Doug and I told Brenden that after he sells his first book, through a publisher, he can buy himself a DSi, otherwise, he was NEVER getting one because we're not buying it. He has been marching around saying, "I can't wait until I get my royalties, I can't wait until I get my royalties..." It has at least motivated him to finish typing and editing the book he wrote last year.
And while we're on the subject of Brenden, I just have to tell you how amazing my kid is. He is currently reading at an 8th grade reading level, at the beginning of 3rd grade. He was tested for the Quest (gifted and talented) program at school at the end of 2nd grade and we just met to discuss the results. In order to be admitted to Quest, you have to earn 3 out of 6 points on various testing. Rarely do children earn all 6 points, but Brenden did. Some of the tests earn 1 point and others 2.
The first qualifying factor is general testing in the areas of math, reading, and other academic subjects. Usually kids qualify in 2/3 areas, but Brenden had high enough scores in all 3, being in the 99.9th percentile in written language. He loves to read and it shows in his writing.
Second is a drawing "exam." They have several different boxes with different shapes of lines drawn and he had to the turn the lines into pictures and create an appropriate label for his picture. The kid amazes me with the things he comes up with, I always wonder where it comes from. It is scored on several different levels, but he did very well.
Another area is IQ. Brenden is in the 99th percentile in his age group for general full scale IQ. The score that truly amazed me was his 99.7th percentile in verbal comprehension. VERBAL. He is, on all measurable levels, deaf, but his score testifies to me the correct decision we made to give him cochlear implants. Cochlear implants are amazing things and I couldn't be happier with the results he has had with them.
The last point is given because he has a "disability," so to be fair, not all children can get 6 points on the test. The point is given in fairness to children with something that might have kept them from scoring 3 points in the other areas, so as not to dicriminate children with other things holding them back, like being deaf. He didn't need the point, but it gave him a perfect 6.
Maybe there was another test in there too, but if there was, I can't remember it. This meeting was immediately following 3 parent/teacher conferences, so tests and results were running together at that point - and Cameron was about 4 hours late for a nap and showing it. Brenden's love of reading has really made him who he is. He wants to be a writer and 99.9th percentile in written language will hopefully get him there. He might have to be a NASA scientist on the side though.
The first qualifying factor is general testing in the areas of math, reading, and other academic subjects. Usually kids qualify in 2/3 areas, but Brenden had high enough scores in all 3, being in the 99.9th percentile in written language. He loves to read and it shows in his writing.
Second is a drawing "exam." They have several different boxes with different shapes of lines drawn and he had to the turn the lines into pictures and create an appropriate label for his picture. The kid amazes me with the things he comes up with, I always wonder where it comes from. It is scored on several different levels, but he did very well.
Another area is IQ. Brenden is in the 99th percentile in his age group for general full scale IQ. The score that truly amazed me was his 99.7th percentile in verbal comprehension. VERBAL. He is, on all measurable levels, deaf, but his score testifies to me the correct decision we made to give him cochlear implants. Cochlear implants are amazing things and I couldn't be happier with the results he has had with them.
The last point is given because he has a "disability," so to be fair, not all children can get 6 points on the test. The point is given in fairness to children with something that might have kept them from scoring 3 points in the other areas, so as not to dicriminate children with other things holding them back, like being deaf. He didn't need the point, but it gave him a perfect 6.
Maybe there was another test in there too, but if there was, I can't remember it. This meeting was immediately following 3 parent/teacher conferences, so tests and results were running together at that point - and Cameron was about 4 hours late for a nap and showing it. Brenden's love of reading has really made him who he is. He wants to be a writer and 99.9th percentile in written language will hopefully get him there. He might have to be a NASA scientist on the side though.
