It has been forever since I have posted here. I hope everyone is having a productive school year. I would say 'great' but who am I kidding?
The reason for this post. My daughter started Kindergarten this year. (background info: she is in a Spanish Immersion school where their curriculum is more advanced than the public schools) Up to this year, DD has been happy just being silly and not really being challenged. She has yet to really show her true abilities. She has always been the type to mimic others around her. When with her classmates she is anything but herself. It is like we have two separate children: school DD and home DD. I'm constantly encouraging her to be herself but have hesitated to do much of anything beyond that because DD is a major perfectionist. And I don't want to send the wrong message to her or have her take it to mean you need to be perfect.
Because of my fears, I have been lacks in really challenging her, but this summer I decided to test her in math and see what she knows and build from there, because even though the school is advanced, DD is still not challenged. What I discovered through the summer is that DD is solidly in 2nd grade math. If I really wanted to challenge her, she could be doing 3rd grade.
Fast forward to Kindergarten: She is now acting out in class, not doing her work, dumbing down with her classmates, refusing to show her true abilities. BUT she is also talking about being bored and specifically stating: 'Ms. M is constantly repeating things but I already know it.' or 'But mom I got it the first time she said it.' I encourage her to show Ms. M that she can do it and if she shows her than Ms. M will give her more challenging work. Still isn't willing to do this.
Yesterday we had an open house and I talked to Ms. M. She was, of course, shocked to hear that DD does 2nd grade math at home. She has not seen her show any interest in anything harder while in class. And when we pulled DD over to talk to her, she instantly got silly and played it off. (so frustrating!) But Ms. M is willing to try her in 2nd grade math and see if DD will actually do the work.
So my question: Does anyone have any tips on how to talk to this kid? Key words I might use to build her confidence without her thinking this is about being perfect?
