Were you in the "Gifted Program" ?

I was in a gifted student program called "Quest", much like OP's Odyssey.

Before being enrolled in the program, I was able to read, write, and perform addition and subtraction while in pre-school. My mother was told of the program, and so a woman comes to interview me at school one day. She asked me a few starter questions and could tell I was losing focus, so she started asking me about crossword puzzles. I knew definitions of words and trivia that astounded her. The next day I was enrolled in the program and promoted an entire grade, which the other kids didn't like so much.

Quest was rather enjoyable, since the boys and girls were interested in knowledge, like me, and were way beyond the scholastic achievements of our "normal school" peers. I enjoyed the field trips and learning more about Egypt, space, atomic science, computers (1980s computer tech seems less impressive now, but man was it cool at the time!), music, China, etc.

I'm getting to the age where fatherhood is becoming less and less likely, but I will do everything it takes to read to my children and make sure they have the mental dexterity to surpass intellectually what is expected of school-age youths.

reply to post by Whatsreal


How can you be so sure that the "other" children just aren't made to learn the way the school is teaching them? How can you be so sure that they aren't bored with the daily grind and just tune out?

What I am saying is that this type of program can benefit more than than just kids with a higher IQ.

We all know that a high IQ doesn't necessarily make you smarter than the average kid. That may just mean that you can do amazing math, but the kid that's 10 points lower than you, can tell you all the Presidents in order, what year they were elected and who they ran against.

There are many different types of "smarts" in this world, and a high IQ doesn't mean you are any smarter or should be given special public schooling. My child may not be a genius, but I guarantee that she would be alot more in tune with learning if she didn't have to sit in the same classroom everyday, and listen to the same drivel every day.

What it comes down to today is money. Its all about money. More for the state more for the county more for the schools more for faculty but less education for our children. It just isnt right

Sure I was. As were both of my brothers, in a state that had peopl ewho refused to put us in it, at first, due to being partially home-schooled.

but I got in specifically for the talented end. Had the voice of an opera singer as a kid.

reply to post by Whatsreal


Again, your "friend" with a high IQ was subject to the public school. Maybe his parents should have given him better opportunities. You can't blame the public school system for that.

But, if the public school system that the taxpayers pay for, decides to single out a few and give them a better education, then that's under minding the potential of other students, that are there on a free ride as well.

Like I said, a high IQ obviously doesn't mean your any smarter, you would think that if somebody had such a high IQ, then they would know that heroin destroys your mind and body. So much for being "light-years" ahead of others.

reply to post by Roundtree


You need to quit watching so much tv man. Everything you just said I have seen on a tv series but luckily for you I can't remember the name of it but it starred some female in the USA in the future after USA got EMP blasted.

Something that should be noteworthy is that there is a big difference between a local school segregating students based performance with regards to intelligence, and a outside viewer, such as the government, stepping in to cultivate true exception. Having said that, early recognizable intelligence is mostly based on level(s) of comprehension, comprehension akin to a baron field. Some are born with a full acre, some just 10 square feet. But if those with the lesser properly tend to their respective field, and those who were blessed with the more do nothing, who bears fruit? Who is better off?

Point being, you can have all the 'young' intelligence in the world but if not properly tended to and cultivated, your 'field' will be baron and fruitless.

Originally posted by Evanzsayz
reply to post by Roundtree

 

You need to quit watching so much tv man. Everything you just said I have seen on a tv series but luckily for you I can't remember the name of it but it starred some female in the USA in the future after USA got EMP blasted.

Dark Angel
with Jessica Alba.

In my region, it was called GATE, an acronym for Gifted and Talented Education. I remember it being mostly an extra-curricular activity, but I don't really remember exactly what we did.

I was in one of these "gifted classes" starting in around 5th grade all the way until I graduated high school.
Apparently you had to have an IQ of 140+ to make it in, at least that's what they told us.
Our class was around 12-16 students from the entire school.

I remember having to take some IQ test using different shaped blocks, general questions, math problems, etc.
I never did find out what score I ended up with, but I guess I passed.

We were taken on special field trips almost once a month, to museums, art shows, NASA centers, etc.

It was very fun for a kid. I have fond memories of the entire experience.

