Sue wrote:
"Donna Metler" wrote in message
In many ways, I wish there was an equivalent of her preschool once she
gets to kindergarten. Her 12 hours a week at preschool are serving an
emotional and social need even though academically she's not learning
anything new there, and I can easily, with that schedule, teach and
supplement at home. I suspect if she were able to go to school part-time
and homeschool part-time, it would be a better fit for her, at least in
early elementary before GT programs pick up (which isn't until 3rd grade),
than either homeschooling or traditional schooling.

And that's not to say that she is gifted. I suspect that the kids who are
truly gifted, is going to be a much smaller number than many parents would
like to believe. It really kind of bugs me that parents are stating their
kids are gifted, when they really are not. Most preschoolers are sponges and
will pick up lots of things, especially if the parents are pushing them,
which many are. Most kids all catch up with each other in 3rd grade and the
ones that the parents thought they were profoundly gifted at 3 yrs old,
turns out to be pretty average.

Weeeelllll...we've all met parents who believe their
kids to be gifted when they're not (Lord knows there are plenty
around here in the land of super competitive parents). However,
if you know what to look for, you usually *can* see giftedness
this early. One of the most insidious things that parents of
gifted kids have to deal with is that they don't want to be
one of "those" parents, so they hang back and don't advocate
for their kids like they should. They wait too long to see
if things will somehow work out on their own. It's a hard
line to walk.

Best wishes,
Ericka