Here we go again. DS is unhappy in school, again, or is it still? His biggest complaint is the "misbehaving" kids in his class. He complains about all the noise and hearing that they are one of the worst classes, etc., etc. Frankly, I'm not sure how much noise there really is in the classroom (the teachers don't seem to think there's a problem), but I do know there are four very "active" boys who are the ones constantly getting in trouble. This was one of our two complaints a few weeks ago in our big meeting. The other (allowing him to do "challenge problems" instead of regular work) seems to have been taken care of. We're supposed to have a follow-up meeting, so I guess I'll try to schedule one in the next couple of weeks, but at what point do we just throw in the towel and HS (there are no viable private school options at this point)?
Ideally, I'd like him to stay in school (versus HS). Realistically, I'm not sure how that will work, having looked at the 3rd grade curriculum in a school district that only believes in differentiation. And I realize that once we start HS'ing it will be even harder to get him back in school - the discrepancies between where he is and where his grade is will continue to grow. Meanwhile, he's begging to be homeschooled (he has it all worked out - "I want to be homeschooled until college and then I'm going to [local Ivy League] University!" If that's the case, fine with me!
) And of course, I mentioned this whole scenario to a friend of mine who said that clearly DS has issues that other kids don't have, and we should consider medicating him for anxiety, and he has to learn how to deal with and get along with other people.
Fact is his favorite parts of school are lunch and recess and he's often "so busy talking to my friends" that he forgets to eat. (btw, this is an upgrade from K when his favorite part of school was being picked up by Mom) I'm just trying to figure out whom to listen to. (Kriston, that whom is for you - I'd usually say who.) I know that the other kids aren't bothered by all this stuff, but he's always hated school, and we keep forcing him to go no matter how badly he feels. If he chooses a career where he can sit by himself in a science lab all day in a t-shirt, flip-flops and shorts like the NASA engineers he's met rather than a jacket and tie on the floor of the NYSE, it's okay with us!
I admire all of you who can make decisions like these more easily!! Any suggestions as to how to make school more palatable for him? (I had asked twice about moving him to a different classroom, but I'm always told that there are no guarantees that it will be any better, and I know that's true, but it might get him through the end of the year.) Thanks!
