How to tell if a child is gifted?

[daisyt]

Gald to see so many parents here have the same mindset as me. I always insist a good learning attitute is the most important factor in learning route. To me, as long as she is average or above average, I am fine. What bothers me more is to develope her an active learning attitute.


Want to share a part of this mass email I received recently.

Assume A =1, B = 2 and so on as follow
A = 1
B = 2
C = 3
D = 4
E = 5
F = 6
G = 7
H = 8
I = 9
J = 10
K = 11
L = 12
M = 13
N = 14
O = 15
P = 16
Q = 17
R = 18
S = 19
T = 20
U = 21
V = 22
W = 23
X = 24
Y = 25
Z = 26

KNOWLEDGE = 11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%
HARDWORK = 8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%
ATTITUDE = 1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

[tony]

So true, Daisyt. Maybe we should start a thread on how to cultivate a positive learning attitude in our kids. I t-r-y very hard to celebrate the process of hard work and positive attitude rather than the outcome. I have found that when I am angst with them, they actually become more upset with themselves. But when I let go and focus on the effort, we all have fun and have a great time. That’s when we really enjoy learning (me included).

[daisyt]

hi tony, sure, its a good idea, to start a thread on how to cultive a positve and active learning attitute in our kids. You want to start one and start your sharing ? How old are your kids ?

[mintcc]

tony:

So true, Daisyt. Maybe we should start a thread on how to cultivate a positive learning attitude in our kids. I t-r-y very hard to celebrate the process of hard work and positive attitude rather than the outcome. I have found that when I am angst with them, they actually become more upset with themselves. But when I let go and focus on the effort, we all have fun and have a great time. That's when we really enjoy learning (me included).

great idea, Tony I have started the thread over here
http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?p=55436#55436

will love to hear from you over there.

[tony]

Tks Mincy. See ya on the other side.

[Jona]

Tamarind,


Kudos! to ur view! Yes sending kids to help them learn to "get along" with all which ensures future success!

My son is also in the same situation. He knows all the answers atleast the most and he is bored. He says the answer but does’nt want to write long long sentences. He can write neatly but feels bored. He is mildly hyperactive. Anyways I am doing my best on the behavioural theraphy.

But when it comes to friends he loves them he socialises. He has no attitude problem. He loves all one and the same. He supports and shares all with his friends.

But a bit out of self-control when he is excited. For example when one of his friend is naughty he tends to follow it or add to it.

His teacher spoke to my DH so long and said that my DS is her best partner. He does so much help for her and everyone. And that only when he is excited he tends to be naughty. He said he has come a long positive way when compared to what he was. (THAT is what they learn in school). And we as parents teach them how to have self control, respect, love, compassion and that sharing is fun, learning together is fun to bring harmony to teacher and school, irrespective of the race and culture. I always tell him if friends do good follow them, if they do bad don’t follow them. And that is called as self-control. Diversity in Adversity.

It is quiet challenging to bring up kids nowadays. They are intelligent. And They need to learn social skills to be more successful in life. For which we as parents first have to be role models. Children follow parents or photocopy parents becoz that is easy. So it is good that we set as examples. Becoz they tend to imitate us. Dont teach them too much. Becoz ultimately they dont have anything to learn. Leave interesting things which we think that they can pick up from teacher to kids. Otherwise we may in long run spoon feed them and they make not be able to analyse themselves and make their own decisions.

Nowadays I have learnt the word "MODESTY" is the best policy. Don’t always do everything. They also have to learn certain (non-risky) things by themselves. Just support them in the process of thinking and learning, and foster independent learning skills.

Don’t always resist negativity. What we resist will persist. Let them do certain non-risky negative things that does’nt harm others. Like my son will rocket fly in his scooter and fall down and get hurt, and come to me crying. Then after he falls down, I give a lecture (!) to him. Trying to get the point, when ur speed is modest, ur scooter is in ur control. When ur speed is too high the scooter is in speeds control. Which one do u want? U want to control ur scooter rite? Then better from next time be in modest speed.

