Return-Path: <nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id f3IHZ1g04652; Wed, 18 Apr 2001 13:35:01 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2001 13:35:01 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <sadd888d.049@smtp.ala.org> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Audrey Gorman" <agorman@ala.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-LD:3398] RE: Fw: Gifted Kid Problems X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise Internet Agent 5.5.4.1 Status: O Content-Length: 13023 Lines: 306 Dear Mrs. Ralls, I too am sorry the schools have benn so disappointing. Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon experience for parents of kids with what's called "duel exceptionality." Have you found a parent's group for parnets of gifted kids? Or even one for parents of kids with disabilities, especially learning disabilities? They might give some support and also have some ideas that would help. Ask local PTA people or the coordinators of gifted or special education in your school system's central office. For more information on giftedness and learning disabilities, go to LD Online, click on LD In Depth and click on Gifted/LD or copy the URL below into your browser box http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/gt_ld/gifted_ld.html All the best to you and your children. Audrey >>> stephaniej@peninsulareads.com 04/18/01 11:35 AM >>> Dear Ms. Ralls, I am sorry to hear that the school systems have been so disappointing. There are quite a few students that are both gifted and learning disabled. Most school systems don't seem to recognize that there are students like this that need services from both the gifted dept.and special education. Being gifted doesn't preclude you from also being learning disabled or having emotional problems. There is a book called To Be Gifted & Learning Disabled by Baum, Owen, and Dixon.It is distributed by Creative Learning Press, P.O. Box 320, Mansfield Center, Connecticut 06250. I hope the book will give you some useful information. Sincerely, Stephanie Jackson -----Original Message----- From: Cynthia Ralls [mailto:csralls@earthlink.net] Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2001 7:58 AM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: [NIFL-LD:3395] Fw: Gifted Kid Problems This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------_NextPart_000_001E_01C0C7D4.A01B1EE0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Cynthia Ralls=20 To: countrysidec@mail.aces.uiuc.edu=20 Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2001 6:50 AM Subject: Re: Gifted Kid Problems Dear Sir or Madam: I am in dire need of assistance with my 11 year old son! I am the single = parent of 4 children, 3 of whom are "gifted" and the youngest already = exhibits characteristics of being also but has yet to be "identified" as = gifted.=20 I am quite concerned about the labeling process currently employed by = educational systems as a whole! There seems to be a tendency to want to = put all children in categories and as a literacy advocate myself, I know = for as many people there are , there are equally as many individual = learning styles.=20 All of my kids have been put into these boxes that are not only stifling = but, in the instance of the 11 year old son, has really fostered a = negative attitude towards learning and school in general. I am at my = wits end to find him the help and tools he needs to succeed! In elementary school he had been "identified" as Academically Talented = (gifted), yet due to the absence of a positive male role model I = forewent the AT classes in 4th and 5th grade in order that he be able to = build his self-esteem in the classroom of this wonderful man, Hans = Pligge. My son did quite well and Mr., P (as we call him) adapted a more = challenging curriculum especially for my son.=20 Unfortunately, upon entering the sixth grade (junior high) this year, my = son has had real difficulty in assimilating to his new environment, the = huge volume of work in his 3 AT classes and the school has experienced = enormous overpopulation, understaffing and general chaos due to massive = growth in our community. While at the end of the first quarter he had an = A/B report, at the end of the 3rd quarter we had struggled hard to = obtain 3 D's, 2 C's and 2 B's. All though he is not going to fail the sixth grade, the whole = experience: detentions, boosters. Saturday school, in school suspension, = etc., has left him pretty damaged in self-esteem and motivation. And, = the school has suggested that he be removed from the AT program period. = And, they now suggest that he be placed in a study skills program next = year as well as receive intervention services for his anger/stress = management issues that he is currently seeing a child psychologist for.=20 I have entertained thoughts of home schooling, private schooling, = distance learning, practicing Tough Love, and just about every thing in = order to meet my son's needs.=20 As I mentioned, this is not "my first rodeo" with gifted programs. In = fact, my now 22 year old daughter read on a 3rd grade level in first and = has been basically 2 years ahead of her peers academically, yet, these = "gifted" kids have issues which when really examined can and should be = viewed as learning disabilities! They are emotionally immature although = because they are extremely intelligent and rebellious they think they = are adults! Both my oldest daughter and my son refused to do their work, = and consequently, bottomed out and shut down emotionally and = academically.=20 I grow increasingly tired with the "educators" who also refuse to get = EDUCATED about these "special" children! I have run across some research studies regarding these very issues on = line and offered them to the school to no avail! It is really = frustrating and disappointing to me because my son has the potential to = excel yet, he needs a mentor to foster the self-esteem and motivation = necessary to his success! There is an extension office near us in Yorkville, I wondered if there = are any peer mentoring programs (high school students possibly) or other = educational opportunities available? We need help and if anyone were = interested in studying gifted kids, I have a slew f them! My son has scored off the scale on all standardized achievement tests = and recently zoomed through testing at Sylvan's Learning Center and was = told that he scored the highest in the shortest length of time! It seems = disgraceful to me that a child with his potential can not succeed within = the public school system! Please, any insight you could offer would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for your time and patience with this lengthy correspondence. I = look forward to your response! Sincerely, Cynthia Ralls 97 Fernwood Road