[HPFGU-OTChatter] Gifted children

[Laura Huntley]

Shaun said:
>Schools, without gifted programs, are actually disastrous in this regard - when a 
>gifted child is simply expected to do the same work as everyone else, they will often 
>find it *incredibly* easy. And that means they will not learn the skills and discipline 
>needed to deal with schoolwork when it starts requiring more than just the ability to 
>think fast. The schooling I went through for example, was meant to require 15 
>minutes of homework per night from age 5-8, 30 minutes from 9-11, 1 hour at 12, 
>90 minutes at 13, two hours from 14-15, and two and half hours from 16-17.
>For most kids, these numbers were accurate - for me, no way. From age 5-13, I 
>very rarely needed to do more than 5 minutes a night. Suddenly at 14, the work load 
>increased dramatically - I had about an hour to do a night. It was still less than most 
>were doing - but where they had had a gradual chance to develop the skills and 
>discipline needed, I didn't. I had to make a big jump. >I did it - but a lot don't.

Hmmm...I never really had to do any homework at all (aside from projects and research reports) until I came to MSSM.  That is, if by homework, you mean schoolwork that is actually done at *home*...I had daily assignments of course, but I usually finished them just after the class was over/right before the class started/during lunch period after eating...basically whenever I was bored and/or had nothing to do.

When I came to MSSM, I got my first experience with schoolwork with which I actually needed to spend a good chunk of time on...of course, all assigned work here is, by default, done at "home"...we have no study halls and teachers are *very* strict not letting you do the next day's assignment in class that day...also, if a teacher doesn't teach the entire period (very rare), we are let out for the remainder of the period...to go back "home".

I get most of my homework done in the morning before classes or during second period MTWF  and first and second periods TH, which I have free...which, now that I think about it, isn't much better than what I was doing at my old school -- as far as putting things off till the last minute goes..but it's alot harder to keep up this way than it used to be.


>As for putting up grades, for EG/PG kids (though often not for others) this often 
>decreases the social gap, as well as the academic gap - a EG/PG 5 year old is more 
>likely to make friends, especially close friends, in a class of 10 year olds than one of 
>5 year olds. This is a very specific group - not necessarily representative of gifted 
>children in general - but for them it works.

Although this is likely to turn the PG child into a bit of a mascot...some kids might not mind this..but in my experience, intelligent people really *hate* to be patronized.

Also...as for the whole resentment issue...older kids getting showed up by some brainy squirt in their class are *very* likely to be cruel to said squirt.  Or, at the very least, routinely pretend that he or she doesn't exist.


>You will be addressing their social needs by putting them in a group where they 
>have a lot more in common socially than they would with the five year olds - a group 
>for whom friendship is more sophisticated, for whom games are more sophisticated, 
>etc, a group the kid fits into more than they would the 5 year olds. This is what all 
>the evidence concerning these kids shows.

Evidence or no, my experience doesn't affirm your ascertain.  Yes, it would seem that PG kids would have more in common with older children, however...older doesn't always mean better/more mature.  For instance, putting a 8 year old with 12 year olds is a sure way to alienate the 8 year old.  Esp. with girls.  The whole puberty thing nonwithstanding...the attitudes of pre-teenage girls towards each other/boys/looks/whatever are sure to upset and confuse an 8 year old.  I don't know about preteen guys...but 11-13 yr. old girls are tigers.  You don't want to expose an 8 year old to them in a school environment.  Best case scenario: they treat the PG child like a barely-sentient pet...Worst case scenario: they eat the kid alive.  

 PG children are very likely to form close, healthy friendships with adults, yes.  But not with older children.  Older children are still just that -- CHILDREN...it'd be like pulling teeth to try to get an eight grader to look at child 2-5 years younger as a potential friend/peer.  Even if that child was as or more emotionally mature than the eight grader...

laura




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