Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Too early to stress?

DS9 is now in 5th grade. They have two sections of what they are calling Advanced Math and those students are getting the 6th grade curriculum. Here in MA the 5th and 6th grade standards overlap a great deal.
I was happy that there was finally an option besides the regular curriculum but last week they spent the entire week on place value - Is it just me or does anyone else think advanced math students should only need a day of quick intro/review of place value? I spoke with the teacher at open house and he said that DS was bored but that he needed to catch everyone up. Is it too early for me to seek another option for DS? I realize that the first part of the year is review but how long do I wait to see if advanced math will fill the bill?
Am I getting worked up too early in the game?

Can you get a hold of the text book? Old class tests from previous years? Do you have a friend who's child took this class last year? Is there an end-of-year test that DS could take?

Basically LOG exists. It can't be wished away. What percentage of the students get placed in the Advanced Math at your school? How closely does your school population resemble an average American cross section? That should tell you how reasonable the teacher is being.

For some reason, I tend to believe teachers when they say that they are in touch with what their average students need. It's wonderful that the teacher recognized that your son is bored - that's unusual.

Best Wishes,
Grinity

Hi Grinity,

I can access the text book. It is standard fare - Scott Foresman 6th grade math. Our district is rural and small - approx. 80 kids per grade. Out of those 80 they have created two advanced math classes with perhaps 10 kids in each.
They did give the end of year assessment as a pretest and DS scored 75% with mistakes more related to rushing or lack of exposure - e.g. not knowing the sum of angles in a triangle. So I do think he needs some of the sixth grade curriculum but could easily move through the material in a month and be ready to move on. He just ended up hating school last year for lack of challenge and I want to head it off at the pass if possible.
On the other hand I don't want to be too pushy at the beginning of the year and I am not sure what accomodations they would/could make anyway.

So you are dealing with the 'top 25%' - so it's normal to get a week on place value.

You can ask for a subject acceleration or to compact the curriculum or to do Math online. You can ask for the top 2 or 3 to be given a special project to work on while the rest of the class repeats the topics. You can ask to homeschool Math and let him have a study hall.

Would any of those options suit your child? You can also try to arrange challenge in some other part of his life and let the Math Flap. It would be interesting if the teacher was willing to take a look at his pretest and see that the teacher thought about if this particular placement is the best fit.

Best Wishes,
Grinity

Is there anything in the text book that you think would interest your son? Perhaps you can help out by prescreening selected topics that you think he would enjoy? The problem with 6th grade math is that it's doesn't even plan to introduce new concepts - just consolidate and get a firm foundation for Pre-Algebra. Consolidating might be needed, but it isn't by nature, fun. If it isn't needed, then moving on might be best.

Best Wishes,
Grinity

It was the 6th grade EOG exam they gave him? If so, I think you are right to be concerned. I have similar concerns for my fourth grade DS9. He's supposed to be in a gifted program, but 1/3+ of the fourth grade is in his math class and they are only doing the 4th grade curriculum. I am hoping to get some test results tomorrow and then plan to request a 5th grade placement.

You already have the test scores - I'd start thinking about the suggestions Grinity has given you. If your son is already getting 75% on the material he's going to learn this year I think you have a very compelling argument for subject acceleration. I don't know exaclty how it works in MA, but in my state you really have to dig to figure out how they score and scale the EOG exams. Passing is around 50% and there is no calculation required. They have one section where they can use calculators and another section where the questions require no calculation.

If you do a little digging you may find that 75% is even better than you originaly thought. Maybe you could ask the school what % of last year's 6th graders scored above 75%?

http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/2010/release/default.html