Any parents of gifted children here ?
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shylyn:
Hi All. I'm introduced by Taramind to this forum. I must say, it has been an interesting read & really glad to be able to share our experiences & thoughts about our little ones.
Brief intro abt myself. I'm mum to one 32mths old boy. He's currently in N1 at a MMI childcare centre. Ever since he was a bb, he is an active kid, always curious & like to explore everything in his way..thus, looking after him is never an easy task. Luckily, he is rather careful, even when he was a baby, I never have to worry abt him getting into danger. Hmm..or mabbe it was just my own made up assurance? Anyway, how did I end up in this topic..cos like many of u, I was impressed by my boy a number of times & suspected that he might be gifted, else definitely a bright child. Thus, I wanted to learn more abt such kids & what I can do to further develop his potential.
Hope to share more with the mummies here.
shylyn,
Welcome ! Glad to see you here. How is your boy's reading skills ? I believe that the first thing the child must learn is reading, so that he can learn independently.
Does your boy enjoy going to the CC ?EN:
From mummy dearest of course. :lol: I offer to buy it for him. But once I offer, he starts reminding. His cousin has it but it did not influence him. He dont ask unless I offer. He knows once school re-opens, no more games unless I say it is okay.The story continuation dont do it in writing since yr ds might not be able to join in. My idea actually is derived from our conversation of speaking good English. Since they are young, just try to create a story & wrap it up by half an hour.
Tamarind wrote [quote]How did your son get his PSP ? Did he ask for it because he saw his friends playing with PSPs ?
Tamarind wrote [quote]When I was interviewing for jobs, nobody paid attention to that score. It is our university grades that are most important.[/quote]I have that same thinking too but it is so difficult to not get suck into the rat race.
Tamarind wrote [quote]During the past 15 years of my working life, I realized that I did not know what to do after office hours. My only hobbies were watching TV and shopping. I spent all of my youth studying, and I had no other skills. I think it is important for my kids to nurture their passion about anything that they like, so that they will have a more fulfilling life when they are adults. [/quote]I have my sports, netball, oritorical, dancing, uniform groups, book prizes, trophies and all that I won into the rubbish bin. It's good grades that allow me to enjoy what I'm able to do now. Juggling work life balance. Those that I won just give me good memories when I'm old.
Tamarind, you can still pick up new skills or hobbies. I pick up cooking/baking when I was 25. Did salt water reefing with dh (not an easy hobby) & tried horse riding. I'm keen to try writing as my eldest cousin (she's 60) started writing novel when she was retreched more than 10 years back. Quite a popular figure in neighbouring country.[/quote]EN,
The problem is I am very bad at creative writing. I simply cannot think of any original story. I think I will try to ask my girl to start and finish the story herself. Right now she is doing \"creative drawing\", she draws something, usually with very elaborate details, then she describes her drawing to me. My boy seems to be very good with his imagination, he is day dreaming all the time, perhaps he will do well with creative writing. But first he must learn to write all the letters properly !
These 2 years I have picked up new hobbies : blogging and organizing online shopping sprees in the internet
Anything else is simply too time consuming 
I teach my kids to bake cupcakes/cookies, they can actually complete the whole process on their own now. But I do it only when the maid is around to do the washing 
It is good that your boy is not addicted to the PSP. I see so many boys playing the PSP even when walking on the street ! It is like they cannot live without it even for one second. -
My niece is a Mensan but she did not qualified for GEP. She has the above charateristics I mentioned. From young till now, she does not need to be told to do her work. My son is both a Mensan and GEPper. He too has the same characteristics.
I believe most GEP students are high ability students who excel in English or Math, or both. GEP branch agreed that their GEP screening test are not IQ test. Likewise, gifted students who do well in IQ test are not accepted in GEP because some of them might not be very academically inclined either on Math or English.
These GEP students might not achieve high T-score in PSLE because some of them is weak in MT where the GEP selection is based on Math and English
How do we know whether our children are gifted? Do we based on IQ test or based on GEP selection test? Most importantly, we must believe in our children because all children are special to their parents. -
kiasulang:
My niece is a Mensan but she did not qualified for GEP......Likewise, gifted students who do well in IQ test are not accepted in GEP because some of them might not be very academically inclined either on Math or English.
The other factor to be considered:
Mensa--> Top 2%
GEP-->Top 1% -
kiasulang:
kiasulang,My niece is a Mensan but she did not qualified for GEP. She has the above charateristics I mentioned. From young till now, she does not need to be told to do her work. My son is both a Mensan and GEPper. He too has the same characteristics.
I believe most GEP students are high ability students who excel in English or Math, or both. GEP branch agreed that their GEP screening test are not IQ test. Likewise, gifted students who do well in IQ test are not accepted in GEP because some of them might not be very academically inclined either on Math or English.
These GEP students might not achieve high T-score in PSLE because some of them is weak in MT where the GEP selection is based on Math and English
How do we know whether our children are gifted? Do we based on IQ test or based on GEP selection test? Most importantly, we must believe in our children because all children are special to their parents.
For your information, there is a thread about the GEP.
All about GEP
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30&start=120
This thread is mainly for parents of young children who are exceptionally bright, and whose parents believe that they are gifted, or suspect that they may be gifted :mrgreen: This thread is for young children who have not taken the GEP. Some parents may aspire to develop their kids so that they can enter the GEP, some parents may not think that the GEP is a good program. All are welcome.