But at the end of the day my throat is burnt , but worth doing that. I realize after his teacher gave positive comments on him. All the pains in my throat have gone.

Be patient with kids. They don’t do it wantedly. They do not know how to react and act to situations. It is us as parents to guide them at every stage of life.

I have been doing research on hyperactivity and nutrition. And really nutrition does wonders to intelligent and hyperactive kids, and for all kids. And behavioral therapy is very important to all the kids. We used to say a proverb "if we cant bend in 5, then we cant bend in 50".

So, it is good to instill values in kids before 5 years, the borderline. Becoz if they learn it before 5 years old, kids think that is the NORM and they just do it. After that we can, but it takes more pain and strain too much, and kids keep on asking questions, we got to justify why we are asking them to act so, which is pain in the neck.

But trying to be a role model by doing the right thing for kids to follow, we also change ourselves and become more mature adults.

Take care. All the Best.

[tamarind]

Jona,

Totally agree with your views.

Children with the gift of high learning ability are already very fortunate compared to other kids. They must be able to tolerate more \"hardships\" like \"boredom\" and \"not able to find friends of the same intellectual capability\", I don't think we should feel sorry for them.

I read from another forum : a boy pounced on his mommy, caused her to hit her head against something and she had to be admitted to A&E and ICU !!!

Later she brought him to the psychologist and was told that he was gifted and more advanced than other kids of his age. So when he did not get acknowledged or comprehended, he gets frustrated. The psychologist said that it is normal, and that he will grow out of it.

I think that the psychologist is wrong. If gifted children misbehaved, they should be punished even more severely than normal kids. If they grow up without the correct moral values, they will do a lot of damage to society.

I do not believe in caning as a form of punishment. I use other methods which I think are more effective.

[Jona]

Tamarind,


That’s a nice one. The boy pounced … is a very interesting. Thanks for sharing!

Cheers!

[soup]

Hi all. Just read in today's supplement newspaper (the bilingual one) about a toddler in UK who was assessed to have IQ of 160 and became a Mensa member. He's only 2 years plus.


Wondering if there is any recognised institution which can assess the IQ of very young children in Singapore.

It seems quite common to do so overseas. My friend was in the States for 3 years. Her son, who was almost 5 years old, was noted by his preschool teacher to be possibly gifted and she recommended my friend to send him for testing. It turned out that the preschool teacher was right! As a result, her son was given special, accelerated education at his preschool and he benefited from it. My friend also benefited because she started to read up and attended courses on how to handle such children.

I now wonder:

1. Are our preschool teachers trained to spot a child who is possibly gifted?

2. And if they do, where and how can the child be tested?

3. And if the result shows that the child is gifted, is there any preschool in Singapore which can cater to such children, i.e. have specially trained teachers and a different curriculum?

Of course I'm not advocating to bring forward the nation-wide GEP screening to preschool years. There is a rationale for doing it at 9 years old. But perhaps more children (and their parents) in Singapore could benefit in the same way that my friend and her son had, if there were more awareness about this issue amongst preschools here? I also do not advocate hot-housing children. I just think that highly gifted children are like special needs children and they would benefit from early recognition and appropriate management.

Any thoughts on this?

[sleepy]

soup:

I now wonder:


1. Are our preschool teachers trained to spot a child who is possibly gifted?

I think not even primary school teachers are trained to identify such kids. Of course with so many kids to attend to, it's not fair to expect them to, due to limited resources.
My personal observation, children who are more advanced are generally more talkative in class. They are viewed as disruption to the class instead

soup:

3. And if the result shows that the child is gifted, is there any preschool in Singapore which can cater to such children, i.e. have specially trained teachers and a different curriculum?

Not that I know of.
MMI allowed grade skipping. Not a different curriculum though, just learning together with older children at a slightly higher grade

You need to speak to the center managers to find out whether they hold the same belief as you before enrolling your child