How to tell if a child is gifted?

[2ppaamm]

schweppes:

2ppaamm:

Do you know of any social class / psychologists who have successfully helped 2e children? I understand there just so few 2e kids in Singapore.

Just PM u :hugs:

Thanks! :hugs: I have written to the psychologist. I hope to be able to find a 2e psychologist in Singapore.

[2ppaamm]

tamarind:

2ppaamm:

[quote=\"tamarind\"]
I don't have similar issues, but I believe that gifted kids do not need to be taught by teachers in school, they are fully capable of learning on their own. In fact, it will be much more beneficial to them if they are given the freedom to learn anything that they want to. I am curious about whether you thought about just keeping him at home instead of sending him to any school ? I don't see why MOE will not approve of you homeschooling him given his issues in school.

tamarind, how do we handle the social and behavioral issues if homeschooled? I'm confident of the academic part but not the social skills part.

I remember that you have 4 kids right ? Why should there be any problem with the development of social skills ?

In fact, my younger boy, who is of average learning ability, is not attending any kindergarten this year due to his health problems. My mother and my maid take care of him at home. He interacts with my P1 girl, and that already gives him ample opportunity to practice his social skills. He needs to learn to share with her and most of the time they play very well together. My P1 girl is very mature for her age, and it is good for my younger boy to learn what is good behaviour from her. In fact, I was very unhappy with all the bad behaviour that he picked up while in kindergarten. I am very happy with him now that he is at home most of the time. He spends a lot of time reading children's encyclopedia and I am amazed at the amount of knowledge that he has learned on his own. No kindergarten or enrichment class could have achieved the same results. He attends a total of 4 hours of enrichment classes every week, and he has no problem with other kids, except that he complains that the class is too boring because both his English and Chinese standards are already quite advance for his age due to the fact that I taught him at home.

In fact, I believe that it is best for kids to learn social skills by interacting with older kids, or even adults.[/quote]Tamarind, I'm definitely going to look into homeschooling more seriously the next few weeks and drafting out a new curriculum for him. He was homeschooled in his pre-school years as well. I also homeschooled DD2 for a year. I'll also need to find a social class for him.

As mothers, like I told DH just now, it always falls back on our laps. If no school wants him, the home wants him.

[cnimed]

2ppaamm,

I cannot believe that MOE suggested Pathlight. Did they give any convincing reason?

Both school and homeschooling are double edged swords, but in the case of homeschooling, you have much more control over the situation. Homeschooling is very much what you make of it. It can be a lot of work for the parents, but you can then tailor it to your child’s needs, both academically and socially. When I took my son out for one year, I could watch him very closely both at play and work, and this gives me a much better understanding of what he needed. We spent a lot of time discussing social situations, teaching him to monitor his own feelings and physical state, and also stopping poor behavior immediately. When they are in school, the parent has no idea what is going on, and most of the time the teachers can’t be bothered, and the sensitive black-and- white child end up angry and confused.

There have been changes made to the official policies for homeschooling, and from this year on, those who want to homeschooling for medical reason will be advised to apply for EXEMPTION from national education, instead of permission to homeschooling. So you can actually apply for exemption and not worry about PSLE benchmark etc.

[2ppaamm]

Wow! This is indeed good info for me. I’m going going to explore and plan a little differently since psle can be exempted. Thank you so Lu h for this info. I’m going to spend the next few weeks exploring and finding new avenues and update you folks on this front. Hopefully someone else in the same plight will benefit from my experience one day.

[Busymom]

2ppaamm:

Wow! This is indeed good info for me. I'm going going to explore and plan a little differently since psle can be exempted. Thank you so Lu h for this info. I'm going to spend the next few weeks exploring and finding new avenues and update you folks on this front. Hopefully someone else in the same plight will benefit from my experience one day.

Want to wish you all the best. :hugs:

[2ppaamm]

Busymom:

2ppaamm:

Wow! This is indeed good info for me. I'm going going to explore and plan a little differently since psle can be exempted. Thank you so Lu h for this info. I'm going to spend the next few weeks exploring and finding new avenues and update you folks on this front. Hopefully someone else in the same plight will benefit from my experience one day.

Want to wish you all the best. :hugs:

Thanks! And I won't give up... I'll find a solution somewhere, somehow. Thanks to many parents here, I'm beginning to believe maybe there is a cure to autism. And, now I know I'm not the only one traveling on this journey. There are many who had gone ahead of me. I'm blessed to have these better parents share their insights with me. At least, I'm not starting from ground zero. Thank you, guys! :grphug:

We'll all get there one day!

[en107rn.01056yahoo.01056com.01056sg]

:hugs: 2ppaamm


I understand your frustration and utter bewilderment at what has been suggested. I do understand your plight.

I feel that in local context AS has been mis-defined. Besides having a chat with the local school principal, how about checking with international schools here? Of course need to get proper exemption for not attending the Singapore local school.

Pathlight? That's definitely not a right place.

[quote] He needs to be in an environment that can challenge him and motivate him further. [/quote]Yeap, I second that opinion.

[schweppes]

2ppaamm:

Thanks! And I won't give up... I'll find a solution somewhere, somehow.

Good for you 2ppaamm. Whatever it is, just don't give up. Sure there are the ups and downs - and there are days when it seems more downs than ups, but just don't lose hope. As their parents, we are all that our kids have to give them a better future.

2ppaamm:

Thanks to many parents here, I'm beginning to believe maybe there is a cure to autism. And, now I know I'm not the only one traveling on this journey. There are many who had gone ahead of me. I'm blessed to have these better parents share their insights with me. At least, I'm not starting from ground zero. Thank you, guys! :grphug:

I really believe that with the right intervention and support and plenty of , our kids will be on the road to recovery.

{Just a personal sharing: just this past fri, in the midst of madness running errands and in between therapies and what have u... i decided to treat myself to a durian ice cream cone from Ice Cream Gallery.... and as I was savouring the creaminess and sweetness of the ice cream, at that moment, I felt a sense of peace and that life is good, knowing that everything will turn out well.}

2ppaamm:

We'll all get there one day!

:hi5: :hi5:

[corneyAmber]

Kudos to all the mummies in this thread! Never do I know the real meaning of being a mum until I read it here.... :salute::salute::salute:


Now I realise my problems are really peanuts. kudos kudos

[pingsped]

2ppaamm:

schweppes:

[quote=\"2ppaamm\"]

Do you know of any social class / psychologists who have successfully helped 2e children? I understand there just so few 2e kids in Singapore.

[/quote]Hi 2ppaamm mummy

Just to let you & other mummies know,

Pathlight School is meant for children with high-functioning autism (those with average IQ). The top PSLE aggregate score since 2007 has not exceeded 240. Eden School has a functional curriculum and has some academics. Most of its students are not expected to take PSLE.

I think maybe you try to speak to all principals with GEP programmes & assess which school is willing to accommodate your child.

I've taught gifted children (below 10 years old) and AS children before. Not not 2e type. I'm in \"semi-retirement mode\" though; I only handle dyslexia & LDs and early intervention now. If you like, I can refer some books abt social skills. Pls PM me abt your child's difficulties.

regards,
Ping