Well -- the lawn never did get mowed today. Maybe tomorrow (or maybe not).
I got an email from son's current teacher this evening; he said he'd be available to meet tomorrow after school.
So, in preparing for the pow-wow (I tend to be
over-prepared, can you tell?), I've been reading more about acceleration and came across an article at EdWeek.org:
Whatever Happened to Grade Skipping? It is co-authored by Laura Vanderkam (
Genius Denied) and while much of the argument is quite familiar, the article is current (published Aug 12, 2009) and includes what some schools are doing
now to address the needs of gifted students.
In one respect, I like some of the approaches shown, especially the model employed in Lebanon, PA, where all the kids are screened by "subject competency," essentially allowing every student to attend whatever grade-level class is appropriate. As pointed out in the article, this approach squarely deals with the critics, as all kids are individually placed and there is no labeling involved.
What I am left wondering, though -- especially in terms of what we are contemplating with our son -- is whether or not the grade skip alone will truly provide all that is needed?
In my conversation with Mr. Teacher tomorrow, I am intending to ask him about telescoping in addition to acceleration. After all, DS is not going to be challenged by 5th grade math if he gets 180 days to learn what he can probably handle in 90 days (or less).
By relying on grade-skipping alone, in order to truly challenge him in math, we'd have to put him into 6th, where he'd be hamstrung for lack of 5th grade math and essentially forced to learn them both concurrently. (Although I wouldn't call that "challenged," I'd call that cruel & unusual.)
This leans me toward EPGY, etc. for use with in-class math (& language arts?) because on-line programs are naturally geared for telescoping.
Sorry to go on & on, but I'm really trying to clarify this dizzying array of choices in my mind... and sharing (blathering?) here helps a bunch.
Any other thoughts on acceleration v. telescoping?
edit:[I see "Acceleration" as grade (or single-subject)-skipping, whereas "telescoping" seems to be "moving through curriculum more quickly."]
