Were you in the "Gifted Program" ?

reply to post by Roundtree


I used to be a gifted program teacher for middle school children the truth is that while the schools wants to glorified children that are "a littler more" academic inclined children from the 45 children I had only two were truly considered exceptional bright, I have one student that was given the SAT equivalent and passed and he was a middle school kid.

The rest were the children of prominent members in the town like doctors, lawyers, political figures and some members of the school board.

Actually people do not have a clue that the so call gifted program falls under the challenged program where children have disabilities and are actually treated as equal

My daughter since elementary school was considered a candidate to gifted program, but she refused to have any part of it, regardless of that she graduated with honors from high school got scholarships and ended up also graduating with high honors from UGA without taking been in the program, many of the other students in that program never got any grades higher than her and never earned honors.

So to me is nothing than a program that is manufactured to accommodate those students with influence even if they never make it to any else.

The curriculum is the same, the only difference is the encouragement of creativity and advance math, something that my daughter did without the program because advance classes are given to any student that have the grades for it regardless.

reply to post by Roundtree


I was in AGATE (Aurora Gifted And Talented Education) when I was a child, from age 7-10. one day a week I would meet at a different school with about 20-25 students from my school district. We would do puzzels, take IQ tests, and invent things.

We had orginized invention competitions where all students would think of a problem and invent a solution to it. We actually had 2 inventions from my class get US patenets and where sold in Kmart stores around the US.

1 was a biodegratable golf tee.
the other was a lunchbox insert to keep your food from getting smashed in a lunch pail (this was the 80's, you all remember lunch pails right?)

I invented a dog biscut that would freshen a dog's breath after eating it. Sadly it failed... lol

Still interesting to talk about this topic, it was a nice change of pace to the usual discusions.

God Bless,

reply to post by marg6043


I knew it was part of the "challenged" program.

My daughter since elementary school was considered a candidate to gifted program, but she refused to have any part of it, regardless of that she graduated with honors from high school got scholarships and ended up also graduating with high honors from UGA without taking been in the program, many of the other students in that program never got any grades higher than her and never earned honors.

A bright kid, with good parents and support system is going to excel wherever they are put, but in some schools (like mine then, and worse now) don't offer advanced courses or college prep in their regular curriculum.

I would have been Valedictorian of my graduating class if I hadn't graduated early, but I would have never had Trigoometry, pre-Calculus, World History, or World Geography if it wasn't for the Gifted program, Math League, and extra-curricular activities. The school didn't offer those classes, they were only offered at another school as part of specialty programs.

American kids are not getting exposed to world literature, world geography, world history, and they are only getting a very limited and incomplete view of American History. When I got to college, I had re-learn most of what I believed was true about the foundation of our country. My brother teaches math at our old high school, and he says even his best students will be forced to take college math courses that won't count toward their degrees, because they will have to catch up to what the college expects them to know of Trig and Calculus.

Some schools are better than others, but the school he teaches at is an A school with a top 10 rating in the nation, and it is not preparing kids for college. Most kids from that school don't go to college.

Many of you keep saying that only the "prominent" people's children only got into the gifted programs. That wasn't the case whatsoever, atleast in my district. We certainly didnt have money, and weren't an influential family by any means.

I want to know what they told the teachers to look for in these children, because they are the ones who originally identify the children, would be interesting i believe.

I'm going to the district's central office tomorrow, and I want to pull out my old school records, see what's in there. I'm more just curious rather than thinking I will find anything "conspiratorial" but, we will see lol.

I too remember the class being a more intuitive class, allowing our minds to freely express themselves. Perhaps when the programs first came out, the mindset was to let these children flourish, and become the new great thinkers. TPTB eventually caught on that hey, these "great thinkers" are detrimental to their agendas.. which may be why the programs are slowly being phased out it seems.

Originally posted by marg6043
reply to post by Roundtree

 

I used to be a gifted program teacher for middle school children the truth is that while the schools wants to glorified children that are "a littler more" academic inclined children from the 45 children I had only two were truly considered exceptional bright, I have one student that was given the SAT equivalent and passed and he was a middle school kid.

The rest were the children of prominent members in the town like doctors, lawyers, political figures and some members of the school board.

Actually people do not have a clue that the so call gifted program falls under the challenged program where children have disabilities and are actually treated as equal

This^^^^ We had one but NONE of the smartest kids were in it and we had some VERY smart people. I really don't know how these kids got selected. I think it was for having talents like singing, dancing or being able to play an instrument, but it definitely wasn't because of their academics. As a matter of fact, the one guy i did know who was in it, was in a beginner algebra class as an eleventh grader that i was help teaching as senior because i only needed a couple classes to graduate. He got in because his dad was a teacher and thought it would look good on his record.

