Deeyana - I'm so glad you're finding your time here useful. I don't mean to blame any teacher, there's an old expression: "When you hear hoof beat, don't think: Zebra!" which has stood me in good stead many times - except regarding my own son! LOL!
You may find it interesting to know that my own personal definition of gifted is - thriving on learning material that is one year ahead of that which is appropriate for their age mates. Highly or Profoundly gifted Zebras thrive on material 2, 3 or more ahead of their agemates. It's not a perfect definition because it can leave out twice exceptional kids and one's (like myself) who are highly creative or have gifts that aren't valued in this moment of society. But if it looks like a duck, smells like a duck, and acts like a duck - be prepared to feed it duck chow!
In your case duck chow is math and reading and collecting. So feed your sweet little duck - he needs all the support he can get right now, and your offering him 3rd grade math will signal to him that at his Mom, at least understands him. Keep making thoses videos.
Your son may "forget" what he has learned so quickly, but this doesn't worry me at all. I had forgotten most of my 4th grade level math, but I relearned it again very quickly. I hesitated for the longest time in afterschooling for fear of making the classroom experience even worse - I think that was a mistake. I hadn't fully grasped that my kid was a Zebra, and that it wasn't something that I had somehow "caused."
These Zebra kids need to learn new things, with an intensity that is difficult to overestimate. My son recently told me that the reason he was so poorly behaved in 2nd grade was that every second he was hoping to learn something new, and I know how hard it is to sit still when I'm waiting for something fantastic to happen and how cranky I get when I keep getting dissapointed over and over. He reports that now he is well behaved because he know what to expect at school (that is, hardly ever learning anything new!)
Anyway, these Zebra kids learn in their own ways - some learn Calculus before they memorize their Multiplication Tables. One of the best things about participating in the Davidson Young Scholars Program, for me, is that I am starting to get an appreciation for normal Zebra behavior.
Have you started to apply to the Young Scholar's program? If not I reccomend you do. Here's a link that says more about protfolio applications
http://www.ditdservices.org/Articles.aspx?ArticleID=71&NavID=0_34 Which brings me around to the question of testing. What are the current barriers to you having your son tested? What are the pros and cons, for you, in waiting for the school to do the testing? This is a key area to but your mind on, so please write back and let us know what your personal situation is like. I have ideas for every circumstance (you may have noticed LOL)
One more little idea - you mentioned that your son like collections. That's excellent! You may find a way in to his confidence by attending with him some "Adult" or "All Age" groups that focus on his favorite collection. Locally we have reptile hobbyist, geological hobbyists, and coin hobbyists who have meeting about once a month.Any time you can get your son into a all-age group of like minded people you provide him with hope for the future and "duck chow."
These Zebra kids can be tough to raise - one of my girlfriends reminds me that "tough to raise kids" grow up into some of the most interesting adults. (I repeat this to myself - often!)
(((hugs)))) Trinity
