Nubbs has applied to go to a summer camp for kids who have proven they have writing talent. It’s like completely crazy. Her teachers have been raving about her ability since about the fourth grade; and seem to always feel the talent must have come from somewhere. Mike and I look at each other and shake our heads. We really don’t even know anyone in our families that can write.
Up until last year, it was simply always put out there at conference. “Your daughter is really a very good writer.” “She has an amazing ability to put her thoughts into words.” She has been writing at college level for a few years now. Maxing out those standardized tests seems to come easy for her. She is a freshman in high school.
The problem has been that in our small district, there is no help for the gifted/talented in writing. Now, say your gift is in math-you’re set. This is what has had her looking for some help. She joined Mibba.com awhile back, and has been posting her attempt at a novel there. Basically, other young writers critique each other there and try to help each other along. She has wanted some professional instruction, though.
Today, she applied for a three-week summer camp that should provide her with what she is looking for. The main body of the camp is reading and discussing classical literature. The electives she would be taking would be writing and music. Students stay on a college campus and are treated like college students. This would have meant mischief for someone like me, but she has never been a trouble maker.
I guess the striking point for me is that before you have kids, you think you’re going to have some great impact on who they are or what they become. Sure, I read to her every day before she could read. But she was who she was when she was born. She has always inquisitive about everything around her. Genetically, she won the lottery in terms of the potential combinations we were offering! We have offered our version of right and wrong, but she is what she is. That personality has always been there. We are just guides and not very good ones sometimes.
Don’t know if it is the right word to use or not, but I have to say that I feel envious of her in the sense that some of us go through our whole lives never finding something we excel at. I guess I just am amazed sometimes that this is my kid, almost like she should belong to someone else.
Up until last year, it was simply always put out there at conference. “Your daughter is really a very good writer.” “She has an amazing ability to put her thoughts into words.” She has been writing at college level for a few years now. Maxing out those standardized tests seems to come easy for her. She is a freshman in high school.
The problem has been that in our small district, there is no help for the gifted/talented in writing. Now, say your gift is in math-you’re set. This is what has had her looking for some help. She joined Mibba.com awhile back, and has been posting her attempt at a novel there. Basically, other young writers critique each other there and try to help each other along. She has wanted some professional instruction, though.
Today, she applied for a three-week summer camp that should provide her with what she is looking for. The main body of the camp is reading and discussing classical literature. The electives she would be taking would be writing and music. Students stay on a college campus and are treated like college students. This would have meant mischief for someone like me, but she has never been a trouble maker.
I guess the striking point for me is that before you have kids, you think you’re going to have some great impact on who they are or what they become. Sure, I read to her every day before she could read. But she was who she was when she was born. She has always inquisitive about everything around her. Genetically, she won the lottery in terms of the potential combinations we were offering! We have offered our version of right and wrong, but she is what she is. That personality has always been there. We are just guides and not very good ones sometimes.
Don’t know if it is the right word to use or not, but I have to say that I feel envious of her in the sense that some of us go through our whole lives never finding something we excel at. I guess I just am amazed sometimes that this is my kid, almost like she should belong to someone else.
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