, honest! The irony