I was in the gifted programs myself as a child, and this topic hit home as well. Now, as I have gotten older I have begun to understand myself on a totally different level all together. Anyways, I was tested in Kindergarten, and found to have the understanding of a 6th grader in SC. When I was in 4th grade I tested in the 60 top kids of West Virginia. I now have finished college for Massage Therapy, and I am also a Nationally Certified Usui Reiki II practitioner. This may seem like a tangent, but follow me for a second. During one of my classes; "Energy Based Modalities" I had a project on Qi Gong. I found out that I was born with it. Now to tie it all together. All through my childhood I have had "Abilities". I always referred to it as "Energy Manipulation". Come to find out that it was just me manipulating my Chi at Will. I'm an Energetic Healer and Licensed Massage Therapist. As for my understanding and intelligence, I have an invention idea that I call the "S.P.E.S. Battery" which is a Self Perpetuating Energy Source Battery that produces unlimited, clean, green energy. It works off of electromagnetism. I'm very wary of the implications of getting my proto-type working, and I even have most of the parts to make it here at my house. I just don't have the tools to put everything together properly. Since we are all the same level of understanding, what should I do to proceed in this case with my abilities and invention idea?

have anyof you guys heard of thisThe Golden Key International Honour Society

I just found out my brother in-law was told he should join.

love and harmony
Whateva

reply to post by marg6043


Absolutely correct.

I was a very intelligent child, but this was the 70's and our school had none of these programs. In fact, very few schools had anything like that back then. My first grade year was spent in the school library where I was told to read any book that I wished, because there wasn't anything in the curriculum for first grade that I did not already know. So they gave me free reign of the library in order to have something to do. After reading everything in that elementary that held any interest to me, I was taken to the high school library to make book selections and later still to the public library to do the same.

In the summer, the public library had reading contests and I would check out 5-10 books on a Monday and return them on Wednesday. By third grade, I would read mostly non-fiction and only the classics as far as fiction went. Also by third (or was it the fall of fourth) grade, the local PTO finally twisted Mom and Dad's arm enough to allow me to take an IQ test. The results were staggering to say the least and they were not to be discussed with me until after high school graduation. The result: undeterminable. But a key to note here is that IQ tests do not in any way, shape or form measure intelligence. They only measure the ability and speed of recalling information. So with a steady diet of reading material well outside my age level coupled with excellent memory retention, what other outcome could be expected, IMO. The specific result was that I "...went beyond the the parameters of the test...an actual number was undeterminable, although well above the minimum for genius level. Perhaps above 200...the results are not to be discussed until after graduation from high school for fear that he would use this information to manipulate or coerce other students and teachers..."

I became aware that the results were shared among the teachers, possibly even before my parents, due to the way I was treated after the results came out. Mostly suspicion and fear. A few refused to believe the results and would try to knock me down a peg or two when they could. If I had a nickel for every time an adult uttered the phrase "ungodly intelligent" (or anything similar) in either a positive or negative way, I could have "retired" before I had my drivers license.

Over all, I would say that the experience has been a negative one. Socially, I tend to be more reserved and withdrawn than my peers, but throughout school tried to appear more outgoing. I was my own clique in high school (people would gravitate toward me) rather than belonging to the jocks, preps, stoners or nerds but got along with and was at least mildly accepted by all of them. My lunch table was quite the eclectic group and tended to have more mature and intelligent discussion--religion, politics, philosophy, literary works, etc. Sometimes the teachers on lunch duty would stop by to participate.

Sometimes I worry that I missed out on the frivolity of youth. Other times, I don't think I would have changed a thing. As to why there is such a high incidence among ATSers... well, birds of a feather. But overall, it tends to be the quiet and calm intelligent discussion. I tend to think that the expected atmosphere of mutual respect as to say YouTube comments, has a greater influence on holding our collective interest than even the topics themselves.

Having a community of people we can related with is far better than the old phobia of being abducted from our families when we were children and stuck in a government think tank dreaming up new and creatively destructive ways to kill people...or am I the only one that had that fear growing up?

Originally posted by Whateva69
have any of you guys heard of thisThe Golden Key International Honour Society

I just found out my brother in-law was told he should join.

love and harmony
Whateva

I'm in it, joined because they apparently were impressed by my academic prowess. Apparently they regard me as being among the top 7% of students on the planet, studying astrophysics.

Like Mensa, they just want you to join to prove how 'amazing' they are as a group. I didn't join Mensa but I did join Golden Key (I actually never gave my consent to join, they just assumed I was part of their loyal group and added me to their registers), but so what, they haven't given me anything other than membership.

