Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Ask New School for Math Assessment?

Hi all! I have a question about my DD9. She early-entranced K (barely missed cutoff) and then skipped a grade. She's now in 5th grade and doing great. She has awesome friends and we thought, until the other day, that the academic fit was good and that, while the material was still easy, it included some new things. But, the other day she was telling me how boring the work was, save for a math RTI class she does everyday for 30 minutes. She says that the math in RTI is at the right level for her and that it's fun. Looking at the work -- which is definitely at the right level for her (challenging but not frustrating, still does very well on it without help), it looks just like our DS's 7th grade math curriculum.

So, anyway, DD will be switching to a private school starting in 6th grade. They claim to have a harder curriculum, but when DS12 switched to go to school there last year, he had no problems adjusting to the new curriculum and it didn't seem further advanced than what he was getting in public school (and he's not HG+ like DD). And, like I said, the RTI math DD is getting and doing well on and liking is what my DS is doing in 7th grade in this school.

So, we were thinking of asking the new school if they could give her the end-of-6th-grade math assessment that they give to all the 6th graders to decide their 7-12th grade math track, but to give it to her now so that we can see if she should just do regular 6th grade math or if she should accelerate in math. The downfall to this is that 1) she will be a new student and this would make her stand out as "different" since she would be the only one doing something different for math, 2) the new school uses Saxon math and up until now she has been "taught" using Everyday Math so she might have some adjustments, and 3) she will be, by far, the youngest in her class since this is a school that favors redshirting any kids with summer birthdays, so they may have a philosophical issue with her moving further ahead (although they've never expressed any disapproval of current age/grade situation; they may not have even noticed yet).

Does anyone have thoughts on whether we should just let her slide since she'll be switching curriculums and will be the new kid in class or whether we should request an assessment?

Also, I've read that Saxon math, while great for a lot of kids, can be frustrating for highly gifted kiddos. In your experience, is this something we should consider?

BTW: We asked DD about whether she would want to accelerate in math or just blend in as a new student, and she's really on the fence. She wants both!

((Hand raised and waving wildly))
I have thoughts! I have thoughts!! Pick me - Pick me!

((big grin))

You are presenting a non-logical argument. You are saying that the school which claims to be advance, really isn't. You are saying that you gradeskips that you thought were enough, really aren't. You are saying that your DD can't have both 'good math' and 'be normal.' - but she can.

From what you've said she clearly needs to come in to the school as a new 7th grader, get 7th grade math and everything else.

I get that Saxon Math is more rigerous than Everyday Math, but it doesn't sound like her RIT math is Everyday style, and you can do a quick review over the summer if you want - just to be sure.

Even if DD falters a bit in early 7th grade, you are still far enough away from the dreaded '9th grade' where the grades go on the College Transcript that she can have a chance to pull herself together.

BTW - I don't like what you are writing about this private school - they seem do be really into their own ideas and not open to your perspective. Can she stay with her awesome friends next year? Where are they going to be?

((shrugs and more shrugs))
These decisions aren't easy -
Grinity

It sounds to me, like the current school is willing to work with you since they allowed early entrance and an accel. My thoughts are, have this school test, accelerate her before she leaves the school (in writing, not necessarily skipping the grade now, but so that once the acceleration is in place, the new school has to honor it anyhow and won't need to be involved in a student they aren't familiar with at all, where as the current school knows her abilities! Not sure the private school is all it's claiming to be based on what you are telling me.

Thanks, Grinity! I always love your straight-forward responses!

A couple of quick answers:

Her RTI math is not Everyday Math. Her RTI is taught by an awesome teacher who uses a variety of materials and games and curricula to make math fun and challenging for the top students. In fact, in her regular classroom math (EM), DD and her best friend have pre-tested out of almost every chapter and, while they are still responsible for their homework and still have to take the test with the rest of the class, they get to work on more challenging math on their own. So, I don't think switching to a new curriculum will be difficult for her at all, just different. I think we just now realized that switching curricula might not be the challenge we were hoping it would be for her in order for her to bide her time until they do the assessments to choose math tracks in 7th grade.

Also, DD asked to go to this school. We had chosen it for her older brother two years ago because he needed smaller classes and a more nurturing approach. They are completely different students and completely different personalities. We (my DH and I) were not really favoring the private school vs. the public school. The private school has much smaller classes (20 vs. 40 kids), most of the really smart people we know send their kids there (which we thought might up the chances of her having peers in her grade), the teachers are really nurturing (well, most of them), and their volleyball team (which my DD plays and loves) is awesome. The public school has her great friends and a greater variety of AP classes (although they let private school kids take these classes if they want).

