I have dualing impulses to (a) write a 300 page users guide to my kid and (b) just say "buckle your seat belts, it's gonna be a wild ride."
Obviously, something in between is needed 😉. I want to give them tools for success without overwhelming them or labeling him as a challenge. Do you lean towards more or less info? What was useful and what backfired?
If I was advocating only for gifted differentiation, I'd hold off and not say anything - as mentioned above, there were usually a crowd of vocal parents in early elementary who were convinced their children were gifted and needed "something more" and were pushing for that something more from day 1 of class or even before.
With a 2e student however, I'd put together a one-page summary listing diagnosis and how it impacts your student in the classroom. Make it brief - longer than one page means the teacher is less likely to read or remember it. You can meet in person later to discuss in detail. If your child has an IEP or 504 already, mention it.
Every teacher we had in elementary really wanted that first 2 weeks or so to get to know our kids and come up with their own ideas re needs and how to deal with them in the classroom (both gifted and special needs). It was important to have accommodations etc in place and have teachers aware of challenges from the start, but it was easier and more productive to have conversations about gifted needs once the teacher had that chance to get to know my kids.
Best wishes,
polarbear
