Signs of giftedness in a preschooler
Recently I’ve been getting a lot of questions about how to determine whether or not your child might be gifted. As every parent knows, there is not a child out there who is not gifted – in some way.
But this question really pertains to those kids who seem to be gifted in ways that schools would recognize giftedness – that is, academically gifted. For your precocious 4-year old who wields a bat, wiggles and spits like a professional baseball player, well, a school might not see that as a real gift (it is).
Schools are interested in children who might be gifted for two reasons: they see that child as a potential asset, in increasing test scores and therefore APIs (in public school), or getting into an Ivy League school later on (for private); or they see that child as a potential liability.
Strange as it might sound, gifted children are really children with special needs, that the school has to be able to accommodate. Not every school can serve gifted children, and for those that can’t, it can be challenging, both for the teacher and the school, to figure out what to do with that kid.
But I digress. While I do work with parents of gifted children entering or in grades K-12, recently I’ve been getting these questions from parents of preschoolers. Preschoolers.
Just FYI, whether or not your child is gifted in a particular way might not have a whole lot to do with their career in preschool. If you have to make a decision as to which preschool might be the best fit, well, this is not an exact science. A preschool child needs to develop a whole laundry list of skills, pertaining to communication, social-emotional development, fine motor skills, gross motor skills – you get the picture.
In preschool it’s not all about academics, it’s about setting the stage. If you’re applying to private schools, you want to make sure that the school knows a gifted child when they see one, and that the director will be able to write the kind of recommendation you will need.
Back to the subject at hand – there are gifted preschoolers out there, and for those of you who need to know, some indicators of giftedness are below.
Your 2- to 4-year-old may be gifted if s/he has some (not just one) of these characteristics:
- Has a specific talent, such as artistic ability, evidenced by unusually realistic pictures for that age, or a facility with numbers, evidenced by the ability to add, subtract or multiply in their head. These children might be gifted.
- Has an extensive vocabulary or the ability to speak in sentences much earlier than other children of the same age.
- Is relentlessly curious and never seems to stop asking questions.
- Is unusually active (though not hyperactive), while still able to concentrate on one task for long periods of time.
- Is intense and passionate about their interests, and likes to be challenged by difficult activities.
- Has a vivid imagination. Gifted children often create their own world of imaginary characters, often providing them with complete stories and lives of their own.
- Is able to memorize facts easily and can recall obscure information learned from others, including television shows, movies, and books.
If you feel like you can check off some of these boxes, and your child is approaching the age when you need to be thinking about Kindergarten, then I would strongly recommend that you get your gifted child tested. Even at the age of 4.
Yes, in public school they will test them – at the end of 2nd grade. Yes, there are public schools that ability group from day one, and get their kids classified as gifted or highly gifted in Kindergarten or first grade. But if you have a strong suspicion that a run-of-the-mill curriculum is not going to satisfy your child’s ravenous need to know and do, and they’re four years old, then consider getting them tested. There are pediatric neuropsychologists out there who specialize in the early years.
Announcements:
1. Dr. Susan Linn, author of The Case for Make Believe: Saving Play in a Commercialized World, Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, will be giving a talk at WNS, on one of my favorite topics: The Importance of Making Time for Make-Believe and Imaginative Play for Children. February 8, 2012 7-9pm, book signing at 6:30pm. This event is co-sponsored by Happyland Preschool, and will be held at WNS, 5401 Beethoven Street, Los Angeles 90066.
2. The British-American School, Los Angeles, located in the First Presbyterian Church building in Santa Monica at 1220 2nd Street, will be holding weekly Kindergarten information meetings, every Friday from 9:30am-10:30am, in January, February and March. For more information go to www.bas-la.com.
3. If you’re applying to any of the Palisades Charter Complex elementary schools, they have posted lottery dates:
February 6th : Applications available
March 29th: Deadline to submit applications, no exceptions
April 20th: Lottery Drawing – you do not have to be present. Check with each school as to the time.
4. If your child ages 7-17 is interested in acting, once again I am happy to offer you a discount to The Acting Camp, an intensive 3-day workshop in Santa Barbara where your child can hone their skills and meet casting directors and talent agents and managers. It is fun and interesting for children and parents alike, all in the magical and relaxing setting of El Capitan Canyon Resort.
