I'm not sure, but the impression I have is that the PRI subtests are designed to test logical reasoning and problem solving type skills. Those subtests also seem to be more visually loaded. The psychologist explained to me that DD's weaknesses in the visual/motor area showed up more in the block design because it is purely an abstract visual puzzle. For the subtests that have pictorial representations, DD was able to use her verbal brain to help her manipulate those concepts. She scored higher on those subtests. She scored highest in the verbal subtests where she gave an oral answer to a verbal question.

I think it's really interesting to take a peek into your child's brain and get an idea of how things work in there! Especially since my DD's thinking style is different from my own. It helps me figure out ways to explain things to her when my way of understanding doesn't make sense to her.

This discussion on the relationship of PRI to math skills reminds me of the recent studies linking the complexity of preschooler's storys to their later math skills: science news article on that. My take-away is that our understanding of the relationships between skill domains is incomplete.

(Beg pardon for always being only marginally on topic, if not completely off!)

I was just pondering this very question ie how is PRI related to math ability?

Since math (or any academic skill for that matter) is a complex process I think there must be interplay between verbal and visual concepts in order for a person to "get" a math concept and be able to apply it. You're right, you can't just break these things down into VCI or PRI.

On no evidence whatsoever, I've started to think about this similarly. While obviously I agree that math is quite complex, I've seen lists of v-s descriptions that describe verbal types as learning algebra easily and v-s types as geometry inclined. I would think that in geometry or graph-heavy math areas, the ability to visualize in 3D and manipulate spaces mentally reflected by PRI would be useful. But maybe it's not even useful to try to break it up that much since it's trying to separate out the components of a whole that is more than the sum of its parts. At the same time, I find the brain endlessly fascinating and the unique mixture of traits in each person pretty astonishing, so I could think about this all day.



No way! Impostor syndrome is alive and well . . . . . but unnecessary! All of us with the very young kids are just guessing at the future, but you are already there. Your kids achieve at high levels, which means the IQ no longer has as much meaning. You have the real deal as opposed to potential that may turn out . . . . who knows??

J

Hi Amy,
I would certianly check out LI school for the gifted, as I've heard good things about them. I have never actually gone to a Waldorf school, but I know folks who have, and have asked a lot of questions.

Here's what I think are the pros of staying with current situation and doing K for another year:
1) Since they aren't pushing the children to learn to read, he won't have to sit through dull letter learning lessons.
2) Waldorf has wonderful physical therapy-like lessons integrated into the classroom (eurythmy?) that would be valuable for his weak visual processing, although they may not be 'enough' by themselves.
3) Waldorf is wonderful at stimulating imagination and life skills which your son may enjoy tremendously.
4) If the program is half day, then he has a wonderful chance to enjoy agemates, and still has plenty of time to learn on his own at home with you.

Cons:
If it's a full day program it may be to tiring to leave him energy to learn afterwards.
He may not enjoy the imaginative/creative atmousphere.
LI School of Gifted may be a much better fit
What do you do the next year?

We have however found that worrying about 'next year' isn't very useful, as so much changes!

Best Wishes,
Grinity

By the way Kcab, thanks for the very interesting article link! I can't lose on this one. Any day now DD11 (my creative story telling preschooler who can see into frog's brains) should catch up to my less imaginitive DS9, who is already pretty far out there in math, .

I was going to LOL, then remembered my own mathiness (or lack thereof) at age 11 .... suffice to say that things do change.

If you figure out 11 yo girls, please let me know! Having been one doesn't seem to help my insight much.

Now there's a topic for research! FWIW, DD13 sailed through these years pretty easily, but with DD11, I hear all about those interesting dynamics, changes, etc. Oh to be a fly on the wall in a typical 5th grade classroom/lunchroom/recess!

Actually, back to the article...DD11 really does have some good mathematical abilities. She tests sky high in the perceptual realm, and her teachers seem to think she's brilliant with math. But on paper....well, she certainly seems to lack DS9's abilities from my point of view. She is more of a "big picture" person, and the little details along the way do hang her up some. DS9 probably shows the most talent because he's very strong in most modes of learning, where she actually struggles in some.

Anyway, that brings up another interesting situation. Imagine sitting in a room hearing how fantastic your kid is in math, when your other (younger!) kid seems to be light years beyond. This was expecially frustrating those early years, when we were still fighting for accommodations. In hindsight, it seems the school is willing to label a child as "brilliant" only when it's within their range of "acceptable" abilities, kwim? Cross that line and they'll all just scratch their heads and look away, and hope to find some meaningless low score that they can jump on to talk about.

Oh, and one of the first teachers who thought DD11 was "brilliant" was her 1st grade teacher, based on DD's ability to "retell" a story. The actual stories were VERY brief and the rest of us were wondering "what story?", yet DD11 could talk forever on the subtle nuances of a picture book with very few words.

It will be very interesting for me to see how my three pan out with the higher maths, especially in light of their stronger visual/spatial skills.

Again, interesting article...if you haven't read it, check it out!