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Every child is unique and exceptional...so how do you know if your child is Gifted? The only way to tell is through an IQ test administered by a qualified clinician once your child is 4.5 years of age or older. However, Gifted children do tend to exhibit similar traits. For example, all Gifted children think differently than their peers, ponder deep questions and thrive in multidisciplinary, authentic learning settings. Your child may be gifted if they:
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Have an extensive and detailed memory, particularly in a specific area of interest
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Have advanced vocabulary for their age or uses precocious language
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Have communication skills advanced for their age and is able to express ideas and feelings
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Ask intelligent and complex questions
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Are able to identify the important characteristics of new concepts and problems
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Learn information and skills quickly
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Use logic in arriving at common sense answers
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Have a broad base of knowledge and can access a large quantity of information
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Understand abstract ideas and complex concepts
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Use analogical thinking, problem solving or reasoning
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Observe relationships and see connections
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Find and solve difficult and unusual problems
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Understand principles to form generalizations and use them in new situations
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Want to learn and are curious
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Work conscientiously and have a high degree of concentration in areas of interest
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Understand and use various symbol systems
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Are reflective about learning
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Are enraptured by a specific subject
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Have reading comprehension skills advanced for their age
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Have advanced writing abilities for their age
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Have strong artistic or musical abilities
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Concentrate intensely for long periods of time, particularly in a specific area of interest
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Are more aware, stimulated and affected by surroundings
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Experience extreme positive or negative feelings compared to peers
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Experience a strong physical reaction to emotion compared to peers
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Have a strong affective memory (reliving or refeeling things long after the triggering event)
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If most or all of the characteristics sound like your child, consider investing in your gifted child's education at Ponderosa.
Characteristics from: the Institute for Educational Advancement
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Giftedness is "asynchronous development in which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony increases with higher intellectual capacity. The unique-ness of the gifted renders them particularly vulnerable and requires modifications in parenting, teaching and counseling in order for them to develop optimally.”
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--"Defining Gifted", Institute for
Educational Advancement
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Gifted children do not come in specific sizes, shapes or colors; every community of humans has Gifted individuals. While Gifted children share similarities, there are significant differences between Gifted and non-gifted peers. Gifted children are neurodivergent, just like children with AD(H)D and Autism Spectrum Disorders. While these students may be technically classified as "Gifted" or "Twice Exceptional"(2E children may be Gifted and on the Autism Spectrum, for example), for families the significant implication is the same: your kid is not just smart. They are different from other children and require a different kind of education. Your child may survive in a neurotypical classroom, but they will thrive in a space designed for their neurotype with similarly Gifted peers.
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All Gifted children develop asymmetrically: they will excel in some areas, while they lag behind their peers in others. Ponderosa Preschool meets the needs each child's precocious dimensions, while nurturing those that develop more slowly. Children who are Gifted with high academic potential generally work a year or two ahead of same age peers academically, but are delayed socially. At Ponderosa we have the expertise to develop children's healthy self-concept and social skill development while supporting each child's academic interests in an age- and stage-appropriate way.
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Ponderosa exists because programs to meet these students are non-existent or insufficient in the Albuquerque area. Albuquerque Public Schools no longer provides 2E education; gifted classes are conducted as pull out classes, the same as Special Education interventions. Ponderosa provides gifted education 100% of the time. Our robust enrichment offerings and our play-based program provide gifted students with the time and space to explore their curiosities with depth and breadth. We are specifically oriented towards the needs of students with high academic potential. While other private and charter schools provide "gifted" programs, it is fair to ask how each school develops its gifted program. We use data-informed methods, clinical grade analytical measures, and industry best practices to teach Gifted children. At Ponderosa, we are experts in Gifted children and take pride in being life-long learners in our teaching practice.
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Our principles for gifted learning are:
We foster the independence of, and respect for, the child.
We support each individual's holistic growth.
We maintain space to make mistakes.
Ponderosa welcomes children and families of all backgrounds and abilities to the program. Children with identified special needs are included as much as possible with their gifted peers in all activities.
Children with high academic potential deserve an opportunity to develop, learn and grow regardless of compounding factors and identified special needs. We honor each individual's journey and trust the capacity for children to develop in their own time with appropriate support.
