Hello,
I'm relatively new to the forum. I'm hoping some of you can help with the situation I'm having with my daughter's kindergarten teacher. My daughter has tested in the 99.6% on the WPPSI. She is a June b-day and I've noticed in the past the teacher has tended to sent the older kids to the enrichment class. Her report recommends she should participate in all gifted and enrichment programming has been turned in to the principal. C-Dog, as her dad calls her :), can read but is not real interested in doing that. She started reading words at 3, but when I would ask her to start reading books she refused and asked me to read to her. I thought that was fine and she does read, just probably at a first grade level. Her teacher informed me that C-Dog didn't know how to read simple words such as "My" and that the enrichment teacher really expects the "cream of the crop". She also states that C-Dog is not raising her hand and answering questions to the extent that teacher expects with a gifted child. C-Dog was very enthusiastic when school started, but would come home crying that the teacher wouldn't always call on her, even when no one else had her hand up. She told me that she doesn't raise her hand always because she doesn't always get called on. We've explained that she won't always get called on, others need a turn and she should always raise her hand, but not expect to be called on every time. I explained that C-dog is having some reservations because she realizes the others aren't doing what she is and she is feeling self conscience and clamming up. The Dr. that tested her and I agree that she needs to always go to enrichment because she needs to be with others like her in an environment where the other kids are capable of doing the same work she can do at home. I told her C-dog is doing some very advanced science experiments at home. At this point she said that some parents push their kids at home, so they shut down at school. This is not the case in our home, we follow our children's interests, not the other way around. I think just by advocating for my child she sees me as the pushy parent. I also think she totally disregards the IQ test administered by the very respected PhD. (by the way, this is the guy the school works with) specializing in gifted children. She feels that C-dog just isn't "as smart" as we think she is. Now, the enrichment program isn't that great so I'm not sure how upset I should be if C-dog doesn't go this year. The teacher is retiring and last year she told one of her student's next teacher that the child was in the bottom third. Guess what, this child is also highly gifted. Unfortunately, it seems if C-dog is being turned off now. She has asked me three times if I could just home school her. Our school district has the best gifted program in the state but it doesn't start till 4th grade. The PhD. kind of implied that you get blacklisted from the program if you do anything unconventional at all, ie: part home school, home school for a few years and come back, etc.
Well, there's more but, that's a good start for now. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Incog
