Originally Posted by sunnyday
request for reduced workload in the form of sheets and short answers, balanced by an increased amount of larger-scale book reports and deeper math problems. Hm.
It appears that you are asking for differentiated task demands?
Not necessarily appropriately challenging curriculum in your child's ZPD?
Does this meet your child's needs?
Is your child in agreement with you advocating for this?

Originally Posted by sunnyday
I've also thought of proposing this as a Bloom's Taxonomy kind of thing. Skipping over the knowing and understanding and applying levels, in order to dive fully into the analyzing and evaluating and creating levels?
Do you want your child taught at this level?
Do you want your child to produce at this level?

Some links for future readers who may be unfamiliar:
Bloom's taxonomy on Davidson Database
Bloom's taxonomy on NAGC (also embedded link)


Originally Posted by sunnyday
Right, but here I am speaking of BEST PRACTICES. Ways to differentiate instruction or put the student in a different environment, in a beneficial manner as opposed to the sneaky wordsmithing of evil, adversarial teachers and administrators. wink
The links provided upthread include common pitfalls to avoid and also the essential research-based best practices for gifted education:
1- appropriately challenging curriculum & pacing in the student's ZPD
2- grouping with intellectual peers
Beyond that, programs and services vary widely; gifted students vary in level-of-gifted (LOG), specific strengths/weaknesses, interests, motivation, etc.

Originally Posted by sunnyday
Sorry, my question was whether other public elementary school parents have successfully integrated online coursework into their child's day. And yes, I know that single-subject acceleration is something that a lot of people on this forum advocate for. grin And I know what my resources are should I choose to pursue them. (We have the AOPS curriculum for 5th grade and for Prealgebra, and would love to try their online school...IF the school can replace math with it, not pile it on top.)
Your ability to successfully advocate for a particular resource may vary significantly from the results others may achieve, as this is largely controlled by:
- Your State's laws
- Your school district policies
This info and more in advocacy link, upthread.

Originally Posted by aeh
With regard to homework and busywork in general, I frequently recommend an accommodation variously worded as "quality over quantity", "items sufficient to demonstrate mastery of skills and concepts", or, more generically, "reduced workload". Typically, this is for students with slow processing speed, or fine motor deficits, but I've also used it with highly advanced students (usually 2e, in my case).
sunnyday, please note that aeh indicated use for students who may have a learning disability, learning difference, or deficit. These students may typically have an IEP/504 which requires the school make accomodation to address the disability/difference/deficit.

Originally Posted by sunnyday
Absolutely both my children are a central part of the conversation, from choosing to test to deciding which accommodations to pursue. To be completely honest my DD wants to try whole-grade acceleration. She's requested that we spend the summer brushing up on fifth grade subjects to ensure she won't experience gaps, then wants to enroll in sixth grade in the fall. But I'm not convinced that her motivation is sound (she likes getting attention for being the youngest in the room, and it's a psychological crutch for her not to have to worry about perfection because she has the excuse of being young.) And I'm not convinced she's socially/emotionally ready for the jump to middle school at 10.
A few potential red flags:
- child wants full grade acceleration, parent does not?
- child does not worry about perfection, parent thinks child should?
- child may need parental coaching on not "playing the age card"?
It is important to work through these issues as a family. This roundup on pros-and-cons of acceleration may help provide conversation starters.