Savannah's Weblog

There is a test that 2nd graders take in our area. It is designed to recognize children in the top 98% of all 2nd graders. Once those are “weeded out” so to speak, their third grade teacher changes the teaching approach for them. Savannah is bright, not only a good reader, but good and quick with numbers. (She’s actually a lot more than that, but that doesn’t really apply here.)

But the entire testing process lasts 4 hours. They have small breaks in between but filling in bubbles for hours is endless to them. Her teacher says that children often cry before it’s over.

I think there is a chance that Savannah is in that top 98%. But I’m inclined enough to say that she’s below it, that I keep arriving at “No, it’s not for her. at least not right now.” I believe there’ll be another opportunity in a couple of years. And in talking to parents lately, I like the idea of keeping my children’s education well rounded, exposing them to enough culture and my own homeschooling/public ed. hybrid form or parenting that I wonder if putting her in a gifted group of children would really even matter.

She took an arts and drama class her first summer here. She had good fun, made some really vibrant paintings. It lasted 4 hours a day for 4 weeks, and it was free. I intend to finally learn Spanish and including the kids in that will help me, I know, as well as them. There is also a build-your-own-website summer class, even for children Savannah’s age. Daddy especially showed interest in her taking that one.

It’ll be interesting to see what truly interests our children. I still intend to start them on a few piano lessons. Get them a real teacher if they show real interest. Right now our only piano is a large electronic keyboard, although a very nice one, and it’s scaled to that of an average piano, only shorter. Maybe when I go out looking for my Spanish lessons, I’ll pick up some beginner piano books. We’ll see. It’s easy to say all that I’ll do when the day is slow.