Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments 2 grade classroom-not appropriate?

DD8 is in a 2/3 split. She's in the 3rd grade part. Every instinct in me is SCREAMING that this is a TERRIBLE idea! But, we've never tried this, so I've gone along with it, thinking maybe, just maybe, this could be "the thing".

Pros-this teacher has been more willing to get to know DD and is trying harder than any other, communicating, etc...only 20 kids in this class, one with an aide and another with an aide is supposed to be leaving, so this class is like 6 kids less than the regular third grade.

Cons-it's not like this is a 2/3 gifted class. And I think my DD might be the only gifted in this class. ALL the other kids that I KNOW tested GATE last year are in the the regular third grade and that teacher is GATE certified. The 2nd graders are rather immature and push each other around and wiggle more, etc. One kid cries EVERY DAY, at least once!

I honestly think my DD has already earned a reputation as somewhat of a problem and the other teacher didn't want her. Other parents that I trust assure me that Mrs W (our teacher) IS the one who would be most likely to help the most, but how much can she give when she has TWO classes to teach?!

We're already starting with a gifted psych who was REALLY displeased when I told her about this. SHe said she would have taken her child right back home. I have been told they do not do ANY ability grouping in our District, except reading groups and the GATE cluster and seminar classes (we do not have seperate GATE program at our school). When I mentioned possibly moving my DD, it seems pretty clear that is NOT even on the table, though I don't think I want the other 3rd grade teacher now anyway...

I'm just wondering if anyone else can see any upside of this. I thought it might be DD's chance to be the example, maybe have more responsibility or something, but I think the 2nd graders just bug the heck out of her, you know?

No advice since we're enjoying being in the 2nd grade part of a 2/3 combination, and doing 3rd grade reading and 3rd grade math. However, I do offer sympathy since this same DD was in a K/1 combination last year as a 1st grader. I think it all depends on the willingness of the teacher to provide differentiation - if she effectively provided it in a regular class she will most likely effectively differentiate in a combination class.

well, how did that work out, being the older half of the class?

My child is definitley the exception in that she tests high but doesn't cooperate with classwork. If the 2nd grade is getting to do 3rd grade stuff (like today, they did science together), when will my 3rd grader get to do 4th grade stuff?

If she wasn't gifted or gifted and a work producer, it wouldn't bother me so much, but we have had just problems with DD, getting her to do the classwork, etc

It worked out, but only because of a lot of advocacy, because I had previous history with the teacher, and because this particular DD is very easy-going and likes to fly under the radar. Also, the kindergarteners that weren't very advanced had been retained in kindergarten and had been in my daughter's class the year before.

My dd was in multi-age classrooms for several years (Montessori). The teacher would have a 3-year rotating schedule of topics to teach. For example in science in 2009 they would teach mammals, 2010 invertebrates, 2011 vertebrates and then they wold repeat. Some children would learn mammals as 1st graders, others would learn it as 3rd graders. The older children might have had a few more "works" to do for each, but I think the bulk of the differentiation was self-determined by the reports the children would write -- e.g. her first grade research report was very limited compared to the novel she wrote for 3rd grade.

Obviously this works for a few topics-- but not seqential ones like math.

I'd be less concerned that the 2nd graders "got to do" 3rd grade science, and more concerned 1) is she repeating a lot of information she's already been taught and 2) how deep was my child was able to go on the topic they were taught.

Our school is all multi grade 1/2; 3/4; 5/6. The work on a 2 year rotation for science and social studies. Reading is leveled so they child gets placed in the appropriate guided reading level. The separate out for math and language arts by grade level. DD id in 2nd and also our 2nd year of the program (the entire school switched this fall. She was part of the pilot program).