A couple of my class mates went on to work for JPL and NASA, and I know at least two are Doctors.
Myself, i'm an IT tech.

Did these classes influence my life? Absolutely.

I scored 97th to 98th percentile, nationally. Unfortunately, it attracted unwanted and unkind attention from the deranged staffers, who always took steps moreso to "keep me down" rather than any civil encouragement. They preferred to cater toward their pre-selected group of lemmings, petty bourgeois kids with recognizable family names, dweebs who they could control, to a degree of comic relief, jocks. It was more like an East Bloc totalitarian compliance academy, specializing in butt-kissing.

Although I had previous experience with a broad range of prep schools, and notably a Quaker "Friends" school, to which I always give credit for being exactly as-advertized, I ended up the last 3 years in a big public school full of hard headed coal-crackers.

Within 2 years of walking out on the "Spartans", and getting a GED, I was attending the University of Pennsylvania, learning a subject that I loved, History and sociology of Science. By that point, I was pretty jaded, and spent more effort trying to have a enjoyable life and chase girls than with hard subject material. Ultimately, the friendly atmosphere won out, and I soaked in a good sense of acedemia, which I take forward into my life now. Sadly, I never really learned a trade, besides partying and chasing girls.

Dear Gifted Brethren ,
I'm attempting to put a positive spin on a very .... oh, volatile subject.... politics (crazy, crazy, crazy!!).
Anyway...people are fighting tooth and nail, democrat this, republican that and it's just constant fighting and screaming and yelling and insulting...
so, I thought I'd start a thread asking what DO we want and it's starting to expand into what do we NEED and going pretty well so far, but not a lot of input yet. I'd really like to see it grow and get intelligent, informative discourse going to hopefully bring us more "together" in our views and find ways to solve some of the issues that exist, or at least create the willingness to solve them.
Anyone who may be interested in chiming in with what they feel is "desireable" in this arena would be greatly appreciated. I'm trying to keep it as non-negative as possible and hope those who participate will be cooperative in that. Please join in if you have an interest in the endeavor!
www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by Chickensalad


While a higher than average I.Q. score by no means guarantees success in life it most certainly imparts a cognitive advantage.

Why is it that people can be born naturally superior athletes and their physiological advantage is accepted without a second thought yet when someone is gifted with substantially above par intelligence people go out of their way to denigrate and minimize the persons natural talents?

I'm sorry but these types of programs only benefit children who are qualified to the challenge and would be detrimental to the educational growth of 98% of the population. The work load and subject matter is exponentially more difficult than the standard curriculum, why would you want to force a child into that environment when its all they can do to keep passing marks in the general educational system?

The greatest Gift on Earth is Love. It is given to every human mortal.

With only love can civilisation come about - care and concern about others than ourselves, honestly,sincerely and faithfully, doing ALL we can to make that love real by changing and improving ourselves, intellectually and physically.

It is love that truly progressed and evolve mankind. Without it, we would have been extinct long ago.

But as the saying goes - love doesn't pay the rent. Again fortunately, ALL of humanity have secondary gifts of intelligence. None have it all, but only specific areas whereby each can contribute to the whole.

The current education system on supposed 'gifted' programme is only concerned with mainstream subjects and academacia, nothing else, and is an error.

Each and every human is gifted only in certain subjects, NOT all of them. Einstein was never a Beethovan,nor can ever hope to become one despite his achievements Similarly so with fellow humans. Some are good are academicia and arts, but others with hands.

Is a good mechanic whom is good with his work and attitude a lesser person than a PHD of Maths? No. They are equal and contribute to the whole, which with such diversity, progresses and evolve a nation.

Often, such programmes depend on results, great grades to prove they are truly 'gifted'. But the truth is that each has his own unique gift. He will do well in one subject but flunk in another. If he is good at maths, but fails geography, is he no longer considered a 'gifted' child and should be sent packing?

No. If he excels in maths, just one subject or two or at most three, he should be encouraged to FOCUS on those that interest him, and let teachers guide and help him in those areas. He is a human, with free will, and interest plays an important role in moulding a person for future contribution. Many were lost in this manner because they were not allowed to develope their core interest and guided properly.

