I love that quote CFK.

Also try:

I volunteered in a sixth-grade class when I was at uni, and there was a girl there who decided to learn algebra during her in-class reading time - she brought in "Algebra for Dummies". Mind you, she also wrote better than my classmates at university. The thought of what that kid could've done at a school with a proper gifted program makes my head spin. Anyway, BWBShari, there are worse things you could do than drop a trig book in front of your son and tell him to go at it.

Thanks for posting this. This is an issue I'm struggling with for DS now.

Reading Guerrilla Learning by Grace Llewellyn helped me understand this. http://www.amazon.com/Guerrilla-Learning-Education-Without-School/dp/0471349607

Yesterday DD7 had her eyes opened a bit when the 2nd grade students were together for testing into the accelerated cluster magnet. They were discussing the upcoming Book Week and there is a contest where two students from each grade with the highest number of AR points get to have lunch with a visiting author. DD7 was one of the winners last year and her motivation to have lunch with an author outweighed her desire to conform to reading standard grade level books.

She's been holding back a bit with her reading this year and choosing lower point books but her point total was very high compared to her classmates. Yesterday, she found there is a girl in another class whose point total blew DD's out of the water. The girl is going to third grade for subject acceleration and as DD said, "Her mother teaches her challenging math at home too." Yay!

Ohhh- future BFF?

what kids don't learn when they aren't challenged

This article puts into words exactly my concerns for DS9. Thankyou!


Ex. He knows his spelling, social studies, and science the first day so he really does not need to study. He wants to be a good school boy so he works on them everyday until his test. I hear how hard these are for other kids. My son is not getting the desired challenge. This is a concern for me. Is a child who is going thru the motions learning to study without the challenge? I say no.

I'm 15 years old and I just have one thing to say- PLEASE make sure your kids are being challenged in school from an early age! I went through 8th grade getting straight A's without having to try at all. Now I'm in 10th grade and I am finally in a few somewhat challenging classes (although math is still terrible- they made me retake Algebra 2 even though I took it in 8th grade because they said they'd run out of math classes for me to take!). I now hate school because I never had to lift a finger before. I'm learning to adjust and I still have straight A's, it's just been a painful experience I don't recommend you put your children through. And being a perfectionist has certainly made it more difficult. I should have skipped a grade a long time ago. I have good study skills and everything, I just am not used to trying. Plus, half the time my school's definition of an "honors" class is "make them all sit down and listen to us lecture and don't let them ask any questions because they're smart so they should be fine." Thanks for the help, school.

Thanks for sharing Lindsaymarie! I went through this several times in my life as I've 'leveled up' to life's new challenges. I commend you for doing what it takes to keep at it, and encourage you that you will at some point look back and be very proud! I would encourage you to look for summer programs where you can be surrounded with kids who are 'like you' - have you found any summer or afterschool activities with kids or adults that you can 'really' relate to?

Some kids also find that they are ready for a few college classes by your age - perhaps in Math there is a program near-enough by, or online, where you can move ahead.

I would strongly recommend you make an appointment to sit down with the Chairperson of the Math Department and do some 'self-advocacy.' I did this in science my freshman year of High School. I didn't get any change, but it was very encouraging to me to hear that the Chairman was in total agreement with me, and that things were being done to help future students.

Love hearing from you,
Grinity

Lindsaymarie,

I totally agree with Grinity. As a student, a professor and more recently Mom and elementary teacher, gumption is hands down the trait that I look for. This is your education and you need to be your own advocate. Go to the head of the department, or, indeed, the principal with a plan. Perhaps it's independent study or perhaps it's an outside mentorship or perhaps it's attending a seminar at a local university, but it is something that YOU want to do. One often hears that "it can't be done" because there is no formal reciprocity between institutions. That is simply ridiculous: a teacher at your HS can sponsor an independent study while you officially audit a university seminar but actually do do the work. Most professors are thrilled by the idea that someone really wants to take their class and will work with you.

Keep me posted!

bump - I was looking for this... I thought other people might be too!

Maryann