Interview with Parent of a Gifted Student

Mrs. Shannon Hoch is a mother to two children in the Midtown cluster, a son who is a
recent graduate from Midtown High School who was identified as gifted and current 9th
grader in Honors classes, but not yet identified as gifted. She is also new to the counseling
staff at our high school. I chose to interview her because I feel that she has an experienced
viewpoint as a parent-educator. We met in-person in her office at Midtown High School
during her lunch period on September 30, 2021, where I asked her the following 12
questions. Her responses are narrated under each question.

1. Did you notice gifted traits in your sons before they tested for the gifted program?
Yes, my husband and I began to see known gifted traits in our older son very early in his
development. We also observed gifted traits in our younger son but not as many and as
early as our first.
2. If so, when did you recognize that your sons were gifted and talented?
We started to see gifted traits in both of our sons pretty early. In our older son, we saw
gifted traits at about 2-½ years old. In our younger son, we saw similar traits at about 3
years of age.
3. What traits did you notice?
Especially with our older son, we noticed early reading ability. He also demonstrated a
love for numbers and would count to high numbers even as a toddler. He also exhibits
questioning ability, often to the point of frustration for us [laughing]. He absorbed
information extremely quickly and well. We would only have to tell him things once. He
was so good at driving directions that he would question our route to many
destinations. For example, he would ask “I thought we were going to school?” if we took
a different route or had to make a stop first.
4. How many times were each tested before being recognized as gifted?
Our older son was only tested once while in Kindergarten and immediately qualified to
receive gifted services. However, our younger son was tested 3 times and has yet to
qualify for gifted services. Though he was recommended by teachers after being tested

2021-22 ­Gifted Endorsement Internship Gina Robinson

 Interview with Parent of a Gifted Student
three times, we chose not to participate in the screening process later because he
became discouraged when he learned that he did not qualify. There are a few factors
that we believe contribute to these differences. Firstly, we lived in Connecticut during
our younger son’s Pre-K years so he did not attend a rigorous Pre-K program like our
younger son attended here in Atlanta Public Schools. Our younger son’s program was
more like a daycare. Also, there is a 4 year age difference between the boys and their
personalities are very different. Our older son is more driven and our younger son is
more social.
5. What are your thoughts on the identification and testing process in APS? Georgia?
Nationally?
We didn’t know much about the actual testing process. The testing process was fine for
our older son, but seemed to feel like a lot of testing for our younger son, leaving him
disheartened. Our younger son doesn’t seem to test as well as our older son, in general.
6. As a parent, do you think there are clear advantages to the gifted label?
I think it’s great when it works for a student. I think that the structure of the APS pre-K
program really helped our older son to qualify for gifted services early in his academic
career.
7. What are the disadvantages?
The gifted program is great when it fits the student, like in the case of our older son, but
is bad when the student is demoralized by the screening process like for our younger
son. Also, the gifted label doesn’t seem to be as important as it was years ago and
especially in middle and high school instruction. Furthermore, the days can be long for
gifted students, especially in elementary school, where there are gifted projects and
extra classes in addition to the regular curriculum.
8. Are you satisfied with the communication from the GATE office? Why?
I don’t know much about GATE. I guess I haven’t received much communication from
them.
9. What are the specific challenges facing parents regarding teaching gifted children?

2021-22 ­Gifted Endorsement Internship Gina Robinson

 Interview with Parent of a Gifted Student
For me, it is not feeling qualified as a parent when you have an extremely gifted child
like our older son.
10. As a mother of two gifted children yourself, what advice can you give other parents as a
parent, not as a professional?
My advice for other parents of gifted children is to be patient with the process.
11. As an educator, what are your thoughts on the Gifted Program and GATE?
[Laughing] I’m not sure that I can offer much advice as an educator since I’m still new to
being officially in education. Before this, I always volunteered for the boys schools and
was very active in the PTSO and now feeling very humbled to be with this group of
educators.
12. Is there anything else that you would like to share that was not asked here today?
Nope, thanks for choosing to interview me. I hope that this information is helpful.

It was a pleasure and honor to interview Mrs. Hoch. She graciously shared some of her
lunchtime with me. Hearing a parent describe the observation of gifted traits in her own
children was valuable. The most intriguing part of the interview was her comparison of
both children and their varied experiences with GATE. I taught her older son and currently
teach her younger son. When I chose to interview Mrs. Hoch, I erroneously thought that her
younger son was also receiving gifted services but then realized that he was not on my
gifted roster. Shortly after I interviewed her, she informed me that her younger son was
again referred for gifted screening based on his MAP scores. She is still deliberating
whether or not to participate and plans to follow the desires of her son this time.
Additionally, my own son was also referred for gifted screening based on his MAP scores.
Mrs. Hoch’s feedback about GATE through this interview has provided me with much food
for thought.

2021-22 ­Gifted Endorsement Internship Gina Robinson