Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Off to a rough start. Could use advice.

My DS is older than yours (he just turned 7), but we have had a few school issues and had been trying many different things to encourage him to do well. What I've realized, though, is that nothing will work if he is uncomfortable in the environment. Recently, the school moved him from first grade to second grade and gave him more independence in his work. It made an amazing difference on the first day and I think it helped to show the school that he really does want to do well but needs their help (rather than just being disobedient). It's not just academics; he does better in a class that is calm because other kids with behavior issues or separation anxiety upset him (one teacher said they felt he was too empathetic, but I think the disruption bothers him as well). Obviously, other kids do sometimes have behavior problems and teachers have to try to help everyone. When my son won't stay in his seat, clearly that is distracting to other kids. However, he does much better when there aren't other kids having major behavioral difficulties. So combining those things (a calmer classroom and better academic work) really makes a dramatic difference in his ability to do well, which is the first step in getting the confidence to do well in more challenging situations as well.