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    Joined: Jan 2009
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    Right. Well, they have all the tests in her files, so I can find out. But they're not arguing with the results-- they're agreeing that she's way, way ahead, but saying that enrichment or a full skip is the only thing they can do, not subject acceleration.

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    Originally Posted by HappilyMom
    I've read along here and your other thread, and I'm confused. School wants to do grade-level acceleration and you only want subject-level acceleration but you are unhappy with the amount of subject-level acceleration they offer because it's not enough?

    No, it's that they won't subject accelerate at all. Only a full skip or enrichment in the classroom. I'm asking for them to bump her out to a 2nd or 3rd grade class for reading and math.

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    Originally Posted by mommajay
    But they're not arguing with the results-- they're agreeing that she's way, way ahead, but saying that enrichment or a full skip is the only thing they can do, not subject acceleration.

    I must have missed this. Have they said why? Perhaps the logistical issues surrounding subject acceleration in an elementary setting are difficult to overcome?

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    I'm wondering if the OP has just encountered a dictrict that doesn't want to deal with individual differentiation and would rather suggest skipping, just as some say "You really should homeschool this child"? It would be unusual, but one could see it being possible. Maybe they just see it as easier.

    OP, so you have achievement test results but no IQ results? It would help us here on the board to have IQ numbers. You used the term profoundly gifted, which has a pretty specific definition and is probably why most posters agreed that major accommodations were needed. I am not at all trying to say that your child is not PG, but both my kids were reading at the 5th grade level in K (not sure about math) and neither is PG. (Your job is going to be easier if she is not PG...) If she is PG, you could consider going to DYS and asking for help, which may well be really useful.

    BTW, I apologize that you are getting some unpleasant replies. Not typical of the board.

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    I would go for the full skip. It is a decision that the school is unlikely to undo on their own. If you got single subject acceleration this year, you might be turned down next year because of a new policy or administrator. I think that happened recently to someone here.

    It sounds like she is a cheery kid. I bet she'll be fine with it. If she maintains her accelerated pace it could be the first of several skips which is fine.


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    Originally Posted by Kai
    Originally Posted by mommajay
    But they're not arguing with the results-- they're agreeing that she's way, way ahead, but saying that enrichment or a full skip is the only thing they can do, not subject acceleration.

    I must have missed this. Have they said why? Perhaps the logistical issues surrounding subject acceleration in an elementary setting are difficult to overcome?

    This is just what happened in my son's case this year. Getting the math acceleration he needed was logistically impossible. When you have 1000 kids who all have to go to Special Areas (PE Music, Art) and all have to get in and out of the cafeteria for lunch, all have to have an uninterrupted (by state law) 90 minutes language arts block and then add in the logistics of the fact that my son is in a program that is within the bigger school where half the day is in Spanish so the Dual Language classes have a completely different schedule. So there was no 4th grade class having math when he was having math or could have math when he had math or they couldn't move 3rd grade dual language math. It is just too complicated.

    We then discussed and eliminated several online options that were approved providers for the district (he would stay in the 3rd grade class and do his math over on the computer when his class had math). They were fine providers...they just weren't quite right for him. Doesn't mean that online math acceleration might not work for tons of others.

    So then the district gifted coordinator put the whole grade skip back on the table. For my son, I think it is going fine. He did know several children in his new class because last year he was in aftercare (and he is kind of a social butterfly who attracts people like a magnet). Also his best friend and my son attend and afterschool activity once a week together and used to do a Saturday activity together (we might start that up again). So he is still maintaining that relationship.

    I haven't heard ANYTHING saying that this isn't going well. I am at the school daily to volunteer. He did get a D on an essay but even that doesn't mean that it isn't going well because I knew that was going to be the one area where he was going to have to work extra hard. Oh and Spanish too just because he was losing a year of vocabulary and comprehension.

    It is much easier to subject accelerate in middle and high school because they ring the bells and change classes all at the same time and also there are additional online providers at the middle and high school level that are better fits (so that is an additional option). And in high school classes are already multi-grades (Spanish I can have any grade level of students) so it isn't so odd.

    Last edited by Sweetie; 10/12/13 10:20 AM.

    ...reading is pleasure, not just something teachers make you do in school.~B. Cleary
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    Originally Posted by ultramarina
    If she is PG, you could consider going to DYS and asking for help, which may well be really useful.
    Yes, further information at this link- http://www.davidsongifted.org/youngscholars/

    Note that a listed form of assistance to DYS parents, free guidebooks are made available to the general public. This includes the advocacy guidebook which another parent has mentioned.

    Whether in the DYS program or not, free access to valuable research and information is available to all on the Davidson Database (http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/)

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    Originally Posted by Sweetie
    Originally Posted by Kai
    Originally Posted by mommajay
    But they're not arguing with the results-- they're agreeing that she's way, way ahead, but saying that enrichment or a full skip is the only thing they can do, not subject acceleration.

