Monday, September 15, 2008

Gifted and Talented....

My 8 year old came home from school today with a paper requesting permission to test him for the "Gifted and Talented" program at his school. This was confusing to me cause #1 I can't tell if they sent it home with every kid and #2 to sound like the most horrible parent ever, my kid, really? I didn't consider myself terribly gifted or talented as a kid, but I tested and was placed in the 4th grade into the program. I still don't really know why, but I went and enjoyed it for many years. And don't get me wrong, it's not like I think my kid isn't smart, but I consider him smart in different ways. He's very creative, likes to draw, and he can assemble entire Lego scenarios, but I wouldn't consider him book smart. Last year he went to tutoring after school for writing and the year before for math. To top it off, we just got his progress report not 2 weeks ago and he had a C- in math....I know, I'm horrified too but completely lost for the correct course of action!

I'm totally perplexed by this situation because I have 2 options. Let him be tested with the risk of finding out he's really not smart and needs real help or not let him be tested and be the parent who doesn't think her kid is smart! Both of these options....devastating! My philosophy is to always try to minimize the amount of disappointment and humiliation my kids have to endure. And i know some people would say they need to experience these things cause it makes them stronger....I'm sorry, I'm physically unable to do it. I don't want him to think he's not gifted and talented because he is in so many ways, but not really ways that can be measured by a standardized test! So do I spare him the knowing cause I like the not knowing so much better. I'm not a mean parent, I'm a realistic parent. I understand my children's limitations and maybe it's my fault for not pushing them to exceed those limitations....I just never want them to think they are mediocre cause that's the way I always felt, never the best never the worst just somewhere in the middle. But I don't think that's bad, I mean, I survived....I think?

**The Long of It**

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