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    Joined: Nov 2009
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    Jamie,

    I've been lurking here for awhile but have been reluctant to post (more about why later). But I feel for you so much as we are going through so many of the same things with my GD5. She had a rather rough Pre-K year last year and this year has not been much better. Her teacher is trying to understand her but the administration just has her labeled as a behavior problem and have not been willing to consider her being gifted and bored as a factor. They have never heard of the overexcitabilities (sp?) which GD has in droves. I am her grandmother (my reluctance to post), but I have taken care of her since she was born and she and her mother live with us. Her mom is wonderful with her but has to work weekday afternoons and evenings so I have her every day after school until bedtime. I may post more about GD later to see if anyone has any suggestions. Just know - I feel for you.

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    Hi GM5! I just want to encourage you to keep posting! There are other grandparents here, so you're not alone.

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    Yes, GM5, grandparents are welcome! Don't let that even slow you down! smile


    Kriston
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    Thanks, MsFriz. The frustrating thing about being the grandmother of a gifted child is that you can only research, make suggestions to the mother (very carefully), and worry. Of course, the other problem here is that I love being able to be with GD so much, but I have to be the one to make sure her homework is done and other day-to-day activities rather than just be a supportive GM. So I guess I'm more involved daily than some GM's. My GD5 has been very intense and sensitive since the day she was born. When she taught herself to read at age 3 and began reading everything in sight, I started wondering if she was Gifted. My research led me to believe that a lot of her intensity etc. was related to her being gifted. Her Pre-K teachers thought it odd that she would be extremely upset about another child being left behind etc. (early empathy) They realized she could read the instructions on her worksheets but only wanted her not to scribble on the edges after she finished them. She also wanted to answer all the questions and had trouble sitting still. Later in the year GD did not want to participate in singing the abc's, counting to 40 etc. repetitively. She would get in trouble for the above and would end up in meltdowns if sent to time out or told to move her behavior clip too many times for behaviors. The school psychologist tested her and found she was >99.9 percentile on achievement tests, could read at a minimum of 3rd grade level (was not prepared to test higher), scored between 96-99.9 on a brief IQ test. The psy. thought she was mostly bored and made suggestions - none of which the teachers agreed to follow.

    Anyway, we hoped Kindergarten would be better. GD5 has a very experienced teacher (28 yrs teaching) who is now trying to understand her and work with her after a rough start (due to typical bored behaviors). However, she has had a few meltdowns/tantrums mostly outside the classroom when forced to do something that frightened her (such as go into gym for PE with pics of skeletons (for health)on the wall). The school admin. is not interested in her intelligence, only her behavior. The teacher has not even tested the kids for reading levels yet (11 weeks into school) although she knows GD is advanced. She is expected to sit attentively while they learn their letters/sounds, days of the week etc., practice recognizing patterns for math etc.

    She missed the gifted screening pre-test given to Kindergartners because they decided to have the asst. principal take her out of her classroom to a room full of BOYS (big deal for her right now) instead of leaving her with her class. They did not understand why GD got upset when the Asst. Principal (who is the one who has taken her to the office when she got upset previously) took her from her class to this new room. She did not understand why she was in trouble and being taken away. Her teacher felt terrible because she was pushed into letting GD not taking test in her room. Don't know how or when they will take her out again to make up the test.

    I realize this is way too long but I guess I needed to vent. Thanks for the opportunity.


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    Kriston, thanks for the encouragement! I suspect that there are a lot of others who are reluctant to post but could identify with a lot of the issues posted here.

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    Originally Posted by st pauli girl
    DS has been out for a week with the dreaded flu, so now unfortunately he's been balking about going back to school. He says he'd rather be sick, because then he doesn't have to go to school. I'm sure he's just trying to get to me, but once he said this after a 30 minute straight coughing bout when I asked "won't it be nice when you're not sick?" I still think I'm going to have to make being at home much less fun!
    How was his return to school?

    It seems like half of the year will go by before they do things for some of our kids.

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    I've heard that they even out too from teachers but rationally what teacher can think that's a good thing??

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    Thank you and welcome!

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    GM5 - so they tested her but she didn't have the scores needed or did she not take the test at all? Has her mom been to the school to talk to the administration yet? So right now she's not getting anything different than the rest of the class, right? Maybe you or her mom needs to tell the school that she needs to take the test alone or in her own classroom.

    Vent all you want...it's so frustrating most of the time!

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    Well I don't have much of an update. I called the principal multiple times in the last few weeks. She was supposed to meet with her group and get back to me last Monday about moving DS to 1st grade. Of course she never called.

    I signed up for EPGY on my own through the group on this board and we've started doing it at home. So far so good.

    DS hasn't been getting any 1st grade worksheets sent home anymore so I guess they aren't doing that but he's still complaining that he's bored and not learning.

    I'm so, so close to pulling him out of school. I don't want to but I feel like I might not have any other choice.

    I started a log on October 20th with notes about what I was doing to get in touch with the school and help DS...here are the parts dealing with his principal. Is this grounds to go higher up? I'm having the hardest time talking to her!

    10/20/09 - went in to talk to principal but was told that she wasn't in
    10/21/09 - called for principal and left a message
    10/22/09 - called for principal and was told that I could talk to the teacher about what I needed, was told principal was out sick and didn't get to leave a message, went in that afternoon to check DS out and she was there
    10/28/09 - called for principal and was told that she was in a meeting - left a message
    10/28/09 - principal called me back and said she was going to meet with her team and observe Isaac to see what the best course of action is, said to give her until Monday to let me know something
    11/4 - called school to talk to principal and was told that she'll be out of state for the rest of the week
    11/9 - called for principal and left a message. Was told that she won't be back until Wednesday

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