Advanced for their age?

I'm just wondering where they really stand in comparison to their peers (27mo) in things like language. I'm not comparing in order to push them or to brag, but just to know what it is I should be expecting and where they are at. I'm not sure if I'm even making sense. Let me give some examples.

Both of my kids seem to be advanced in certain areas. They both have great verbal skills with a large vocabulary. They almost always speak in sentences, often of 4 or more words. If they don't know a word and I tell it to them, they know if from then on and use it correctly.

They know their ABC's and can count to 15. DD knows many letters by sight (capital letters at least. Why don't they put lower-case letters on more things?), DS knows them all. They are also learning the sounds that the letters make. DS can recognize his name. They are learning to recognize numbers and they can count how many objects they have.

They know their colors and basic shapes (circle, square, triangle, heart, star) and can put them together, as in "red circle."

One of the reasons I am wondering is because a friend of mine, who is an elementary teacher, is already trying to talk me into looking into special schools. In no way do I think this is necessary right now. They may continue to develop this way, but they may not. However, I do know what it is like to be a gifted student in a regular classroom. I never had to try and therefore, I just coasted along. I have an I.Q. of 136 and got B's and C's in school because I never did my work or had to study.

So, what I am trying to find out is, how advanced is this (if at all, really)? I know that some of these thing are taught in kindergarten, but are they really that far ahead of their peers? If so, what can I do to help them become successful learners and not feel held back the way I did?

 

It's hard to say. Some kids are quite advanced verbally younger, but their peers catch up, and then they don't stand out any more. My first was early to talk, knew all his shapes, letters, etc, at 18 months. My second wasn't interested in those things. He talked late. He only knew his first initial when he started kindergarten. I had forced him to learn colors and shapes at 2.5, because you need them to give instructions (get your blue shirt, and so on). He didn't know any of his numbers when he started kindergarten. He caught up like gangbusters, though, and when they were tested for the gifted program he actually scored 10 points higher on the IQ test than his brother. (They do not know their scores, or the difference between them, and they never will.)

Nothing wrong with looking into good schools, though, or seeing what kind of advanced programs the local schools do offer. It's always good to have that kind of information ready to hand, because your IQ probably means theirs is high, too.

 

QUOTE(rubyturquoise @ Dec 8 2007, 07:28 PM) [snapback]526214[/snapback]
Nothing wrong with looking into good schools, though, or seeing what kind of advanced programs the local schools do offer. It's always good to have that kind of information ready to hand, because your IQ probably means theirs is high, too.


My DH doesn't know his I.Q., but it is probably quite high, too. We actually met in the gifted program at school. As for looking into good schools, money is an issue. We live pay-check to pay-check right now. But, DH could get a promotion, so maybe it won't be that way when they start school...

 

actually, I do think that for their age they may be ahead of some of their peers, but I wouldn't consider special school until after at least Kindergarten.
I say this because Berkley was the same way, comapred to every child her age I met when she was around that age, she seemed to be way ahead of them intellectually and developmentally.
I could tell in Kindergarten the gap was closing in and now in 1st grade, they all seem very similar to me.

 

Sounds like your kids are ahead of most of their peers at age 2yrs. However, once kids get into preschool and kindergarten there is much more of an evening out effect.

My sister is a school teacher. I believe that she said that gifted programs in schools generally do not even begin until 3-4th grade. Schools tend to shy away from identifying "gifted" kids too early. They want to see how things even out (those who are intensively taught at home vs. those who truly are at the tops of the academic ladder).

I think preschool is a good place to start (I'm not aware of any "gifted" programs at that age..but maybe they exist?) You can see how they do there and get insights from their teacher. Our 3yr old preschool teacher has said that my one son who does "sight" reading is about a year ahead of his peers. But is he a "gifted" learner?? Time will tell. I was a straight A student all through school (in the fast track classes) and college..but never labeled "gifted" by IQ. My DH on the other hand was put into the gifted program (his school didn't have one until 6th grade). It served him well and helped him excel. He was valedictorian of his highschool and highest honors in college and medical school.

 

Mine are pretty much at the same level as yours. Bea speaks very well and can now put together lengthy sentences and is starting to get things like articles, conjunctions, prepositions correctly. Only problem is, I feel like no one is ever going to know how well she can speak because she won't talk around other people. The other day, I picked them up from preschool and Bea said "Bye bye Miss Pat" as we were leaving, and the teacher says "That's the first time I've heard her say my name." Really? At home she's "Miss Pat this, We're going to see Miss Pat at preschool, etc".

Anyway, I do relate to your concerns. I'm also up there with IQ (no really, I am!), I am in Mensa, DH is a software engineer and pretty gifted in the math area. I kind of never did anything with my abilities, some of it beause of things that happened in school. Don't want to get into my life story, but anyway. I just want to do whatever is best for them. I don't want to push, but I don't want them to get bored either.

