He definitely tries to blend in. At first he told the teacher in first grade that he wants to do higher level math and now when I ask him about it he says he is "just fine". But he has mastered the first and second grade math curriculum and half of third grade according to the testing that has been done. So how can he possibly be happy doing first grade math?
Part of it is probably the 2e situation--writing is extremely difficult for him and he hates it. What he would really like is to get on the computer to do math but the teacher won't do it.