The idea of her skipping into 7th grade makes me nervous. I guess that's natural. I'd really have to wrap my head around the idea of her graduating at 15. I have a feeling she'd want to go off to college at the same time as her friends -- out of state -- and I adore her so much that I think I'd have a nervous breakdown at her leaving a year earlier!:) Also, she wants to play volleyball in HS and while her youger age hasn't affected her much yet, it might if she's another year younger (note: we're not an intense sports family, but it's fun for her). Still, I know there are other options. And, you're right, Grinity. She could handle it academically across the board. She's one of those kids who seems to be able to learn anything presented to her. But, while she makes friends with everybody and can definitely hang with even older kids, her current grade seems to be the ideal social fit.

Just to add: we live in a small town, with just three options: the public school, the private school, and the really intense and sports maniacal boarding school where the academics would be appropriate but the social situation would not.

DD is in public elementary that ends in 5th grade, so she just has another couple months there. Public middle school is 6-8th. The private school is K-6th and then 7-12th is right across the street.

When we had gone to the private school open house we had asked about what the situation would be if our youngest DS7 went to school there in 6th grade (we like his current school) since he is subject accelerated, and they said they would work with us and that walking over to the 7-12th campus would be a possiblity, as would just having a teacher teach him 7th grade math while he was in the 6th grade classroom. They seemed willing to work with us. But, alas, we didn't ask about our DD because we thought that she wouldn't need this.

The new school doesn't have DD's records yet so they don't really know much about her. The know her brother, but, like I said, they are so completely different that I know she will suprise them.

It seems like you guys are saying we should at least ask them to assess her and see what they say. And I guess what we need to do is try to get a hold of all her records (testing, etc.) and see if we can have a sit down. Thanks for the nudge!

Have you signed the contract with the private school? It seems to me, in my limited experience, that folks who are doing the selling for privates schools will smile and agree to anything at the open houses, but once you sign on the bottom line, it's a totally different story.

I would get it in writing with them signing that if they don't provide whatever they have agreeed to in writting, that you aren't going to be held to paying for the part of the year you didn't use.

I get it that your DD is an agreeable sort - and I'm sort of jealous of that, but in a way I'm grateful that I had more of a 'delicate flower' who just couldn't tolerate poor-fit academic situations.

It is so hard to weight how much acceleration is best!

Don't worry about the outcome of graduating at 15 - perhaps she can do a Post op year or a Gap year before college, or even spend a year abroad in High School to decelerate before she gets to Junior year. Perhaps once she gets to be a driver, she can homeschool and defer graduation to homeschool while she audits college classes. But what you really don't want is for her to be shocked out of her lull when she heads off to college. I want her to be ready to work hard when the academic situation calls for it.

I'm also not frightened of 40 kids in a classroom, afterall, the teachers will probably give her as much attention as she wants no matter if there were 150 kids in the classroom. More kids means more chances of kids who are a good social/academic match.

It is true that if all the bright parents are sending their kids to the private school, that the social fit might be better. But remember that your barganing position with the private school will NEVER be better than it right now. Probably better to ask for the needed gradeskip NOW, than 'wait to see if maybe it will be ok.' You already know that it won't be.

Love and More Love,
Grinity

I hope this doesn't sound snarky, but the gift of the teenage years is that by the time they are truely ready to leave the nest, we are truely ready to let them fly.

I promise that if she is really ready to go - you'll be cheering her on. Honestly, they don't stay cute forever!
Smiles,
Grinity

ROTFL!!! So true, so true!

Very sad but very true - my son was so delightful at age 8, it's when I realized that I owed it to him to 'get a life' of my own. At least a tiny little one.

So I called the private school and explained the situation, and they said that DD9 should definitely come in and take the math placement test when the 6th graders take it (in early May?). They said that, if it shows she needs more than 6th grade math, they will either have her go across the street to math at the 7th-12th grade school or they will figure out some sort of arrangement for her to get the higher math in the 6th grade classroom next year. So, it's good to see that they are thus far receptive to the idea of her doing something different. Hopefully they will remain supportive after they see how she does. We didn't talk about the idea of her skipping 6th entirely -- still haven't wrapped my head around that idea and we're still thinking about whether that would be best.

Now my only question is, is it okay to pass it off to my daughter as "the school likes to assess the math abilities of all new students before the beginning of the year?"