"Failing Our Geniuses" (Time magazine article) - Page 2

PKswmr76 · 08-19-2007, 04:21 PM

I'm 16 and my IQ is 149 (professionally administered) and I don't feel like "genius" or that I can't socialize properly with others. I am going to be taking 16 AP's in high school but I don't feel much smarter than anyone else...

snoopyiscool · 08-19-2007, 05:33 PM

Good for you...

I think the article hit those key points very well. Public schools horribly fail "very smart" kids. They are very inflexible, and they are more concerned with getting the worst performing children up to NCLB levels instead of challenging those who want a challenge.

sevitagen · 08-19-2007, 06:17 PM

I can't say I have any personal pespective on the the issue of moving for education. However, I did read the TIME magazine article and I agree that there should be increased funding for genius level children.

Quote:

Currently, gifted programs too often admit marginal, hardworking kids ...

:-( I feel like one of those marginal hardworking kids, I don't have a genius IQ.

TheRisenLilith · 08-19-2007, 07:16 PM

In my experience, AP classes don't do much either. It's all just homework and busywork, as I noted before. Once in a while, I'll bump into a class where intellectual conversation and actual learning takes place, but most of the AP classes are just...pathetic.

TheRisenLilith · 08-19-2007, 07:23 PM

Also, another thing concerns me. My little brother will go into junior high in a year, and I know he's not going to get the education he needs. He's what you would call an autistic savant. My little brother can memorize facts (i.e. how many years ago was the pre-Cambrian period), connect and come up with innovative ideas, and you can tell he's ahead of his peers intellectually just by talking to him.

While he's a "high-functioning autistic" (I hate these terms...), he would most likely be placed in the assisted learning department. I'm sorry, but the last thing my brother needs is just that. Even in a normal classroom setting, he is bored out of his mind, which affects his behavior. The best the "GT Program" can do here is send kids to the zoo and...give them more homework.

And I mean, for some people (my family), going to a gifted school is too expensive, especially if they have to pay for a sibling's college expenses (also my family, next year). SOO...we're kind of stuck.

PKswmr76 · 08-19-2007, 10:56 PM

"Good for you...

I think the article hit those key points very well. Public schools horribly fail "very smart" kids. They are very inflexible, and they are more concerned with getting the worst performing children up to NCLB levels instead of challenging those who want a challenge."

-my point was that the article isn't accurate for all public schools. i feel like I'm challenged a lot but i don't know, my school could be an exception.

jfs4691 · 08-19-2007, 11:23 PM

yeah idk... i couldn't relate to the article at all. my IQ's over 145 but I have never experienced any of the problems in that article.

tokenadult · 08-20-2007, 09:30 AM

It would be interesting to hear where the more compatible schools are.

jadpd · 08-20-2007, 09:42 AM

The article's aim wasn't to stereotype all "geniuses," it was to acknowledge the fact that most of the smart kids are being ignored because of the dumb kids. I completely agree.

mj93 · 08-20-2007, 02:34 PM

I loved the quote that equated sending a literate five-year-old to kindergarten with emotional abuse.

Quote:

I asked, because I can't think of any rationale to RESTRICT the access of bright learners to as many other bright learners as there are in their community. I think society would end up with more adult "geniuses" in the best and most restrictive sense of that word if every learner were encouraged to set higher standards and the most able learners were allowed to interact with one another while growing up.

A great idea, but in moderation. During the more academic parts of the school day--math, science, english--geniuses could practice working together. But they should also interact with others outside of the IQ exosphere--during, for example, lunch, P.E., art, music, etc.

A downside to gifted-only schools is that the students are confined to a very homogeneous social network.

doctordestiny · 08-20-2007, 02:47 PM

That's why there's college, right? Even if we get screwed out of 12 years of our life, we still get at least 4 years at college (and then grad school). Meh, that's the only consolation I can think of.

ad.bc · 08-20-2007, 07:02 PM

i thought the smart girl in the article sounded kind of stuck up
i mean im ok with smart people but when they innocently act so much smarter than everyone i cant stand it, they know that theyre showing off

Lori1122 · 08-21-2007, 09:34 AM

i read that.. pretty good article..

Sheed30 · 08-21-2007, 03:20 PM

lol, i'd show off too if i was that smart!

EarlySenioritis · 08-21-2007, 06:52 PM

I think the better question is: How do you define hardworking? There seems to be some contempt on these boards at times about students who have time management skills and don't let the busywork associated with some AP classes affect thier personal lives. Would you define them as hardworking?