Joke is, I have since dropped out of Uni as there is NOTHING in New Zealand (where I'm currently living) that allows me to continue my studies at the same level, NOTHING (talk about a "clever country").

It's all crap anyway, I'm fairly average (in my opinion), though I'd love to get a science related job instead of all this commercial crap I'm tangled up in (mostly because I'm a family man and have to provide).

I wish they'd actually give me a scholarship or some kind of help to continue my studies/interests, but I believe they're more stuck in the "leach off the genii" for status than in actually helping to push humanity into new realms of achievement and knowledge. Same as every other "intellectual" group.

There are so many people who are really the hope of humanity, who will instead be crushed by the system and will fade into invisibility (like me).

I have a genius level IQ, I already know stuff that I can't (because of national security agreements & stuff) tell you (and it isn't that hard anyway, you'd figure it out eventually if you dedicated yourself to understanding some specific things) but my silence buys your security. Its crap and I'm bitter, as you may have guessed.

It's unfair.

... and it's more unfair on you, 'cause you could profit from this, as I could, if it was well intentioned.

Sorry, I'm drunk and saying stuff they want me to remain silent about.

Move on, nothing to see here....

I was an air force brat, enrolled in the Department of Defense run school system in Turkey. In 1st grade i was put in the "TAG" program, Talented and Gifted. I was also put on ritalin at the same time. In 5th grade we moved to Ohio. There I was put in a public "magnet" school, but got kicked out for getting into fights as many students there bullied me, and singled me out for not being of African descent. I was then homeschooled trough the 12th grade. I received a High School Diploma from the State of Florida at age 15. I switched from ritalin to cannabis after graduating. I still suffer from moderate adult adhd/hyperactivity. Tested IQ average 147

Originally posted by system.robot
I was an air force brat, enrolled in the Department of Defense run school system in Turkey. In 1st grade i was put in the "TAG" program, Talented and Gifted. I was also put on ritalin at the same time. In 5th grade we moved to Ohio. There I was put in a public "magnet" school, but got kicked out for getting into fights as many students there bullied me, and singled me out for not being of African descent. I was then homeschooled trough the 12th grade. I received a High School Diploma from the State of Florida at age 15. I switched from ritalin to cannabis after graduating. I still suffer from moderate adult adhd/hyperactivity. Tested IQ average 147

Welcome.

Perhaps we could use ATS to organize ourselves?

Originally posted by Ahabstar
reply to post by marg6043

 

Absolutely correct.

I was a very intelligent child, but this was the 70's and our school had none of these programs. In fact, very few schools had anything like that back then. My first grade year was spent in the school library where I was told to read any book that I wished, because there wasn't anything in the curriculum for first grade that I did not already know. So they gave me free reign of the library in order to have something to do. After reading everything in that elementary that held any interest to me, I was taken to the high school library to make book selections and later still to the public library to do the same.

In the summer, the public library had reading contests and I would check out 5-10 books on a Monday and return them on Wednesday. By third grade, I would read mostly non-fiction and only the classics as far as fiction went. Also by third (or was it the fall of fourth) grade, the local PTO finally twisted Mom and Dad's arm enough to allow me to take an IQ test. The results were staggering to say the least and they were not to be discussed with me until after high school graduation. The result: undeterminable. But a key to note here is that IQ tests do not in any way, shape or form measure intelligence. They only measure the ability and speed of recalling information. So with a steady diet of reading material well outside my age level coupled with excellent memory retention, what other outcome could be expected, IMO. The specific result was that I "...went beyond the the parameters of the test...an actual number was undeterminable, although well above the minimum for genius level. Perhaps above 200...the results are not to be discussed until after graduation from high school for fear that he would use this information to manipulate or coerce other students and teachers..."

I became aware that the results were shared among the teachers, possibly even before my parents, due to the way I was treated after the results came out. Mostly suspicion and fear. A few refused to believe the results and would try to knock me down a peg or two when they could. If I had a nickel for every time an adult uttered the phrase "ungodly intelligent" (or anything similar) in either a positive or negative way, I could have "retired" before I had my drivers license.

Over all, I would say that the experience has been a negative one. Socially, I tend to be more reserved and withdrawn than my peers, but throughout school tried to appear more outgoing. I was my own clique in high school (people would gravitate toward me) rather than belonging to the jocks, preps, stoners or nerds but got along with and was at least mildly accepted by all of them. My lunch table was quite the eclectic group and tended to have more mature and intelligent discussion--religion, politics, philosophy, literary works, etc. Sometimes the teachers on lunch duty would stop by to participate.

