I'm such a proud momma!
02-23-2005, 10:50 PM
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I'm such a proud momma! Over the past 6 months my son has been testing for a program at his school. Some agency came in to run several tests such as the Naglieri Nonverbal ability test and the Stanford 9 test. Today I received Michael's official letter and he made it! Starting March 4th, my son will be a member of the gifted and talented program at his elementary! Not sure where he got it from, but my son is a genius. 
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02-24-2005, 07:20 AM
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Originally Posted by ross87t
Are you going to get one of those bumper stickers now?
I should get one and put it on the back of my race car 
02-24-2005, 08:57 AM
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My son is 14 and will start High School next year. He has been in GT classes since 1st grade. Its easy to take for granted just how smart some kids are. Glenn (my son) has never struggled with homework and gets upset with himself if he gets a B on a paper. In fact, I can't remember a time that he wasn't on the all A honor roll.
I do have a sticker, but Glenn being the very bright child that he is asked that I not put it on the SS. He said stickers just don't belong on my car. That's my boy!!!
-Tracey
I do have a sticker, but Glenn being the very bright child that he is asked that I not put it on the SS. He said stickers just don't belong on my car. That's my boy!!!
-Tracey
02-24-2005, 09:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Tracey
My son is 14 and will start High School next year. He has been in GT classes since 1st grade. Its easy to take for granted just how smart some kids are. Glenn (my son) has never struggled with homework and gets upset with himself if he gets a B on a paper. In fact, I can't remember a time that he wasn't on the all A honor roll.
I do have a sticker, but Glenn being the very bright child that he is asked that I not put it on the SS. He said stickers just don't belong on my car. That's my boy!!!
-Tracey
I do have a sticker, but Glenn being the very bright child that he is asked that I not put it on the SS. He said stickers just don't belong on my car. That's my boy!!!
-Tracey
Tiff-Congarts must be a great feeling. When i have kids im pretty sure my son wont be in any kind of GT or gifted programs-He will be to busy chasing girls like i was in school.
02-24-2005, 10:48 AM
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A bunch of my friends were in the GATE program. I was up for it, but one of the issues was that my parents had to transport me across town, so I ended up in accelerated classes instead of GATE. One of the guy I work with was in the GATE program too. When he was in the GATE program his techers graded their homework from the other classes,and just handed out worksheets to the kids and let them figure out most everything for themselves. He basically did less work in GATE than he did in regular classes.
Anyhow, my wife is a teacher, along with a bunch of my family. Here is the only issue with the GATE program in today's schools that I hear from all of them. In the past GATE teachers were supposed to be some of the best teachers for the best students.
Its changed over the years. Administrators have figured out that you can take the sub-par teachers and assign them to the GATE program. The kids there are smart enough that they will still pick up on the important concepts, and the "better" teachers go to the other kids. In this way, they have a greater chance of getting all the "low" kids to pass the TACS test.
My sister's friend is a GATE teacher at one the best schools in the District. She is what I would refer to as a slacker. Last year two of her GATE students failed the TACS test. If you aren't in the teaching field you may not understand how big a deal this is. But in all honesty everyone in the GATE program should pass TACS with flying colors. To have them fail is indicative of poor teaching.
I think its wonderful that your child made it into the GATE program. Please don't take what I said above as a reason not to have them in the GATE program. One of the good thing about the GATE program is that to me it was easier to be around folks who were on the same " level" as me. One of the issues I had in school was that I spent a lot of time getitng in trouble because I was bored. I was bored because I was ahead of many of my classmates. Its also good because my friends who were in GATE basically went from Elementary through high school together and pretty much were a core group of friends.
I only posted this because many folks just assume that being in GATE means their kids are going to get better teaching instead of worse teaching. Don't assume this. It may be the case, but just keep an eye on what your kid is doing, and the work he is being assigned. Don't let the system take advantage of him and you because he is gifted....
Anyhow, my wife is a teacher, along with a bunch of my family. Here is the only issue with the GATE program in today's schools that I hear from all of them. In the past GATE teachers were supposed to be some of the best teachers for the best students.
Its changed over the years. Administrators have figured out that you can take the sub-par teachers and assign them to the GATE program. The kids there are smart enough that they will still pick up on the important concepts, and the "better" teachers go to the other kids. In this way, they have a greater chance of getting all the "low" kids to pass the TACS test.
My sister's friend is a GATE teacher at one the best schools in the District. She is what I would refer to as a slacker. Last year two of her GATE students failed the TACS test. If you aren't in the teaching field you may not understand how big a deal this is. But in all honesty everyone in the GATE program should pass TACS with flying colors. To have them fail is indicative of poor teaching.
I think its wonderful that your child made it into the GATE program. Please don't take what I said above as a reason not to have them in the GATE program. One of the good thing about the GATE program is that to me it was easier to be around folks who were on the same " level" as me. One of the issues I had in school was that I spent a lot of time getitng in trouble because I was bored. I was bored because I was ahead of many of my classmates. Its also good because my friends who were in GATE basically went from Elementary through high school together and pretty much were a core group of friends.
I only posted this because many folks just assume that being in GATE means their kids are going to get better teaching instead of worse teaching. Don't assume this. It may be the case, but just keep an eye on what your kid is doing, and the work he is being assigned. Don't let the system take advantage of him and you because he is gifted....
02-24-2005, 11:30 AM
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They have changed the program since we were kids. Honestly, I think it is kinda stupid but they do it to make money. The gifted kids don't make as much money for the school because their test scores don't count as much. They said, on average, 3 kids from each grade make it into this program. They only have one gifted classroom for those who make it in the entire school (usually about 15-20 students per school). Also, the program isn't like the seperate classes that we had as kids. The gifted program only meets for one hour per week and they study current events. Michael will stay in his current class and do "extended work" the rest of the time. Basically they will take work books from the next year and give those to him once he has completed the work that everyone else does. I have the option of testing him into a higher grade, but I would rather not do that. He likes his friends and he is a very social kid. He has had some behavior problems because he is bored. Hopefully this will help stimulate his mind more. They said that once he gets into Jr. High, the gifted program will change and he should be seperated a bit more in order to find the classes that meet his needs.