Very high IQ in a 8 year old?

Question

Hi,

My child has an IQ of 145 up from 137 two years ago.
My question is would you seek out a special school for this type of child? We live very rural so this wouldn't be easy to find.
The school he's in offers twice a week gifted student class about 40 minutes each.

Almost everyone hit on two things that are right. My bother was extremely smart and at 40 is a bum living almost on the streets so IQ is only a measure of learning ablity.
But, you only have one chance at a good education.
Also the program he's in now teaches him he's no better than anyone and each person has there own talents.

Answer 1

No. Keep him or her in the program they are in if nothing local is better. I can tell you from experience that IQ is just a number. The more important thing is just being a normal kid. Once he hits high school, there are accelerated courses and more difficult options out there. And please do NOT tell your kid his IQ!!! I was told mine and I acted so superior as a kid. I outgrew it a few years later, but its not something they need to know. It can just cause issues. Treat him like a normal kid, love him. IQ is the potential for intelligence. I know a kid with an IQ that high that didn't apply herself, made failing grades, and ended up getting a GED. It was sad to watch, but it was her choice. So just raise a good kid and don't worry so much about the numbers.

Answer 2

I live in rural Alabama. I have had the same question and problem... My son is seven, he reads on an 8th grade level and can do pre-algebra. His IQ tested at 164 this year. Add to that he has ADHD behavior. He's quite a little know-it-all handfull. The school has tried to force me to move him up two grades. I have refused because I had a couple kids in my class in school that were tormented because they were always less mature smaller and there is always the "nerd" factor. He's in gifted but they don't do to much from what I can tell, it's more like study hall/ board game time. What I have done for my son is this. He LOVES the computer. So I have subscribed to www.time4learning.com for their homeschool program for him to do in the evenings and weekends. He doesn't realize he's learning. Also, I bought several programs that specialize in teaching both speaking and writing foreign languages. Right now he is learning, Russian and Chinese. The programs are fun and based in mostly games. All the while he's learning. And they are at his own pace so there is no pressure. You might consider, if you are able homeschooling him. Children with high IQ's do great with hands-on learning. I'd love to do that with mine. He won't listen to me though. Right now is the time to get him excited about being a good student and keep him challenged. I've been warned that kids with high IQ's get really lazy about school as they get older. If you want him to be able to use his gift then I'd take advantage of whatever you can now.

Answer 3

You're lucky to have a gifted class at all in a public school.

First of all, is your child regularly bored, referred to as underachieving, and so on? If not, let it be for now. Just because they have a high IQ it doesn't necessarily mean they need a special school.

Since you are in a very rural area, I assume there are no private schools around, and/or they're possibly too expensive. How about seeing if he can skip a grade? If not, there's homeschooling if one parent is stay-at-home.

There is also arranging other extracurricular activities with a more mental challenges (learning to play an instrument, chess club, etc.). Plus you can get him books above his age-level as well as computer programs that can get him onto subjects that interest him and will teach him new things above his age.

Answer 4

That is a very high IQ for a child that age, you should be proud. :)

That's a tough question to answer, but I can offer some advice.

As long as the education system in his current school is a good one, then a gifted class shoul be okay.

Living in a rural area as you do a special school could be quite a trip for a child of that age to go on every day but it may not be a bad idea to look into one either.

Discuss it with his teachers and especially him, get a feel of what he wants to do. Don't push him into anything, but be sure that he understands that he has been given a great gift.

Answer 5

Wow, now that's a gifted child. I would find something, because the main problem with children with high IQs is their tendency to get bored very quickly if they are not challenged by their activities. I had the same problem as a kid, and I ended up really screwing up in the public school system. Try talking to the staff at school and see what they reccommend. You can also try your own stimulation at home as extracurricular activities. Find out what type of interests the child has- is it music, math, reading? Then you can choose workbooks or reading materials that you can keep at home to use, or engage the child in the learning of an instrument. If writing is of interest, buy the child some empty journals where they can write their own stories or just keep as a diary. HTH.