 

I was a bored gifted kid too. I went to college the week after 10th grade finished and was relieved to get the heck out of high school. Though, I was technically still enrolled since the school district paid my tuition at the college. I don't remember ever feeling challenged at school and would sometimes get in trouble because I finished so quickly and my teachers didn't know what to do with me. I was reading Chaucer in the orginal middle-English in sixth grade and my reading level was above the test range on the standardized test we were given. My teacher didn't know what to do with me for reading, so I got stuck doing the basal with everyone else. He was a math major at Stanford, so he rocked in teaching me extra math but reading was not his strength. As a teacher myself now, I make it a big part of my job to meet the needs of my highest students as well as I do those of the lowest. High kids so often get forgotten. My district tests all second graders for the gifted program and then starts them in classes in third grade.

With that in mind, my girls are 25 months and can do most of what you listed too. They were born too late to start K the year they turn 5-Nov. birthday. They also missed the testing date by two days, so will start public K at almost 6. When I talk to our K teachers, my girls know more colors and shapes than many of their current K students. We are planning to start preschool next year but I would hate for them to spend 3 years in preschool because of their birthday. So, we are starting to save for private K at the Catholic school. They will take the girls at 4(almost 5) and the public school would then take them in first grade the next year-I've confirmed this with enrollment services. My birthday is Dec. 29 and I started K at 4 years old, so I'm not so concerned as many seem to be about maturity levels. If DH and I feel the girls aren't ready, we won't send them and will put the money away for college. At this point, though, I just don't see them not being ready in almost 3 years for K.

 

My girls are about the same age and can do the things you listed as well....though they do both have gross motor delays and struggle with some gross motor things, their speech, cognitive, and fine motor are advanced according to EI.

I asked the same sort of questions - how to keep them learnig and engaged. EI and my Pedi both said to just keep doing what we are doing....some kids grow in fits and spurts with advanced areas for a bit and then it averages out and other speed ahead thier whole lives.

I would not worry about a 'special' school at this point, IMHO. They will learn from just being around people and exploring. As a teacher, I know that pressure early on can squish a love of learning even in bright kids....and creativity can also be stifled if they are 'pushed'. But I would recc. preschool, community activities, or anything available to you that will help them explore and learn.

Kindergarten teachers face a broad range of kids when they start from early readers to some kids not knowing their ABCs. I taught reading to K and we had students that were right where they should be according to standardized tests (knew letters sounds and ABCs) and others that could read fluently at 2nd grade level (some could really read it and other students could only read it and not comprehend it).

As I can see other PP stating, I too was in gifted programs and suspect my DH has a high IQ as well (though please keep in mine IQ DOES NOT always equal success in school). Genes and environment can come into play with learning as well- enjoy it and have fun, they will learn regardless!!

KC

At 2, some kids love letters and learn them all- others know every dinosaur name but don't know colors....it is a lot of kids interests and what they are exposed to. Enjoy it and

 

QUOTE(KCMichigan @ Dec 9 2007, 02:00 PM) [snapback]526804[/snapback]
As I can see other PP stating, I too was in gifted programs and suspect my DH has a high IQ as well (though please keep in mine IQ DOES NOT always equal success in school). Genes and environment can come into play with learning as well- enjoy it and have fun, they will learn regardless!!


Exactly. Like I said, I have a high IQ, but did lousy in school because I never felt challenged. I just floated by doing as little as possible. A PP talked about her reading level and I can certainly relate. I would get in trouble for reading books other than those assigned during reading time. But, in third grade, I would finish the large print, 5 chapter books in minutes and would then turn to Mark Twain or something that I found interesting.

I was in the gifted program from 3rd grade through high school, but it was a low-budget program where we only met for a few hours once a week. It didn't really provide the stimulation I needed.

One of my concerns with preschool is that we can't afford a private one. And I know that a public one would just be a playgroup for them since they already know most of what would be taught. I'm certain that I could teach them better at home and socialize in a different setting.

I definitely don't want to pressure my children or focus completely on academics, but I don't want their desire to learn to grow stagnant from lack of stimulation.

 

QUOTE(Stacy A. @ Dec 9 2007, 02:49 PM) [snapback]526883[/snapback]
I would get in trouble for reading books other than those assigned during reading time.


Oh, how I remember this! It always struck me as SO STUPID. I had done my work and I was doing something quiet that didn't bother anybody! <_<

 

QUOTE(Stacy A. @ Dec 9 2007, 03:49 PM) [snapback]526883[/snapback]
Exactly. Like I said, I have a high IQ, but did lousy in school because I never felt challenged. I just floated by doing as little as possible. A PP talked about her reading level and I can certainly relate. I would get in trouble for reading books other than those assigned during reading time. But, in third grade, I would finish the large print, 5 chapter books in minutes and would then turn to Mark Twain or something that I found interesting.

Yep, I got in trouble for reading other books, reading ahead in the book, asking too many questions, that kind of stuff. I think though, school is different than it was when we were in school, and there is a lot more expected of students. I know K is no longer learning colors, letters, shapes, eating graham crackers and taking naps like when I was in K. I am kind of taking a wait and see approach. I would love it if I could get them in a foreign language program though.