My Gifted Child...

Last night was curriculum night for grades 3 – 5 for our elementary school, which means we got to meet with Kylie’s teacher, as well as “meet” the new principal. We also got a letter sent home saying that we were to attend one of the gifted services sessions as well…

So Kylie did really well on her Terra Nova tests last year…really well. She was in the 95th percentile or higher (she was in 98th and 99th in two of the areas) in math, reading and social studies. Science she was much lower (83rd I think), but even that was considered above average. We also found out from our friend that works in the district office that because our school district is so good, the gifted students are on a different bell curve than other school districts, otherwise a large portion of our school would be “gifted.”

Anyway, we learned that now that she has been classified as gifted, she will be considered gifted all the way through high school – there is no retesting or anything like that. We also got a glimpse of what options are open for kids in high school, and made especially easy for gifted children (i.e. getting both college and high school credit for classes in high school, flex time – this allows kids that participate in sports or arts for hours a week to not take those classes in high school, etc.). We also learned about a math program in the 5th grade that lets kids combine two years of math into one, therefore entering pre-algebra in 6th grade, and if they are super smart, they can move faster and enter algebra in 6th grade (yeah, I took algebra my FRESHMAN year!).

So for the most part, when it’s time for math (that’s all they’ve started with so far), the gifted teacher will come and get Kylie and a couple other kids and take them to her room and teach them. Kylie loves it!

This whole process has been somewhat numbing for me…we are never ones to really brag about our kids. We support them and they know we’re proud of them, but outside of super accomplishments, we rarely tell friends about things they may have done. Of course our families know every little detail, and I like to use this blog to brag about my kiddos, but I know that there are so many kids out there that are fantastic, and I want my kids to grow up with humble attitudes, so I don’t feel it right for them to watch me brag nonstop about them and expect them not to have that mentality.

Anyway, I’m trying to take it all in, and absorb the magnitude of it all. This of course means some extra work for Kylie and extra responsibility, which of course she loves. But it’s also a wake-up call for us to be sure that we’re keeping up with Josh and Ryan and Colton when their turns come. So far Josh is doing super well in school. Now whether he’ll do as well as Kylie did on the tests, who knows, but I definitely feel a bigger responsibility for keeping up with him on school work, even though he hardly ever needs my help.

Most of all I’m just so proud of my little girl. I can’t remember the last time I really helped her with homework. She usually races home from school and gets it done and we just check it at night. I would love to sit here and say that I had something to do with all of this, but in reality, God gave her the amazing mind and wonderful work ethic, and she has put forth all of the effort needed to get her work done.

I love you princess and I’m super-duper proud of you!!!