Answer 6

Get books on gifted kids (Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Kids - or something like that)... don't put your expectactions on your child - let your child lead the way - if he wants to be a super achiever, then enable that, if he's comfortable being average... allow it. That's great that they have that class twice a week - we got like 4 classes all year long. We did put our son in an alternative school - but not for gifted kids - it's a charter school. I would have home-schooled if I had to. If you have money to burn, Johns Hopkins University has a program called the Center for Talented Youth. This is only for very motivated gifted kids and can be costly (they do have scholarships).... google JHU-CTY and read about it. My son does online math courses and did the summer program this summer.... there are high rates of depression and drug use in gifted kids - they feel like they don't fit in... they experience the world differently and can be very sensitive. It is important to parent these kids with sensitivity and give them as many tools as we can to help them cope. Good luck!!!!

It's not an accomplish in itself to have a high IQ. Happiness/satisfaction is WAY more important. In many ways it's more of a challenge than a blessing... but it can be a positive thing too.

Answer 7

Yes, I would seek out a program that will challenge him more than he is probably getting in school now.

My son turned 7 in February and was tested shortly afterwards with an IQ of 137. He started a full-time gifted program about a month ago. He has a longer bus ride, but it's worth it because now he is finally getting challenged in school and he is surrounded by kids who think and learn on his same level instead of dealing with so much repetition in the regular classroom. He is much happier in his new school and is actually learning something now instead of just wasting time.

Is your child bored in the program he is in now? Does he like school or feel like it's "just one big long waiting room" since he probably knows much of what they do in the regular classroom? Do the two pull out periods a week seem like enough to keep him interested and engaged in school? (My son was "tuning out" since it was too easy.) For kids with very high IQ's, a pull out program is often not enough.

I've been reading a lot of books about gifted kids and gifted education these last few months.

If you want to talk, feel free to message me.

Answer 8

I have a cousin who was in the talented and gifted program. He was taking middle school math classes when he was a 3rd grader, high school math in middle school and college math classes in high school. Now that he is a 30-something adult, he has spoken often of how difficult it was for him to be "different" and "the smart kid". While your son is young, I would suggest he remain in the school he is used to with his friends and continue doing the gifted class. Be in close contact with his teacher and the administration to help him not become bored during school. As he gets older, he may be more open to attending a different school, perhaps when he would be moving on to middle school or high school anyway. He may be more comfortable in normal surroundings being as normal as he possibly can. Let him be a kid for as long as he can. An IQ is just a number and he is just your son. It seems unusual to give a 6 year old an IQ test. That is not common practice where we live and is only a small part of diagnostic testing of children possibly needing extra educational experiences. Take the focus away from the numbers and re-focus on what is best for your child based on his personality as well as his educational requirements. Sometimes children who are above-average intellectually struggle with social relationships. That is also an important part of growing up. Especially in a rural area, he would lose a connection to the other kids his age in your community if he went to a different school and may have difficulties with friendships. Weigh the pros and cons carefully before making a decision of this importance.

Answer 9

That's really up to you. Most people have IQ tests given to them when they are very young. My first was when I was in the first grade. IQs don't really change over time. They may vary from test to test or even day to day. I wouldn't go out of my way to make sure my child went to a gifted school. From my experience, they are that different than public schools, and your child can get a great education there. Also, just because someone has a high IQ, doesn't mean they are going to grow up to be a genius.

Answer 10

I made the mistake of okaying the school to test my daughter. She too has an IQ of 152. I was so proud. It was sort lived as I began to fight for "special" programs at her school. We have no GT program. I never told her test results or said anything to her about her IQ. She has had a difficult time I think because the teachers all know the test results and think because I asked for a GT information I am a pushy mom. Let it rest, stay where you are and expose your child to special things like art and music independently. Children want to be like everyone else. If you push this your child might become resentful.