[quote=Trinity]
Has he memorised his times tables?
Yes, most are memorized but some that he doesn't have down cold he uses reasoning to figure out. 7x6 for example - he'll do 7x5 then add 7. The psychologist who tested him last week taught him the 9's trick with his fingers - That was worth the money. :-)
That's how I do 7 x 6, too! Keep guiding in the direction of automaticity, only in self defense - these are the "running" tasks that tend to be the lens that teachers see smartness in. My son seems to have been more "uneven" able to discuss ethics at 4, but unable to read an analog clock until everyone learned it in first grade. You son seems to be more even in his gifts, which makes grade jumps more workable.
Trinity, I see you're in Connecticut. That's where I grew up and I know they are one of the states with a later cutoff to begin Kindergarten. If we lived there we would only be talking about a 1 -2 years skip (3 for gifted curriculum) not the 2-3+ in our state.
I find this so confusing, but yes CT has a January first cutoff, although I was allowed to go to K at 4 and 3/4 with a late January birthday. a mildly "early enterance" by CT standards, real early enterance by usual standards. Still boys with "Summer Birthdays" are routinely held back for later starts in my town. My July DS shouldn't have been the youngest boy by months in his elementary classes, but was. I call it his "unofficial" gradeskip. He and I both had the too easy/too hard "Goldilocks Problem" in elementary school, to immature to be "fast runners" and no place to flap our wings in school. I'd really really like to see more schools where each child has their own IEP and works at their own readiness level in each skill and knowledge level. But it doesn't seem like your son will need that. Many PG kids just get their gradeskips and are able to benifit and blend in without giving up the vital parts of themselves. Let's face it, learning how to get along in "non-optimal" environments is a good thing, in moderation.
Well, Zia's Mom, I'm glad you found us, and wish you all kinds of good things at the meeting tommorrow!
Smiles,
Trinity
