Is my child gifted?

Well... with all the behavioural problems we've been having with Ken, we were starting to wonder if he's really being pushed to his level of learning at school. I looked up gifted educational programs in the Colorado area and have found a few. One is called Stargate School and isn't too far from us. I've heard a lot about this school so I started looking into it. On the application it states we need to get an IQ test done for him to start the enrollment process for next year (it's already too late for this year, but we shall see, maybe I can get both kids in??? It is a free public school!)

Anyways... Looking up where to do IQ testing lead me to this:

Traits of Giftedness:

a good reader - which Ken is the best in his class
learns rapidly - depends on the subject but he's usually a sponge
excellent vocabulary - sometimes... LOL he is 6 so he says things I don't expect
very articulate - sometimes, othertimes not...
intense - often
good sense of humor - laughs at everything and loves to make up jokes
moral sensitive – things must be fair - especially between he and his sister
perfectionist - not so much. It depends on how much he cares for what it is
feelings hurt easily – sensitive - to a fault
curious - loves to ask questions and find things
high energy - umm... yea... this one answers itself!
prefer older friends - his best friend is in third grade
has a range of interests - loves soccer, spongebob, reading, sci fi, etc.
is logical - depends on what this is for, but not always
self taught - he taught himself reading once he understood the concept
questions authority - ALL THE TIME!!!!
has an ability to work things out in their head very quickly - sometimes, but not the majority
has strong views or opinions - very much so
has a lively imagination - you could say that.


So... after seeing this list... I have a definate idea that he would be on the gifted side. I just have to get the testing done... Shall update later on that front.

He's going to the zoo... zoo... zoo... how bout you... you... you...

Yea!!! His teacher said that he actually made an effort today!!! That he actually tried being good!!! AND he made two goals at his soccer practice (the later week ones are usually scrimage games for practice) Whoo hoo!!!! He's going to the zoo!!!! And we don't have to punish him!!!! What a wonderous thing that is!!!!

Red Light

Ken is on Red Light now at school. He just keeps talking back to the teachers. I'm very surprised that she hasn't put him on blue light yet. I let his teacher know that she shouldn't be afraid to put him on blue light. Of course... if she does that today... he is grounded all weekend and won't be able to go to the zoo tomorrow on the school field trip. That really took him by surprise. He's promising up and down that he'll be good. I'll find out for sure in an hour, but I have a feeling he'll be with me here tomorrow.

Arcadia is out of school tomorrow - teacher inservice day. So she may or may not go out with Daddy and have fun with him working... We shall see...

Fall

It's officially fall and now the weather matches the season. The leaves are starting to change and the sun sets so much earlier that soon Ken's going to practicing soccer in the dark. Hmm... I wonder what we'll do then? I guess his coach will have ideas. He's really good at defense, but needs some work on offense. He's afraid to take the ball away from the other kids to take it to the goal.

I walk the kids to school every morning and home from school in the afternoons. He's having a blast crunching the leaves on the sidewalk. He is loving fall so far. Now lets just get a rake in his hands so he can jump in a pile of leaves... :)

Arcadia is having a blast practicing her dance for the Christmas Recital. I can't wait to see her on stage... :)

I'll have to post some pictures as soon as I get them off our camera.

Quick update

Just a real quick update for you all.

Ken is on yellow light still (this is a good thing, he has NOT been moved yet and it's Friday tomorrow and only a half day!). He's absolutely crazy about soccer now, I have a feeling once he realizes that he can watch it on TV, he will and we along with him. He has his Fiesta tomorrow at school and then is going with Daddy in the afternoon to "help" out.

Arcadia is doing really well. She is constantly spelling out letters from billboards and signs and saying her numbers every time she seems them on signs. I remember Ken going through a similar phase right before things really clicked for him with reading.

We've been watching the Pirates of the Caribbean movies this past week. (Only a little every night, it's an incentive for the kids to behave, etc. - about 30 to 45 minutes). Ken is absolutely entranced and is LOVING Jack Sparrow. I have a feeling that's what he'll want to be for Halloween... now to go find the costume out there... somewhere... Arcadia, of course, will be a ballerina/princess/fairy... the fairy part being the new thing. I'll have to go to Michaels to pick her up some stuff to make wings and "fairy dust" aka. glitter to decorate said wings. Of course Ken also said he wanted to be WALL-E this year and I could actually make that one!

Arcadia started practicing for her Christmas recital tonight at ballet. Her class is doing a dance to the Russian song from the Nutcracker. Lots of twirling! Perfect for a bunch of four year old girls!!!! Our instructor wants to put the adults into it also this year... we're not sure if we really want to... she keeps shouting "angels - you can be angels!" and then "oooo - marzipan, you can be marzipan!" yeah.... we'll see, don't hold your breath though.

Update on the kiddos

Let's see... this past week has been very full. Ken went down to "red light" at his school. His teacher states that he was almost on "blue" which is the one where he'd be grounded from everything and stuck in his room except for food and potty and soccer. Ughh... we've got to talk more to him about it. I did receive a note from his teacher stating that he needs to be challenged more in school (meaning that the curriculem is too easy for him, thus the reason he acts up) so she's going to come up with some ideas to do so. We'll have to see if that improves his behaviour.

Soccer is going very well. Ken really did well on Saturday. He even got a goal. He was very proud and he also played goalie for a part and he did really really good, even the coach was very impressed. That's a good thing, right? ;)

Let's see... Arcadia is doing great in school. The city had a ground breaking ceremony for the new library and her school was invited. Her teacher stated that she was the best behaved at the ceremony, that she stayed still and listened to every thing. I'm so proud.

Wednesday night we had a BBQ/Picnic for Arcadia's school. That was fun and the kids had a blast. When we got to the park, Arcadia stated that she saw some of the kids from school. Then she saw her teachers and said "Mommy, my teachers are here too!" She was soooo excited and didn't stay still at all the entire time. LOL We all thought it was quite cute.

The kids also "helped" with staining the inside of the fence. They didn't like the fact that it got all over them and they couldn't wash it off. Lovely. They decided to stop at that point... Oh well...

That's all for now.

Ken and School

Well... we seem to be doing okay with it all... He's still getting in trouble for not sitting still in class and for talking (hmmm... go figure), so he's mainly on a yellow light the entire time. I am one of the Room Mom's so I go in once a week and help out the teacher with filing, copying, etc. I'm also in charge of helping get the kids parent's that volunteered to remember to help when they state they would - for example, we have a class Fiesta next Friday, so we have parents signing up to bring food, pinatas, candy for said pinatas and bats to break the said pinatas. Also parents have signed up to help that day and they have to be there (my self included) at 9:45 am to help set up tables for the food and get everything up and organized for the kids. They're having a Fiesta in honor of Mexican Independence Day. (Any excuse for a party) and they're only having a half day that day. There's also the field trip to the zoo in three weeks... they are now looking for volunteers to be chaparones for that day... I'm not thinking I'll make it... we'll see!

Oh... and now we're off to our monthly Cub Scout Pack meeting. Boy, I sure hope there are more kids than Ken that sign up... Wish us luck!