We're back from the meeting.
The teachers and staff are incredibly nice and caring and they truly want DS to be happy. We met for two hours, and decided on the following two things, with a follow up meeting scheduled for the week after vacation to see how things are working.
For math, he will be preassessed before every chapter and if he's mastered the material, he will do challenge problems rather than the regular work during regular work time. FYI, they gave him the year end test and there were a few things he didn't know yet. They don't do the 85% thing, they don't even score it. They just expect him to know everything in the curriculum. I know it's wrong, but we'll try it. Fact is they showed us some problems DS had trouble conceptualizing, so giving him more complicated problems that require thought is a good thing. If we insisted on it, they would let him access the online courses, but for now we'll try their way and see what happens.
They also agreed to create an "office" in the classroom he (and the other kids, so there's no stigma) can use to get away from the noise and distractions.
As for GT, the principal doesn't believe in it for k-2. He did away with it this year with the belief that school should be about inclusion, and that the teachers should gear the instruction to the individual student. Not worth arguing about it - nothing will change.
So that leaves me thinking, we'll try this approach and hope it works, and continue the distance learning at home, and mix it up with some Singapore math type problems for which he has to use pencil and paper routinely. They suggested he continue what he does at home, even though I said I want him to play when he's home. (Oh, and socially, he's telling everyone how smart he is. That took me by surprise, that's for sure - I'll go back and read that other thread.)
The good thing is that the teachers are willing to work with us and continue to meet with us, so we don't feel the need just yet to pull him out of school. It's definitely a better situation than last year's and he has made great progress in other areas (reading, writing, raising his hand, etc.) I think what he really has to work on is motivation, and I suppose the ultimate question is whether this regular second grade classroom is destroying his motivation. That's what I focused on - that he now thinks all he has to do is do the work, not necessarily well, and the teachers will be pleased. We asked that they help him hold himself to a higher standard.
Thank you all for your support and good advice.
Last edited by questions; 03/12/08 11:50 AM.
