DD5, in 1st grade, just started doing 2nd grade math independently at school while the rest of the class does first grade math. She's very excited about this! She has two workbooks, one for school and a second "practice" workbook the teacher gave her for home. Last night, as she was working on her math book at home, this was the funny conversation we had:
DD5: "Some of the kids in my class asked Miss G. why I'm doing different math now."
me: "What did Miss G. tell them?"
DD5: "She didn't really answer them. So then they asked me why I'm doing different math."
me: "What did you say?"
DD5: "I didn't answer them either. I mean, I didn't want to say 'Well, it's because I'm smarter than you are.' So I just didn't say anything and eventually they stopped asking me and walked away."
me: "If they ask again, you can say it's because you're ready for 2nd grade math. You can tell them you already learned a lot of first grade math last year at your old school."
DD5: "Okay, I'll try that. I know I can't tell them it's because I'm special."
DD's brother (DS8): "But you are special. I mean, look at you! You're five years old and you're doing 2nd grade math and 5th grade reading. And those are really big words in your reading homework! I don't even know some of those! I think you're very special and you should be proud of that."
DD5: "Well, I know I'm special. But I can't go around saying that. I did tell my best friend A. (a classmate) my secret, and she agreed that I am a very special girl because I'm so smart. Then I told her she is special, too, because everyone is special for some reason. But some people's brains learn differently. And one time I saw C. (boy who sits next to her at school) look at my reading homework, and his eyes got really wide when he saw 'Grade 5' at the top of the page. So I know he thinks I'm special, too. But he doesn't mind because he does 2nd grade reading."
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Then she went on to talk about her experience at the school she attended for the first three weeks of this year, before switching schools, and how that other teacher probably doesn't think first graders can do anything except first grade work... saying, "and she never would have let me do 2nd grade math or 5th grade reading. Plus she never smiled at me. I don't think she likes kids who are realy smart."
It was interesting to hear DD's perspective on how she processes her unique situation at school and pondering how to explain it to her friends/peers. She seems to enjoy being "different" and I think that's good; would you agree?
What do your children say about themselves and their giftedness? What would you advise them to say when classmates ask why they are doing different work in school?
