Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Math gaps after long summer

You would think by now I would have a handle on things. DS9 grade skipped 2nd grade currently starting 5th and attends MS 7th for math, very mathy kid. The 5th grade teacher has asked to meet with us and the principal about gaps in his 5th grade testing. School, just started and apparently the teacher has some areas of concern after giving him a 5th grade math assessment. This is the same teacher he had last year for 4th and he was top of his class in 6th grade math. Over the summer we did almost no math. I am not looking forward to having to explain easy on easy off. Has anyone had this issue and how did you work it out. Note the teacher, and principal are great, but they would not have called for this meeting if they where not concerned. The battle to get him into middle school last year went right up to the district superintendent in order to get the correct accommodation. I still believe that the 7th grade math curriculum is too easy for him and he would be better suited by Algebra, however the 7th grade teacher believes he will keep DS sufficiently challenged, so we are giving it a try.

Similar position.... but glad to "see" you again.

Thank you Kcab, I am hopeful the meeting is what can we do rather then this is what we are going to do. I do belive these are not trully gaps, but rather a lack of any math over the summer. I belive in about 1 to 2 weeks he can be up to par. Last year he started 6th garde about 2 months after the start of the year and he was caught up in 1 week. I do however understand the 5th grade teachers concern and the matter will need to be addressed.

The meeting went well, the teacher and the principal did have a sugestion that DS stay in 5th grade math this year and then go to 7th grade next year. The good thing was that it would be our choice to accept this. We explained that the gaps would quickly be fixed and that we would prefer to keep him in 7th. Everyone agreed and the only other issue was scheduling. DS will need to change to a later period at MS to accomadate changes in the 5th grade program. Unfortuantly this being the 2nd week of school he has already made a friend. DS9 is very upset about the change, because of the friend. We are working on playdates now to help with that.

On the math contets, yes and no. The ES has no math club or contest, so I started one 2 years ago. This will by our thrid year and I use MOEMS, and 24 the game for fun. The MS (6th-8th)also has no math contest or math club, so I am starting one this year, I also have DS9's math teacher working with me on the club at MS. (I need the help, I am not very good at math). DS will be able to take te AMC8 because their is no grade or age restrictions. Howeverf he cannot take Math Counts until next year when he willl be a full time student in MS. I do keep my eye out for other competitions. The Orange County Math circle has a couple of contests they host and DS has attened the last 2 years. He will also be able to particpate in any of the MS contests we set up internally with the new club. Its an after school club.