How can I help my gifted boy who is 13 and 10Th grader to really take advantage of that gifteness?

Question

He is involved in music since he was 3. He loves it. But I think he would like to drop school just to stay with music becauses he is bored at school even when he is in a gifted program and honor courses. How can I challenging him about school.

Answer 1

Looks like it skipped a generation...

Answer 2

I think you should enroll him in an outside of school program for gifted students (the only thing I can think of right now is Kumon, but I feel there are better programs). I would also encourage him to join any intellectual competitions that the school may offer (like Spelling Bee, Future Problem Solving, Math Leagues, etc.)

Maybe you could also talk to the school about letting him take college courses. For example, my high school paid for a math class that I took at a local university because I'd advanced beyond the school's highest math class.

In terms of music, there are a lot of competitions and programs outside of school as well as through school (Solo & Ensemble, for example). Some of them even have scholarship prizes.

Answer 3

It is not uncommon for a gifted person to want to drop out. I do not agree that they should. But they do need to be challenged and to stay motivated. Being involved with music is fantastic but the other domain teachers and the parents need to stay positive and try to get the learning activities geared to music so that your child will see the importance and the relationship of learning those concepts. (for English do research on some type of music theory and they do a paper and give a presentation about the findings) (for math do a cost analysis of producing a album and calculating the break even point) etc.

Answer 4

It sounds like he is going though something typical of 13 year old kids... he doesn't REALLY know what he wants to do with his life (although he may be telling you he's got a career picked out, just to keep you from bugging him), he doesn't see how all these hoops he's jumping through will get him where he wants to go once he figures that out, and the hormones are hitting, hard.

Right now, you're not going to be dealing with his giftedness.... you're dealing with the fact that he's 13 years old. That means a lack of life experience, and that first real hormone storm hitting.... and because of his intelligence, combine that with abstract reasoning causing him to question the very meaning of life.

Academic education is NOT a race. Once he does really find that career of interest, he will zoom through his education and training to get there. Life is more than just a diploma. It is the goals and dreams we define around not only our careers, but our interests, community involvement, family....

Right now, you need to focus on social development. Is he involved with a club like a church youth group, scouts, 4-H, or something like that?

Send him to a gifted exploration camp like space camp, music camp....somewhere where he can be around other kids like himself who are also interested in things he's interested, and away from the pressures of home and school.

Give him a chance to be a kid. He has a lifetime to finish college. If you push too hard, you could lose him completely. Keep a steady set of expectations going for academics (he WILL do that classwork and get it turned in, no matter what....), make sure he does his household chores, and let him be 13. Give him that chance to build teen peer supports and to have some fun.

Answer 5

OMG --- I AM THE SAME WAY!!! Have you enrolled him in MATS, CTY, or TIP? THese are all special gifted-kid programs, and they have a lot of summer classes and things that you can attend; plus, you can get into the . Also, it's really good that he's above grade. I only skipped one grade, and I got really bored in class. Try seeing if he can take above grade college classes....and really do the summer nerd camp classes. They are really challenging academically and really help put gifted kids together -- because gifted kids often don't connect well with normal kids.

If he was a girl, he could go to Mary Baldwin College for the Exceptionally Gifted:)

Answer 6

Let him be a child, if all he has ever done is played music, then when he gets out into the real world, it is going to knock him on his ***. Let him know that you will always support him no matter what he chooses to do with his life but that he needs to expand his horizons because there might always be that chance that something else will spark his interest. I hate to try and say that a 13 year old doesnt know what is best for him, but honestly he probably doesnt. He just knows that he wants what he wants and he will try to make it that way. Sounds like a normal teenager. He is comfortable where he is and doesnt want it to change.

Answer 7

I can relate -- music morphs into an education on it's own. Encourage the skills that are what makes your child gifted - expose your child to the things that present a challenge and most importantly provide a safety net so that he is secure in knowing that he is able to make some choices.

Answer 8

At age 13, being a boy and have to be in the 10th grade classroom is a lot of social pressure. Have you ever thought of that? Being excelled in music doesn't make him popular. Maybe he wants to quit because he feels he doesn't fit in. Find a private small catholic school or music school.

Answer 9

If he is gifted in the mind.... perhaps placing other subjects in front of his heart. Sit down and talk to him...not 'at' him. Share your dreams, guide him to the map of "choices". Music is good, but what type of music would he like to create. Let him know that to truly live is to explore other avenues, road, and yes, ungraveled paths. YOUR only rule: is not to drop out, no one knows it all-----stay in school, be himself, don't worry that others think he is too smart. His on RULE: To strive to enjoy all he encounters and has yet to learn.

Answer 10

most number one thing you can do ..is make sure he/she wants to be where their at..most 13 yr olds are not where yours is..brain wise and grade wise...so you need yo explore your childs thoughts .maybe..and i could be wrong...but does he or she relate to those 10th graders..or does he/she just relate in a book smart way..you know not meshing with your surroundings can take away from ones effort..would you wanna hang around in school with people that were 4 or 5 yrs older than you they were driving and getting ready for prom and you still go to bed at 10:oo pm...beleave it or not these thing matter and make sure that he/she is not hindered by these so small but so big issues ...i speak better than i type so forgive me if it isn't pretty...think about what i've said..he may not feel at home with his surroundings..and therefor not give his all...find out and be understanding..remember its easier said than done

Answer 11

Encourage him to apply himself in his studies but be sure he has hobbies and interests so that he can balance schoolwork with leisure. Being gifted is a great thing, but I think it is easy for youngsters to only identify with being gifted and not with being a kid. Just an opinion. Hope this helps. :-)