I have a 2e 4th grade boy, 9 years old. He has SPD, stealth dyslexia, dysgraphia and questionable ADHD. We are currently on a trial of ritalin and have been engaging in conversations about how he feels on the medication. He told me today that it helps him concentrate better on the easy, boring stuff, but makes it hard to think straight on the more challenging, interesting stuff.
Perplexed, how is he on organization and self-management? I ask because that has been the biggest challenge for us in 4th, and when I look at the 5th graders in our school I am astonished by the level of independence that is required of them. Giant leaps are happening here.
I'm now fairly glad we didn't gradeskip DS when it was being considered. In terms of content, he could have managed it. But in terms of organizing his work, he really couldn't have. And yes, this can be accommodated, but there gets to be a cost there too-- there are stigmatizing moments (the aide saying "now it's time to pack up your backpack" to a 5th grader?).
The Iowa Acceleration Scale is a good tool-- it helps you consider all factors, no matter what you decide.
DeeDee