I have written earlier that my opinion is that the GEP test is not a reliable selection process for identifying gifted children. This is because many parents send their kids to GEP preparatory schools to be trained so that they can get into the GEP. The fact that many kids do get into the GEP by training, shows that the GEP selection process is flawed. A child is born gifted, he/she cannot be trained. If a truly gifted child has not been \"trained\", because the parents cannot afford GEP preparatory school or even provide learning resources at home, then he/she may not get into the GEP. But that does not mean that he/she is not gifted.
We should leave the discussion about the GEP in the \"All about GEP\" thread. Do share with us how you develop your kids before they enter primary school ? Any special development scheme ? -
There are many definitions of a gifted child.
I came across the following book which has a good description of the characteristics of a gifted child, or an exceptionally bright child.
From the book : You know your child is gifted when...
by Judy Galbraith
It is very rare for one person to have all of the characteristics and traits of giftedness described here. Your child might exhibit several or a few.
ADVANCED INTELLECTUAL ABILITY
This is the trait most people think of when they hear the word \"gifted\". A child with advanced intellectual ability may :
* seem just plain smart in a lot of areas, including some that might surprise you
* easily grasp new ideas and concepts
* understand ideas and concepts more deeply than other children his age
* come up with new ideas and concepts on his own, and apply them in creative and interesting ways
* easily memorize facts, lists, dates and names
* have excellent memory and never forget a thing
* learn new materials (and learn to use new things) more easily and quickly than
other children his age
* really love to learn - which may or may not include loving school
* enjoy playing challenging games and making elaborate plans - the more complex, the better
* have friends who are older (because he needs someone to match wits and interests with )
* enjoy books, movies, games, and activities meant for older children or even adults
* know many things that other children his age seem totally unaware of
Note that the above is only one of the characteristics.
Here are the other characteristics from the book.
1. advanced intellectual ability
2. verbal proficiency
3. curiosity
4. creativity
5. high energy
6. focus, passion, intensity
7. logical thinking(and abstract thinking)
8. sensitivity
9. sense of humor
The following is important for parents to know :
Most school programs suggest that giftedness isn't identifiable before third or fourth grade. Some schools don't begin to address the abilities of highly able children until middle school or junior high...By fourth grade, some of the most intelligent children are resentful of waiting for the other kids to catch up. Having learned easy achievement without struggle and persistence, these high ability students now find little meaning in a school day...The earliest school years are the most essential for finding these children before their eagerness and joy for learning have been conditioned out of them.
It is true that a child does not lose his \"giftedness\". But the child will lose his eagerness and joy for learning. -
Hi Kiasulang
Curious. Before identification, do you notice yr ds is developing faster than an average children or was it pointed out to you that he is different? Second question is on swimming. Read in another thread, your ds swims every morning & early identification of talent. Is your ds talent spotted by school or it’s you as parent who realize it. Or did yr ds swim for leisure? -
vicky:
Hi Vickykiasulang:
My niece is a Mensan but she did not qualified for GEP......Likewise, gifted students who do well in IQ test are not accepted in GEP because some of them might not be very academically inclined either on Math or English.
The other factor to be considered:
Mensa--> Top 2%
GEP-->Top 1%
To be a Mensan, one has to successfully achieve at least a test score in the top 2% of the GENERAL POPULATION in a standardised IQ test administered by Mensa.
A GEPper is top 1% of his cohort.
Unlike GEP, you cannot train to be gifted. You can only born gifted -
EN:
Hi ENHi Kiasulang
Curious. Before identification, do you notice yr ds is developing faster than an average children or was it pointed out to you that he is different? Second question is on swimming. Read in another thread, your ds swims every morning & early identification of talent. Is your ds talent spotted by school or it's you as parent who realize it. Or did yr ds swim for leisure?
Glad to share with you here
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?p=12360#12360 -
tamarind:
Thanks Tamarind
kiasulang,kiasulang:
My niece is a Mensan but she did not qualified for GEP. She has the above charateristics I mentioned. From young till now, she does not need to be told to do her work. My son is both a Mensan and GEPper. He too has the same characteristics.
I believe most GEP students are high ability students who excel in English or Math, or both. GEP branch agreed that their GEP screening test are not IQ test. Likewise, gifted students who do well in IQ test are not accepted in GEP because some of them might not be very academically inclined either on Math or English.
These GEP students might not achieve high T-score in PSLE because some of them is weak in MT where the GEP selection is based on Math and English
How do we know whether our children are gifted? Do we based on IQ test or based on GEP selection test? Most importantly, we must believe in our children because all children are special to their parents.
For your information, there is a thread about the GEP.
All about GEP
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30&start=120
This thread is mainly for parents of young children who are exceptionally bright, and whose parents believe that they are gifted, or suspect that they may be gifted :mrgreen: This thread is for young children who have not taken the GEP. Some parents may aspire to develop their kids so that they can enter the GEP, some parents may not think that the GEP is a good program. All are welcome.
I have written earlier that my opinion is that the GEP test is not a reliable selection process for identifying gifted children. This is because many parents send their kids to GEP preparatory schools to be trained so that they can get into the GEP. The fact that many kids do get into the GEP by training, shows that the GEP selection process is flawed. A child is born gifted, he/she cannot be trained. If a truly gifted child has not been \"trained\", because the parents cannot afford GEP preparatory school or even provide learning resources at home, then he/she may not get into the GEP. But that does not mean that he/she is not gifted.
We should leave the discussion about the GEP in the \"All about GEP\" thread. Do share with us how you develop your kids before they enter primary school ? Any special development scheme ?
I'm actually responding to EN's quote -
Hi Kiasulang
Thanks for replying my queries. I have read through the other thread. I'm sure you are able to share the start of your ds development in this thread.
I have also read through Primary School in Novena & is following through the thread there as well as I am looking around to see if there are any new schools that are suitable for him.
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