Montgomery, Illinois 60538 630-906-0588 csralls@juno.com ------=_NextPart_000_001E_01C0C7D4.A01B1EE0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.3105.105" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV>*</DIV> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----=20 <DIV style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A=20 href=3D"mailto:csralls@earthlink.net" = title=3Dcsralls@earthlink.net>Cynthia=20 Ralls</A> </DIV> <DIV><B>To:</B> <A href=3D"mailto:countrysidec@mail.aces.uiuc.edu"=20 title=3Dcountrysidec@mail.aces.uiuc.edu>countrysidec@mail.aces.uiuc.edu</= A> </DIV> <DIV><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, April 18, 2001 6:50 AM</DIV> <DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: Gifted Kid Problems</DIV></DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Dear Sir or Madam:</FONT></DIV> <DIV>*</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I am in dire need of assistance with my = 11 year old=20 son! I am the single parent of 4 children, 3 of whom are "gifted" and = the=20 youngest already exhibits characteristics of being also but has yet to = be=20 "identified" as gifted. </FONT></DIV> <DIV>*</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I am quite cocerned about the labeling = process=20 currently employed by educational systems as a whole! There seems to be = a=20 tendency to want to put all children in categories and as a literacy = advocate=20 myself, I know for as many people there are , there are equally as many=20 individual learning styles. </FONT></DIV> <DIV>*</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>All of my kids have been put into these = boxes that=20 are not only stifling but, in the instance of the 11 year old son, has = really=20 fostered a negative attitude towards learning and school in general. I = am at my=20 wits end to find him the help and tools he needs to = succeed!</FONT></DIV> <DIV>*</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>In elementary school he had been = "identified" as=20 Academically Talented (gifted), yet due to the absence of a positive = male role=20 model I forewent the AT classes in 4th and 5th grade in order that he be = able to=20 build his self-esteem in the classroom of this wonderful man, Hans = Pligge. My=20 son did quite well and Mr., P (as we call him) adapted a more = challenging=20 curriculum especially for my son. </FONT></DIV> <DIV>*</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Unfortunately, upon entering the sixth = grade=20 (junior high) this year, my son has had real difficulty in assimilating = to his=20 new environment, the huge volume of work in his 3 AT classes and the = school has=20 experienced* enormous overpopulation, understaffing and general = chaos due=20 to massive growth in our community. While at the end of the first = quarter he had=20 an A/B report, at the end of the 3rd quarter we had struggled hard to = obtain 3=20 D's,*2 C's and*2 B's.</FONT></DIV> <DIV>*</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>All though he is not going to fail the = sixth grade,=20 the whole experience: detentions, boosters. Saturday school, in school=20 suspension, etc., has left him pretty damaged in self-esteem and = motivation.=20 And, the school has suggested that he be emoved from the AT program = period.=20 And, they <U>now</U>* suggest that he be placed in a study skills = program=20 next year as well as receive intervention services for his anger/stress=20 management issues that he is currently seeing a child psychologist for.=20 </FONT></DIV> <DIV>*</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I have entertained thoughts of home = schooling,=20 private schooling, distance learning, practicing Tough Love, and just = about=20 every thing in order to meet my son's needs. </FONT></DIV> <DIV>*</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As I mentioned, this is not "my first = rodeo" with=20 gifted programs. In fact, my now 22 year old daughter read on a 3rd = grade level=20 in first and has been basically 2 years ahead of her peers academically, = yet,=20 these* "gifted" kids have issues which when really examined can and = should=20 be viewed as learning disabilities! They are emotionally immature = although=20 because they are extremely intelligent and rebellious they think they = are=20 adults! Both my oldest daughter and my son refused to do their work, and = consequently, bottomed out and shut down emotionally and academically.=20 </FONT></DIV> <DIV>*</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I grow increasingly tired with the = "educators" who=20 also refuse to get EDUCATED about these "special" children!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I have run across some research studies = regarding=20 these very issues on line and offered them to the school to no avail! It = is=20 really frustrating and disappointing to me because my son has the = potential to=20 excel yet, he needs a mentor to foster the self-esteem and motivation = necessary=20 to his success!</FONT></DIV> <DIV>*</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>There is an extension office near us in = Yorkville,=20 I wondered if there are any peer mentoring programs (high school = students=20 possibly) or other educational opportunities available? We need help and= if=20 anyone were interested in studying gifted kids, I have a slew of=20 them!</FONT></DIV> <DIV>*</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>My son has scored off the scale on all = standardized=20 achievement tests and recently zoomed through testing at Sylvan's = Learning=20 Center and was told that he scored the highest in the shortest length of = time!=20 It seems disgraceful to me that a child with his potential can not = succeed=20 within the public school system!</FONT></DIV> <DIV>*</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Please, any insight you could offer = would be=20 greatly appreciated!</FONT></DIV> <DIV>*</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Thank you for your time and patience = with this=20 lengthy correspondence. I look forward to your response!</FONT></DIV> <DIV>*</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Sincerely,</FONT></DIV> <DIV>*</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Cynthia Ralls</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>97 Fernwood Road</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Montgomery, Illinois 60538</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>630-906-0588</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20 href=3D"mailto:csralls@juno.com">csralls@juno.com</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV>*</DIV> <DIV>*</DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_001E_01C0C7D4.A01B1EE0--
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