Were you in a gifted program in school? Should I allow my 2nd grade son to be in a gifted program?

Well, I was in one WAY BACK WHEN!! I quit because the kids in that program were so different than my friends. I think there are some great programs and they can be very beneficial. Just make sure your son is challenged, not just busy work. Leave him the choice. Let him pick if you want and if he hates it, take him out. He's still very young and by 3rd grade most kids end up around the same learning level unless they are highly gifted or have learning disabilities.

If you're instinct is to wait, give it another year and see where he ends up. It's up to you really. I doubt it will hurt him either way.

I was in a gifted program for 8th grade and the friends I made there I am still very close with. It was a great environment. I remember that the kids from the normal program were at times resentful but they were friendly with us too and we always went on field trips together. I also had learning disabilities so I think personally being in a setting without so many trouble makers made it easier for me to function and get the help I needed. I'm all for the gifted program! But I do think grade 2 is a little young. Where I came from I think 6th grade was the norm.

I am in the GATE class(gifted and talented education)

I don't think the other kids resent us. I do not have a huge ego. It's more challenging. Some of the kids who are truly smart were afraid of being put in because they thought it would be too hard, but it really isn't. It just helps more gifted students grow.

I think you should let your son be in the gifted program. Smart kids who aren't challenged get bored and start to do poorly in school. In a gifted program he will be more challenged and his classmates will be on his wavelength.

Your son is also "normal", he's not going to be freakishly designated "gifted" to every other student. Kids are constantly getting broken up into different groups, the kids don't really notice that much.

I entered the gifted program in second grade and stayed in gifted and honors programs throughout college. I would definitely challenge your son by putting him in the program. His education is important. Other students will be accepting as long as he doesn't get a "big head" or put them down. Remind your son he is no better than they are and that they have talents he doesn't.

I entered the GATE program in 3rd grade, but I don't know how different it is from the regular classes. If the teachers at your son's school feel he is smart enough to be in the gifted program then by all means let him be challenged. It's nice because the your son will be with the same people who will gradually progress into the honors/AP/IB level courses in high school.

I was in a TAG program until I graduated. And thank goodness for the teacher that recommended me for it! I was sooo bored in school that I did not pay attention and got poor grades. I was usually trying to get someone to talk instead of pay attention, so I was always in trouble. TAG offered me the challenges that I needed. You don't really do anything different, you just go a little faster, learn a little more. There are no special clothes or markers that will identify your child to the others, he won't have to ride a special bus or anything. You should be proud.

I wasn't in one but I really, really wish I had been. The regular classes were way too easy for me so I never bothered to do any work and still got good grades, which made it extremely difficult later on when things got complicated enough that I would've needed to work to keep getting good grades but I'd never had to work before and didn't know how to start. (I eventually ended up dropping out of high school, then finishing it three years later through correspondence courses so I could go to university - things would've been much easier if I'd had to do challenging work from a young age.)

i was in a gifted program when i was in the 6th grade and i believe it is a great idea in these classes they have way less students in these classes and it helps the student to stay on task and pay attention to schooling more than the other ppl around them so i believe that a gifted program is a great idea

I was a gifted student, and it was a good thing for me. I wouldn't recommend skipping a whole grade, but it allowed me to meet people in the class ahead of me as well as my own class. It does keep a child challenge if their own grade level work is too easy.