Originally Posted by Penelope
Our public school uses a guided reading curriculum and each child reads at their level every single day whether it is a K level, 2nd, 4th etc. many public schools have gone to this model.

Woof. That's really great. Public schools in our area don't do that.


Originally Posted by Penelope
As far as acceleration goes, does it really benefit a profoundly gifted child to move up one grade level when they are functioning many grade levels above their same age peers? At least if they are with their age level peers they "fit in" a little in one respect, what is the point of a single grade acceleration?

I think this depends a lot on the child. Some HG+ kids don't fit with age-level peers at all. Some do.

My DS9 fit in pretty well with his age-level peers before skipping third. But he was going barmy doing grade-level maths, which was way below his level. After the skip he got extra acceleration in maths and he started spending time with a couple kids who are 2 years older than him, and he got on with them really well.

He's doing another skip this year to 6th. I'm hoping it'll work out socially. We'll see.


Originally Posted by Penelope
I really try to consider what our ultimate goal is for our DS, not just his Kindergarten year.

I agree that single skips aren't always great solutions. They mitigate the boredom, I suppose.

My opinion: all schools should be ability grouped. If there was a will, this would be doable. The schools could schedule maths/reading/art/whatever at the same time and the kids would just rotate to where they belonged.

We sacrifice to send our kids to private schools that ability group, which is why DD4 (soon 5) will be able to skip K and start 1st. They're going to give her an extra acceleration in reading. Our local public schools are anti-skip and anti-subject acceleration, and so DD, who practically eats books, would be forced to name letters and the sounds they make. Ouch!

Val