Comments on: Why Elementary Teachers Overlook the Verbally Gifted Child

By: Keep on talking

Keep on talking — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 18:12:32 +0000

The topic of high IQ is so politically charged in our school district. To make matters worse, the gifted topic comes under special education, but, as far as I can assess, the professionals in special ed have no first hand knowledge or understanding of giftedness. The more gifted parents who connect online about their gifted kids the better. It really is an experience that you can only discuss with other people who know.

By: K

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:49:19 +0000

My child is still very young and assessments reveal that he is “average” in most subjects. In fact, he needs speech (articulation) and occupational therapy for handwriting. He began speaking relatively late, but when he started speaking finally he spoke in paragraphs and his comprehension was remarkable. His vocabulary is impressive and never fails to earn surprised comments from other adults with children of similar age. While he reads at First Grade level, the books that I must read to him to keep him interested are in the 5-9 Grade level, and he is able to grasp concepts, understand metaphor, compare the text to other texts and to real life, and other tasks that are delineated in the GLEs for Fifth-Ninth Graders. I was much the same at his age in that, although I was not an early reader, I was reading adult literature by Fourth Grade with speed and comprehension. My writing ability is also above average and has served me well despite a lack of formal education (I dropped out of high school). The question that I have is, “What does it matter if verbally gifted children receive ‘services’ through the school system?” If the child has literate parents and a library card, surely guided reading assignments, discussions, projects and field trips based on literature can be part of the child’s home life. I do not mean to dismiss the legitimate concerns of those who have posted here, but I feel very lucky that my child has a “giftedness” that is not difficult to cultivate in a our society given our accessibility to materials.

By: Linnea Pyne

Linnea Pyne — Wed, 25 May 2011 00:14:36 +0000

I am curious about those who homeschooled children 7 plus years ahead. I don’t want to send my child to college at age 10. So how does one continue to challenge? I have a PG daughter who at years old who tested at the 9th grade verbal reasoning level and the 4th grade quantitative reasoning level on the WIAT II. she has been in school since grade 2 for 4 years now and i have to say, the gap has closed some. i don’t know if that is because she is not challenged or that is her normal development. she is happy, intellectually curious etc. i don’t know that i think it’s necessary for an early leaner to continue at that same pace their whole life. it seems to me it is the parent who wants this more than the child.

By: Mistie

Mistie — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:32:40 +0000

when will the school system realize we are failing our children? We could have the next Einstein in the class and they won’t know it. Verbally gifted, of course. (didn’t know what to use for the analogy.)

By: Being Inconvenient « The "More" Child

Being Inconvenient « The "More" Child — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 02:19:16 +0000

[...] past 2.5 years in this blog, namely that verbally* gifted kids (and by extension I guess, adults) have it harder vis a vis their artistically and mathematically/science gifted peers. (*IMO, verbal giftedness [...]

By: J.

J. — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:37:06 +0000

I don’t know the first thing about homeschooling. I don’t feel that I can give his what he deserves. The school system has the resources I lack.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Vonda, the school system does NOT have the resources you lack. You just think that now. So did I. Every newbie of a 2e (or just a very highly gifted kid with executive functioning issues) thinks this.

Talk to some people. Get on TAGMAX. Talk to Gifted Development Center, they are VERY supportive of homeschooling EG/PG and/or 2e kids. So is Stephanie Tolan. So is CTY.

You will come to realize your strength. No one knows your kid better than you do. You will eventually laugh that you once believed they could do it better than you.

By: J.

J. — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 19:40:17 +0000

I’m so fed up with mediocre teachers. Best advice I can give anyone and what I’d do if I could time travel? It is easier to homeschool than to fight with the school. Rinse and repeat. It is easier to homeschool than to fight with the school.

Not worth it. Do it yourself. My 5th grade daughter pulled Wuthering Heights off the shelf and started reading it. Brought it to school. Teacher took it away from her and told her the book’s not appropriate for her age. This in a gifted/talented center.

By: Christi

Christi — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:31:30 +0000

I think part of the problem is that most people, including teachers, think that they are gifted verbally. They don’t think it’s anything special or unique.
As an editor, I can tell you this is not the case. I can’t tell you how often I hear, “Why do I need an editor? I know how to write.” Since all people communicate, many do not value those who communicate at a higher level. And these kids have a difficult time finding others at their level to communicate with, which makes them seem even less valuable. Also, how many people even know what good communication is these days? In a world of text messaging and errors on CNN and in the NYT, eventually everyone will create their own languages, their own definitions of correct. We will have a modern-day Tower of Babel with no one able to understand a word.

By: SwitchedOnMom

SwitchedOnMom — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 22:07:12 +0000

You make a good point, OverwhelmedMom. There’s an awesome op-ed in the NY Times this week that makes a related point about science education: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/opinion/01greene.html?em&ex=1212638400&en=0763f2d29058a80b&ei=5087

By: OverwhelmedMom

OverwhelmedMom — Tue, 06 May 2008 20:45:55 +0000

I have to say that I have a differing opinion on the mathematics issue. I think teachers have a more difficult time recognizing mathematical talent because they don’t know what it really is to be good at math. For so many elementary school teachers, they focus on how well a child can calculate while failing to notice that they may have an excellent grasp of the concepts. I unfortunately have run into this a lot.

But my feeling in general is that teachers in general aren’t terribly tuned into what giftedness is.

I just found your blog via a recommendation from Crimson Wife. It looks great!