One of the biggest challenges in homeschooling our gifted son is our other children. They are bright. . .but not gifted. Perhaps it would be a little easier if our son was the oldest, but he’s not. My twins are too little to be homeschooled in the formal sense, and so that leaves Alex smack in the middle.
The other day we were working on Math. Meghan, who is almost 4 is learning to recognize different coins. Lizzy, who is in 3rd grade, is working on making change. Meanwhile, Alex is contemplating other matters. He already figured out how much each coin is worth and he doesn’t have to make change the way the rest of us do (by counting upwards from the price to the amount given.) He can almost always do it in his head. So he asks, “Mom, what’s smaller than a penny?” The girls scratch their heads but because I overheard him talking with my husband the other night, I know where this is going.
“There’s nothing smaller than a penny son. That wouldn’t make sense because no one would want to let you buy something for less than a penny.”
“Then are negative numbers real?”
“Well, yes, in a way.” I am not sure I’m ready to delve into the relativity of algebraic numbers. “We use them in algebra. . .,” and thus begins a discussion of number lines. He’s already figured out where the negative numbers go and by the time we’re done he knows how to add and subtract them.
The girls are sitting right there completely beside themselves. Did you ever sit in algebra and wonder whose brilliant idea it was to use letters instead of numbers and then make mathematical sense out of it? I am sure this is something akin to what the girls were feeling. Then my oldest, asks something that is more profound than we all realize. “Is it very big sistery (this is Lizzy-lingo here) for me not to be as smart as Alex?”
You and I may be fully aware that each of our children have strengths and weaknesses in many areas. We can explain until we turn purple and pink and all the shades in between that we don’t expect each of our children to be talented in the same way. But my kids know that Alex isn’t talented. They know that there is something extreme to his intelligence and his understanding of spatial concepts, math and science. They understand that no amount of hard work will get them to where Alex is–ever.
So what is our response? Check back tomorrow to see how we responded to this unique challenge of homeschooling our gifted son.
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Why We Are Not Testing Our Gifted Son
Homeschooling My Gifted Son: The Basics
Thoughts on Homeschooling a Gifted Child