Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Please share TIPS for meeting with K teacher

When we met with DS6's K teacher before the school year started last year I brought in a couple of the books that he was reading at the time, a couple of writing samples, and a math workbook that he had been playing with that summer. We also signed up for the last appointment time of the day so that we wouldn't have to worry about the teacher being rushed with other parents waiting. I kind of went through the pre-planned interview list that the teacher had set up and then when it got to the part where she asked if I had anything in particular to address that I made mention of the fact that DS was "different" in terms of academic interest and ability. I showed her the samples that we brought and also advised her of some of his "quirks" that we thought she should know about ahead of time. I phrased it as feeling like it was only fair to give her a head up. She was quite receptive to everything that we said and took lots of notes.

DS6 then put the exclamation point on when she asked him if he had any questions (I'm sure thinking of things like recess, lunch, bus, bathroom, etc...) and he looked at her and said "Yeah, is infinity actually a number?" I thought the poor woman's jaw might hit the floor but she recovered quickly and actually conversed with DS about the concept of infinity, the symbol used to represent it, and the debate about what, exactly, is infinity. I knew then that the year might go better than we had hoped

Thanks to everyone for the great advise! I am gathering some writing/math samples to bring to the teacher. Also I am bringing a book he is reading at the moment should she ask him to read.

I am still wondering about contacting the admissions director for the following reason.
When we were there for DS's K entrance testing I said something about getting together and discussing subject acceleration. He responded with "Absolutely, but let's wait a couple of weeks after the school year starts so that your son can get into the class and get to know the teacher a bit first"
So approaching him now, 2 weeks BEFORE school even starts might seem a bit frantic. Like I said, I want to start off on the right terms.

On the other hand, this discussion took place BEFORE I knew I was going to have achievement/IQ results in hand. I feel it is my task to give him this info. The question is...when.

Cricket, DS4 is done with 3 digit addition/subtraction with regrouping, done with single digit multiplication and is currently about to start double digit multiplication at Kumon.
He knows division as well but has not done it yet at Kumon.

Exactly Right. Don't worry about appearing frantic. Just calmly 'forget' what the objection was and start requesting subject acceleration as if this was the beginning of the conversation. No one expects people to remember what was said to them 3 months ago, and few people even remember what they themselves said 3 months ago. You have new information now, so it's fair game.

Love and More Love,
Grinity

I may be in the minority here but I think that the kind of meeting to which you refer are simply meant for the child/teacher/parent to "see" each other and for the child to be comfortable by the first day of school. DS and DD had the same set-up four years ago. I would wait at least a couple of months before asking the K teacher to make accomodations. There is just so much for the K teacher to do to get all the kids settled and routines established. It is highly likely that your child's abilities, given how advance he is, will be obvious to the teacher. Even with the new academics, K is still very much about social skills and fun and games. If you can't wait to have the right level of academics, then I would make an appointment for that specific purpose a couple of weeks into the school year.

Thank you all for the input!

This what I did so far. I called the admissions director and casually asked him about the meeting. Seems it might not be a one on one with the teacher but rather a couple of families at a time. I am bringing some copies for her of DS's work and report just in case, but assuming I will not have the opportunity to give it to her.

I told the admissions director about my son's results and he said I should give them to the teacher. He said he was going to alert her to DS being PG and let her know I will be bringing her the results from the testing. This was she is already prepared for it without me taking her off guard.

I think I will wait a few weeks and let her get to know him. Then I will ask for a meeting with her to see what she would suggest.

Thank you for brainstorming with me...I need it.

Perfect.
Excellent
Given that she got the IQ scores, and almost no teacher is comfortable looking at them. (It isn't taught at teacher school) I would make an attempt to set up a private meeting (no other parents, no child) to review 'that paperwork that Ms. So and So gave you.' I'll bet a dollar that
a) teacher didn't receive it.
or
b) teacher received it but didn't look at it
or
c) teacher received it but would welcome the chance to review it.

The sad truth is that the IQ test isn't much help in creating curriculum for an individual child. Neither are most achievement tests. (MAP test excluded)((take a moment and be horrified - it's terrible that 'placement technology' just doesn't exist.)) That's why the work samples are so important.The most you can get from an IQ test is confirmation that we are outside the usual box, and therefore have to start from scratch building a tailor-made education for this individual child. It is as though all the other kids are fine with 'off the rack' school uniforms, and your kid just happens to need clothing cut from fabric and sewn it his personal measurements.

Hope that helps,
Grinity