What does it mean to have a Gifted Child?

I was going to participate in Sunday’s Stream of Consciousness fun….but I realized that this post…these ideas….they need more than five minutes.  This is real….and the more I think about it, the more upset my stomach gets, the more I can feel my heart rate quicken…..

And so…I bring to you….What does it mean to have a gifted child?

First off, you should know, I am an advanced academic resource teacher. Which, in translation, means that I am the resource teacher that works with students, K-6, to nurture creative and critical thinking, and yes,  to provide higher level and enrichment opportunities for students that demonstrate advanced academic abilities (known also as “gifted”).

This is my busy period. For accountants, it is April. For classroom teachers, it comes in September, at report card times, and again in June. For me, it is now.  Why? Because in my school district, the files for students being referred for full time, advanced academics centers is now.

And the truth is I love my job.

But….what I do not love is the pressure.

I am a strong believer in parents advocating for their child.  I would much rather a strong parent who is looking out for their student, hopefully teaching the child to advocated for themselves.

But….I am not a believer in creating stressed out, anxious, low self esteem ridden seven year olds.  And yet, I see it. I see it in seven year olds, I see it in ten year olds, and worse…I see it in Principessa’s Montessori peer group of four to six year olds.

Here is my problem…I sat through what I was hoping would be a sweet and wonderful breakfast, hosted by Principessa’s Montessori on Friday. The kindergartners (Principessa being one of them) prepared the food. They served the food. This was a big deal for them. The invited guests were their parents, and the parents of four or five year olds that were making the decision whether to keep their child in Montessori for Kindergarten or move on to the public school.  I have to say, that in the first ten minutes, I was beaming. There was my daughter, asking adults if they would like ham and eggs with perfect manners.

But then, after the school’s director spoke, she opened it up to questions.  And within minutes, the questions became focused on how was Montessori preparing the children for testing, for this and for that.  And parents started responding to each other….with a chorus that went something like this “my child stayed in Montessori for kindergarten, was way ahead of their peers in first grade and second grade, and was then found eligible for advanced academic programs starting in third grade.”

Seriously, at least five parents made similar comments.  So instead of asking questions about what kindergarten was like in Montessori, or the things that parents should expect, the topic moved quickly to “how can I prepare my child for being found eligible for full time the full time gifted center?”

So now….instead of marveling in the milestone of kindergarten, we are already worrying about what will happen three years later.

And then, I went back to my school. To find a mailbox full of referrals from parents—which again, I support parents advocating for their child. And lets be honest, we all think our kids are wonderful and brilliant.  I know that I recognize that Principessa has some strengths….but I also recognize that in other areas, she is just like the average six year old. And I am ok with that.

I admit, I have taken mental note of some of the things that Principessa has done.—the journal and diagram of a stink bug that she caught. Or the songs with musical notes that she has written. Principessa is verbal. She is curious. But most of all….she is six.  And whether or not she is advanced in her abilities, I will always love her.  I hope that she continues to like to read, and to write. And I hope that she does not fall into the “being scared” of math and science like I was….but more than that, I want her to be happy, healthy, and well rounded.  Everything else will come or not come.  And there is nothing wrong with that.

xo

C.Mom

Tagged as: principessa, Teaching