Sometimes I worry that I missed out on the frivolity of youth. Other times, I don't think I would have changed a thing. As to why there is such a high incidence among ATSers... well, birds of a feather. But overall, it tends to be the quiet and calm intelligent discussion. I tend to think that the expected atmosphere of mutual respect as to say YouTube comments, has a greater influence on holding our collective interest than even the topics themselves.

Having a community of people we can related with is far better than the old phobia of being abducted from our families when we were children and stuck in a government think tank dreaming up new and creatively destructive ways to kill people...or am I the only one that had that fear growing up?

I used to read a lot too.

The librarian at my primary school wanted to know if I actually read the 7 books (usually fairly thick books, e.g: Moby Dick, Origin of the Species, etc) I took out on Friday and returned on Monday, turns out i did. Not only that, I asked questions from them that she wasn't able to answer).

Of all my teachers, I think she was the only one who had an inkling of what I was capable of (although I did go to a selective school and was expected to be a bit bright).

reply to post by havok
My son, who is turning 30 this year, was always being a smart-ass at school and was constantly getting in trouble. No drugs, no fighting, just talking out of turn and being a smart=ass. They tried to put him in a giffted program, but the way I saw it, he's smart, high IQ, but he's lazy. I'm glad I didn't, they expelled him and he took the HSED tests, passed them in 2 weeks, and didn't return to school. I always liked school, I'm an RN, but I really believe the gov't is following all these kids, especially if they dropped out. Looking for criminal behavior, or other deviant behaviors. I'm paranoid a bit. I believe they took DNA @ some point on all of these kids and are tracking them.

Who does a communist regime get rid of firs? The independent and the intelligent.

reply to post by FengShuiKai
Hide from the government.

reply to post by getreadyalready


I agree with you one hundred percent, I am Spanish, so my education was different way different that here in the US that unless you go to a "private school" the history is centralized on the states while relegating world history as secondary.

Back in the 60s and 70s the US education system topped the world as number one, but it started to decline after the 80s now we are not even in the top 20 and fall behind in science and math to developing countries

My education in the 60s and 70s was exceptional our books came from Spain and we were introduced to world history advanced math and other subjects hardly touch today in the US curriculum, Even US history and government was part of our curriculum as the Island is a US territory, now that US control the schools the education is nothing but crap.

You can not expect the US public education to get any better when is a lot of red tape and politics involved and when a fundamentalist group in Texas is the one that edit and approve the books use in the schools.

We are so backward in education is not funny and people have no clue how bad it is.

My children were lucky that they attended mostly DOD schools until high school when they were introduced to public schools, they were so bored with the curriculum I had lots of problems with them

Yes Americas public education is a shame for a country that call themselves advance.

I was one of the first students in what they called the AG program (academically gifted) here. Enrollment was based on the 7th grade IQ test scores and it was somehow afiliated with the NC Special Education funding. This would have been around 1985-ish when the program started here in WNC and they ended it somewhere around 1995-96.
There was alot emphasis on creative skills and critical thinking, and we'd have guest teachers from Temple University and the like. I spoke to one of my old teachers a while back and apparently they were told the AG program was ended chiefly because segregating the more intelligent students into a special education status was bringing down test score averages. Now that I think about it, almost all the people I kept up with that were in the AG program are now conspiracy theorists or very alternative minded, which is is pretty interesting, and I whole heartedly believe that I've been under close scrutiny ever since.

reply to post by Whateva69


reply to post by Whateva69


Hi, Whateva

I don't know if it's related, but I'm an alum of the Sigma Phi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa and we had the Golden Key News & Awards. The pin I was given upon being received as a member incorporates this element. If so, then I will tell you that this is for college students who have a high GPA (I believe it is 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale) and a full-time courseload for at least 2 semester in a row. There is a one-time membership fee of maybe $50, but the benefits do outweigh everything else. My school's chapter even had a luncheon for members with Temple Grandin as the speaker. I have received several scholarships, recommendations, and invitations to a few Ivy League schools as a result of my membership. Upon graduation, I received and wore honor cords and a golden key necklace over my gown, supplied by the society. It really is a good thing f it's the same thing we're talking about. They only invite those with an exceptional standing at one's school or university.

reply to post by Mclaneinc

because you showed a larger want for learning and understanding,

I have to agree with that, I am just curious,

reply to post by Roundtree


, was not so lucky

Originally posted by beezzer
reply to post by Stormdancer777

 

I know smart people.
I know people who are not so smart.

But is a person good?

You don't need smarts, wsdom, intelligence to have a good heart.

So short bus, special classes, IQ tests, don't mean anything if you aren't good.

Just my wee little opinion. What do I know?

Well, that goes with out saying.