Seldom would mankind find a genius, excels in EVERY subject. They are rare, probably one in a billion, if they even exist. But those whom aces every subject do not mean that they are genius.

Truth is that they are gifted, but their gift lays only in having additional memory banks than others, for caching and retrival information at high speeds, like a runner with 4 lungs instead of 2. Give them old, tried and test problems, and they will answer with flying colors. Give them new problems and new parameters, like problems of our current world, and they will stumble. It is those whom focuses on specific in core interest that outwit and outthink for solutions and take us to the stars one day.

Thus, gifted programmes, while may seem elitist, but in truth is necessary, will greatly and quickly evolve mankind, and thus need to reform for better results. These children are no less precious or special than any other precious kid, for all are born equal, but their difference lays in their faster competency, comprehension in certain subjects,and must be allowed to develope their interests fully and at the same time, to develope and be guided upon their primary gift of love for others as well so that they will not only contribute to societies, but be responsible ones as well.

reply to post by Roundtree


I was. But, by the 3rd grade, I was either bored with it or just too lazy and got pulled out...because basically, I just stopped doing what they asked.

I knew of these gifted programs at a very young age, and I already knew then they were a sham. I had family members and friends admitted into these programs but was never admitted into one even though my IQ was off the charts. My father said that only prominent or rich or persistent parents got their kids into these programs irrespective if they were qualified. At least where I'm from, there was a premium that had to be paid so those that couldn't pay couldn't get there kids into these programs.

As a result, very few of the "gifted" kids I knew amounted into anything.

Society puts value in the wrong things. They advertise one thing and value another. Typically it's money.

No you're not hybrids. Most likely your parents had a more substantial hand in getting you into the "gifted" program than just your natural abilities.

reply to post by Drunkenparrot


No sir. See, where I went to school we had what you call "Honors Classes" which means that they are a higher take on the general subjects. In this case you have a certain grade to keep in order to stay in the course. If you can't perform in these courses you were bumped back down to the regular classes.

In the case of these programs, it doesn't appear that they have a certain grade to maintain, nor are they graded on their performance, rather, they are given projects and with these projects they are "judged" not graded.

So, you see, it's actually more stressful and to me, more difficult for the children that have to maintain a grade rather than an IQ.

Again, testing does not prove intelligence, it only reflects the teaching abilities of the staff. It in no way reflects the abilities of the student. Maintaining a grade is a lot more difficult, even for a higher educated person. The work still has to be done, and to the teachers guidelines in order to be deemed "learned". In these programs there doesn't seem to be a guideline other than IQ." Just sit back and listen and take a test every now and then so we can see where your at." Maybe do a project or two here and there so we can judge you, not grade you.

Sure seems like something that almost any child would prefer over being "graded" on every piece you do.

I was in the gifted program.
In elementary school it meant going to a trailer and making 'commercials' in teams. It wasn't very enriching. It rather sucked. BUT- the good thing - was that we were not held back with reading, so by the time I hit the 3rd grade, I no longer had to go to reading classes, but spent that time reading whatever I wanted to in the library. I read a lot about astronomy - it was my first love, until my parents insisted that I could never support myself being an astronomer. They put a stop to those dreams.

In my middle years, it got me in a program called "Humanities' where I spent a large block of my day with a special ed teacher who let us do whatever we wanted to do. It was 'unschooling' in school. I got into politics then. I read Ed Clark and fell in love with libertarian ideas. My gifted teacher often took me to her house and we were very close. She was so different from my own family. Her family was very well educated - my own wasn't. My mom only had an 8th grade education, and my dad dropped out of highschool. My mom was particularly smart, but not educated at all, although she tried to educate herself and read a lot. I think spending time in a more intellectual atmosphere was good for me.

In highschool, it got me in special classes where all ages were mixed in together because there was only 1 gifted teacher. So we got a bit of word roots to increase our vocabulary half the time, and half the time we got gifted history and literature.

I learned a lot in those classes, they were interesting.

reply to post by Chickensalad


Did you take a moment read the link I posted on the last page?.

post by Drunkenparrot

Again, there is a tremendous difference between a given schools in house honours program and a legitimate gifted program.