Spring Acting Camp: March 23-25th
Time: Camp begins at 12pm on Friday & ends at 6pm on Sunday
Place: El Capitan Canyon Resort • 11560 Calle Real – Santa Barbara, CA 93117
For more information check out www.theactingcamp.com. If you decide to sign up, the promo code is san101.
5. I wanted to let you know that I have a new low-cost no-frills service that I’m calling the L.A. School Whisperer™ consultation.
Rather than flying solo, the L.A. School Whisperer™ consultation gives you the benefit of my considerable knowledge about all L.A. area schools, public and private, as well as my professional expertise as a sounding board in thinking about your school options, all at an affordable price.This consultation is perfect for those who have already done all of their research on schools, those in a mid-year quandary about their current school and options, or those needing a general overview of the educational system and/or possible neighborhoods for public schools.
If this is of interest to you, please go to www.LAschoolwhisperer.com to learn the details. When you’re ready to schedule your 50-minute phone consultation, simply click on the “purchase a consultation” page for instructions.
You must go to LAschoolwhisperer.com for more information – this service is not available via the L.A. School Scout website.
Admissions season is drawing to a close, with most deadlines for private schools by the end of this month. There is still time to tour schools and apply to schools. If you need help with any part of this process, or with putting together a plan for 2013, please contact me at sandy, or 310 926 0050.
Until next time,
Sandy Eiges
Sandy Eiges, M.S.W.
L.A. School Scout
877.877.6240
310.926.0050
sandy@LAschoolscout.com
www.LAschoolscout.com
"The panic that had gripped me subsided the instant that Sandy was on my team…getting my boy into a wonderful preschool…Sandy is now working with me on K and elementary for my son. THERE IS NO REASON TO DO IT WITHOUT HER!!" – Jill D., April 2009
"… I cannot say enough good things about Sandy Eiges and her company LA School Scout…What Sandy offered was not only information about all of the schools, but she also spent a considerable amount of time learning about my daughter and my family so she could suggest schools that she thought would be a good match for us …Things are constantly changing and Sandy’s job keeps her at the forefront of what’s going on." – Renee A., March 2008
"Just wanted to say thank you for the incredibly helpful call! You gave me such valuable insight. I already feel like a big weight has been lifted…" – Melanie L., March 2010
"I could not have imagined going through this process without Sandy’s help. She is truly committed to what she does, and really takes the time to get to know you and your family. She knows each schools personality, and can really help you figure out which is your school, and how to maximize your admission chances. Even though I thought I had an idea of what I wanted, Sandy was able to give me another perspective. She takes the stress out of this very complicated process. I felt very well prepared the whole way through. We are thrilled that we will be attending Crossroads in the fall!” – Belinda C., July 2010
"Because of your knowledge of Los Angeles schools (both private and public) and a sensitivity to my family, your recommendations of where to apply were spot-on. I felt very confident during the interview because you helped me understand that a good fit matters to everyone. When we got to the actual interview at our favorite school I was not worried because I knew I was prepared and could just be myself…your advice helped us gain acceptance into our first choice private school in a rushed, mid-year situation." – Cynthia S., January 2011
"We really got through all of this so much better with your care and guidance. At least half of each acceptance letter will be owed to you." – Mia G., March 2011
"Sandy’s advice during our search for a private school for our daughter was indispensable. While we had already toured several schools before we found her, she made some additional recommendations that were right on target as far as what we were seeking in a school. She continued to give us guidance and support throughout the application and interview process that we feel was critical to our success. Without Sandy, we would not have gotten accepted into all four schools to which we applied. Her assistance is a must to make it through this arduous journey and come out on top!" – Kelly Z., April 2011
"Just wanted to thank you so much for a wonderful consultation. I already feel like I am more empowered with information on where to start looking and all of the options. Really appreciate the thorough write up as well…" – Susan M., May 2011
"I just want to again say thank you for all of your help. It was so overwhelming diving into the school-searching process, especially when also dealing with the transition of a big move. Once you came along everything seemed much less overwhelming and you introduced us to a school that we believe will be a perfect fit…" – Sonia K., May 2011
"You are awesome. Thank you so much…Sheesh!! This process is crazy!" – Michel W., 2009
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Tags: charter schools, education, educational placement consultants, elementary school, grade school, Kindergarten, L.A. schools, LAUSD, los angeles, Los Angeles Schools, magnet schools, private school, school placement consultants
