Time for an update! DS did well in the "accelerated" 7th grade class for his sixth grade year. He's now in Algebra with the same teacher and it's going fine as well. Not a challenge per se -- he has a 98% and hardly brings homework home -- but keeps him engaged enough.
But what's life in public school with a gifted kid if you don't second guess all the things? At conferences last month, the teacher remarked on how easily DS was coping with the class. He discussed what next school year will look like for him and his math progression. DS will have topped out the middle school offerings and will have to go to the high school (conveniently in the adjoining building, since it's a small district) for math in 8th grade. But the school is too small to offer tracking, so he will be in a mainstream 10th grade Geometry course and the challenge level of the coursework will drop dramatically. Geometry is required for high school graduation and therefore the class is paced for students who are struggling to pass. The current math teacher's suggestion is that for the first time in his career, he will be suggesting concurrent enrollment in both Geometry and Algebra II. He admits that, although this will provide challenge in terms of the quantity of math, it won't fix the depth or pacing issues.
I'm super worried by this and not really cool with it. My kiddo is not good with tedious homework, though he has good work ethic and will push through it. I don't want math to become a dreaded chore that taps out his executive function before he can even work on the other increased expectations of an 8th grade workload.
The teacher also mentioned that DS is the first student of his experience that he would consider to be strongly MIT/CalTech material. This is affirming but mindblowing. And it reiterates for me that what he needs is not to be hurtling toward the "endgame" of AP Calc BC in high school (or even DE Calc III at community college). He needs to be developing a true foundation for mathematical thinking that will help him launch whatever he ends up doing after high school.
So. Regardless of what we choose, we're looking at working on high school credit starting next year. What kind of options have other parents chosen in similar situations (sub-standard offerings at public school?) Stick with the school class plus enrichment...AOPS online for greater credibility when claiming credit...something else?
Advice welcomed!
