I say "Great List!"
I also think that the info at the bottom is totally relevant, and the place to start, and remember it's ok to show how deeply this affects you emotionally when you hear him talk like that. ((Tears, dear, not clenched fists, though))

I think that it is theoretically possible to teach Math through a well thought out series of puzzles and games, incorporating what the assesment shows - but that's an awful lot of work! Better to purchase a curriculum. I think what you don't want is puzzles just thrown at him to shut him up. And even if it was perfect, it might not fit for a social boy who likes to learn in groups.

Some gifted kids are totally content to be left alone to do their own thing in the back of the classroom, some have personalities just won't tolerate that.

LOL from today: DS13 is studying sugars and starches. I suggested that he bring in a sweet potato and a flier I just got from the farm share, saying that sweet potatos have to be left in a greenhouse for a few weeks for some of the starch to turn to sugar and bring the flier and the potato to his teacher.
DS13: 'Oh MOM! I don't want to be That Kid!'
Me: Why not? I was that kid.
DS13: That's why you gradeskiped me and inspired me to take all honors classes in 9th grade, so I wouldn't have to be 'That Kid.'
Me: Oh yeah, now I remember...

I'm not saying that there is a single thing wrong with being 'That Kid' and I would defend that child against any Athority that says that social development is so important that the child should be kept back so they can fit in. But there are plenty of for-real PG kids who just don't want it for themselves. Personality makes such a difference!

Anyway - good luck Kcab!
Montana - sounds like you found a gem
Smiles,
Grinity

Well. I don't think that went particularly well. I feel grumpy and *crowded*. Parents of two other children were present, I was told at one point that my kiddo would have to wait for the others in the high-math group to catch up to him, as he is significantly ahead of them, too.

I don't feel like I had time or opportunity to really get my points across, though at least the one about extra work was clear. I expect they will keep that in mind.

OK.
positives:
1) I'm not nuts, he's ahead
2) More incentive to go full steam ahead on outside assessment.


Montana - I haven't yet gotten a return call from the person your son saw - am wondering now if I gave a wrong phone number or something. DH spoke to someone else, associated with same group, when he called. I'm not completely warm and fuzzy about the person DH spoke with, I talked to her briefly yesterday and she seemed abrupt. Though, could be plenty of reasons for that. I'm feeling abrupt myself right now. I think I'll call person you used again.

Ugh. I'm sorry. (((((hugs)))))) Why on earth would they think meeting with more than one kid's parents would be helpful, to anyone? Can you request an individual meeting?

And how do they justify that your DS will have to sit there and wait for others to catch up? Is there an upcoming thumb twiddling competition he can prepare for?

Kcab,
Is subject acceleration, actually going to another classroom for Math a possibility? How about 'partial homeschooling' where he doesn't attend Math at school, and gets what ever grade you grant him for your work together at home. I mean, if there plan for his is to 'wait for the other to catch up' that is an automatic A for doing nothing, right?

((((hugs))))
Try to get some fresh air and move around a bit and do whatever you do to nurture yourself for a little bit today, ok?
Grinity

thanks, guys. I don't know of any thumb-twiddling contests coming up. Subject acceleration isn't impossible, but would be problematic. I'll have to let this sit awhile and then see if I can get a chance to talk to people individually.

Hi kcab,
Hope you have better luck than me.
After seeing my DS6's work she said to me "Yeah, he is doing a lot of computations BUTTTTT I want to focus on comprehension with him" SO BASICALLY SCREW THE MATH! Isn't she supposed to teach both!

If I won the lotto I would open up some truely gifted schools that are affordable. I am sure most of us on this list would!

I don't know if it's too late but we have found it helpful to ensure the school separates their perception of our desires as parents and DD8's needs. I have found school staff to be much more responsive if they feel something is an issue to the student.

With that in mind we have asked DD to write down her issues and thoughts so that we can present it to staff and say "hey, help us deal with this". We did this with math and DD wrote about how much she loves math, how she does it for fun and ended it with "Boring math is so boring that I will not do boring math". It helped me as well because she was having underachievement issues (flipping from being a perfectionist) and we were not aware of how cognizant she was of the situation.

If the school can hear from your son in some way they might take him more seriously.

Thanks, Exo. He's written some notes, and I also tried to connect the dots between his self-generated problems (seems there is one of these on every homework sheet) and his needs. I think that may have been understood already, or else have struck home. They began placement testing almost immediately after the meeting. (Resulting in him being extremely buoyant when I picked him up after school, to have had a fun afternoon, while I was still stuck in the mud.) We shall just have to wait and see, but perhaps things did not go as poorly as I thought.

Oh Kcab! Our kids are the only onces I know that use testing as an enrichment activity. Our public school spent months testing DS in 4th grade, and it took him so long to get to the end of the test that the testing itself constituted a pullout/compacting program.

I'm praying for you.
Grinity