    I must have missed this. Have they said why? Perhaps the logistical issues surrounding subject acceleration in an elementary setting are difficult to overcome?

    This is just what happened in my son's case this year. Getting the math acceleration he needed was logistically impossible. When you have 1000 kids who all have to go to Special Areas (PE Music, Art) and all have to get in and out of the cafeteria for lunch, all have to have an uninterrupted (by state law) 90 minutes language arts block and then add in the logistics of the fact that my son is in a program that is within the bigger school where half the day is in Spanish so the Dual Language classes have a completely different schedule. So there was no 4th grade class having math when he was having math or could have math when he had math or they couldn't move 3rd grade dual language math. It is just too complicated.

    We then discussed and eliminated several online options that were approved providers for the district (he would stay in the 3rd grade class and do his math over on the computer when his class had math). They were fine providers...they just weren't quite right for him. Doesn't mean that online math acceleration might not work for tons of others.

    So then the district gifted coordinator put the whole grade skip back on the table. For my son, I think it is going fine. He did know several children in his new class because last year he was in aftercare (and he is kind of a social butterfly who attracts people like a magnet). Also his best friend and my son attend and afterschool activity once a week together and used to do a Saturday activity together (we might start that up again). So he is still maintaining that relationship.

    I haven't heard ANYTHING saying that this isn't going well. I am at the school daily to volunteer. He did get a D on an essay but even that doesn't mean that it isn't going well because I knew that was going to be the one area where he was going to have to work extra hard. Oh and Spanish too just because he was losing a year of vocabulary and comprehension.

    It is much easier to subject accelerate in middle and high school because they ring the bells and change classes all at the same time and also there are additional online providers at the middle and high school level that are better fits (so that is an additional option). And in high school classes are already multi-grades (Spanish I can have any grade level of students) so it isn't so odd.

    Sweetie, we had a similar experience.

    Because we wanted to subject accelerate in math and language arts (the latter his area of strength) it was strongly suggested we simply grade skip our ds as well. I think the scheduling difficulties were a consideration...

    Last edited by KADmom; 10/12/13 12:04 PM.
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    Hello everyone - please be respectful on this thread or I will be forced to close it. Please see the forum rules as a reminder: http://giftedissues.davidsongifted.org/BB/ubbthreads.php/ubb/boardrules/v/1.html.

    Best,
    Mark

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    Originally Posted by mommajay
    ... my daughter isn't complaining about boredom ...
    I ran into this general issue with our son. As I worked my way through the school & district staff, I learned to preface my comments with, "I know my son is getting straight A's, is well-behaved, is adored by teachers and students, loves school and from all measures is having a grand old time... BUT... I am *not* happy with the situation."

    Some PG kids pester their parents to install weapons-grade physics laboratories in their bedrooms in their thirst for learning. Others write Tolstoy-esque tomes by flashlight under their covers at night.

    And then others, like my wonderful PG son, are tickled pink & purple to just endlessly coast, enjoying the frivolity along the way. My son never complained about boredom at school, and even when pressed, he was generally without complaint.

    But he was sure getting addicted to those easy A's and would recoil in abject horror when faced with the slightest challenge.

    The trend was clear... and having lived through the experience myself, I worked diligently to bring some gosh-darned struggle into that boy's life.

    I know that the OP is currently not in favor of a full skip, so I'll not press too much in that direction... B-U-T... I will throw out the teensy possibility that if the young lady is that far advanced in Reading and Math, perhaps there exists a similar gulf in Art, Science, or ???

    We had no idea that our ridiculously verbal son was also exceedingly capable in math... because he'd never been given a similar opportunity to push forward at his own pace. But good golly, when he was finally turned loose -- wow. And after his two full skips, his love for Science blossomed, and by some freak genetic mutation he also enjoyed and excelled in Social Studies.

    Yes -- he was perfectly happy just tra-la-la-ing his way through school, but had we not intervened, nobody would know how capable he truly was. Most importantly HE wouldn't have known either. But he'd sure figure out something was up when/if he got to college and slammed head-first into the ol' brick wall of reality.

    Oh - and about Santy Claus. DS was skipped full-time into the 5th Grade classroom just before Christmas that year, so I spilled the beans shortly after the move. I remember kids in my 4th grade GT classroom who were ardent believers of St. Nick and who were teased mercilessly by many as a result.

    Originally Posted by mommajay
    My daughter also doesn't complain when she has the flu. That doesn't mean she doesn't have the flu. It just means she's a wonderfully cheerful kid.
    Priceless.


    Being offended is a natural consequence of leaving the house. - Fran Lebowitz
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