DeHe, it sounds as though there are some good things alongside the frustrating ones this year for you. It is great that they have math and science in their curriculum, but I can see how you would be frustrated with the lack of differentiation beyond a certain point.
Things are better at our end. I was told by a third party that they plan on doing some kind of pull out for her next year and to have her in the gifted program a year early. No one spoke directly with me about this with me. My daughter also read something at an all school assembly and no one told me in advance. They are trying to differentiate, but they don't go far enough. She is doing multiplication, fractions, reading very fluently at a very high level, etc. and they are doing number recognition and letter sounds. I think we have a good teacher who is doing the best she can with a huge class. I afterschool for about 15-20 minutes a day and she gets more in one day at home than weeks at school so that is my answer for now. Now I need to talk to the school to get the details about what they want to do with her next year. I am actually one of the few moms who doesn't want her moved up. She is small, looks babyish and young and I wish there was a way for her to be around kids her own age at the same level or to be with kids her age as her base and then work at academic levels with older kids...maybe that is what they have planned. I guess it is time to make some calls.
TT
glad to hear you are a bit more optimistic - and especially glad to hear they are thinking of doing more, if not this year at least for next. We finally had our conference with the teacher - and DH expected me to go all, he needs this, you need to being doing that - and I didn't (massive restraint on my part) but the teacher actually spent 45 minutes selling us on what she is doing and how bright she thinks he is. So its weird, the school is awesome and the creativity that they use is awesome. She is a fabulous teacher for gifted kids as well. I think what I am still frustrated with is that fact that its seems like school is all about his weaknesses and not his strengths. But with the time passing, she is providing more, she acknowledged that he is beyond where she assessed his reading and that she needs to get him more books, he has books at that level now, last month he didn't. But in math he has no problems with anything they do and could easily do more, faster and deeper, but he isnt spontaneously doing it. So he could do more even with the fast pace they are setting.
Maybe the more of an outlier they are, the longer it takes the powers to be to realize they need more, I don't know, it sounds so weird. I understand the feelings about moving up - for DS - he LOVES older kids and so would be very comfortable with a skip - but his writing and social skills are not up to it - I agree if he could do work with them sometimes, or get the work in his classroom it would be so much better. So I think I am in a better place about what he is doing - not perfect but what is - but funnily my bigger concern is that she might be a problem for doing a DYS app after he turns 6!!
DeHe
