Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Elementary School Parent Teacher Conference- Please help!

I don't know that I've ever posted, or not in a long time, but I'm really struggling to understand here.

My just-turned 6yo DD has not been tested, and I struggle with a lot of doubts. That said, she taught herself to read at 22 months (reading books, not just words) and progressed to chapter books by age 3. She not only reads, but comprehends, and we started talking about symbolism and foreshadowing because her retell had gotten to a level I was pleased with (I'm an English major). She read Moby Dick and Animal Farm and I was pleased with her assessments of both; she's in the middle of The Whipping Boy now. Math, she taught herself basic multiplication at 3 and we put her on Khan Academy where she learned multiple digit addition and subtraction with borrowing and carrying within 10 minutes and sets problems for herself all the time. She has a deep curiosity about the world and we have done everything from Punnett squares (in response to queries about genetics after reading a book) to volcanoes at home. She is begging for a frog to dissect because "it feels cruel, but I'm SO CURIOUS". She's (ironically) a vegetarian because she can't stand the thought of meat and has an empathy level through the roof.

A classic gifted kid, right?

Wrong. According to her parent teacher conference. They say she's "very bright", but assessed her at a 9-10 level (I don't know what system, but the books on the list are level 3-10 DRA and include "We Both Read" books and Dick and Jane books that she read when she was less than 2.5). For math, she's "beginning" to understand addition (add one only) and they hope to get her to subtraction after the holidays "but, to be honest, it's abstract and hard and she's nowhere near there."

We had called in the AG teacher before school started and were told she'd be assessed in the first 2 weeks. That never happened and radio silence from the AG teacher since.

Kid comes home in tears over how boring things are. She's not in a reading group (highest in her class) but rather sits at a table teaching the other kids to read. They started her on AR quizzes but they've only done one. They started her on a district gifted project based thing but have only sent home two items since the beginning of the year. They said they would reach across to other classes to find a group for her if necessary...never happened.

But, every time we see the teacher, she RAVES about how brilliant the kid is, and talks about all the accommodations she's making for her. She's been teaching for a really long time and clearly knows her stuff, but I feel like she's just way off. I have no idea how to proceed from here.

AG teacher admitted that outside testing would largely not be taken into consideration. I live in an area where we could force their hand on an IEP but they'd do their own testing; our testing would only make it so they would do their own. Which is clearly not worth the paper it's written on.

I don't know what to do.

Sorry, I don't know what to do either, but thought you might want to have a look at some kind of virtual frog dissection program. Here's the top Google result, but you might be able to find a free one by searching more: http://www.froguts.com/demo/

Sounds really frustrating; sympathy. As I see it, you have three options:

- Push harder with this school. (I'd start with the maths thing; it's weird that they positively think she isn't ready to do things she's been doing for a long time. Is she "hiding"? An obvious step would be to take in a few of the problem sets she creates for herself.)

- Find a different school.

- Home educate.

What do you think of each of these options? (I don't mean to sound patronising - it's not that I think you won't have thought of these things! But if you want to discuss what to do, it's going to be crucial to understand what options you have.)

You say she was evaluated at DRA 9-10, and their books go from 3-10... looks to me like they evaluated her to the highest level they keep in the class, and then stopped.

At this point, I'd say you've accomplished all that polite asking is going to accomplish, and it's time to start becoming "that parent." If you have the opportunity to demand screening and an IEP, take it.

Also, I see from another thread that you were offered and declined a grade skip (assuming we're still talking about the same kid). Honestly, I don't see it helping here, because she's far above the 1st grade curriculum as well, but it might be worth revisiting.

It's also worth considering how an IEP would translate into effective accommodations. I know in my DD7's case, the school's plan was haphazard and damaging in many ways, and your DD is further off the charts than mine. We were left with no choice but to homeschool.

She was offered a grade skip at a different school. This school said they would assess her when she came in, while assuring us that they had it well in hand for most gifted kids. The assessment never happened and I never heard from the AG teacher.

I misspoke on the 9-10 DRA...it's 9-10 their specific to the district level (I haven't found another name listed except the county's name), and the books on their list are 3-10 DRA.

The teacher assured me, providing a couple of distinct examples, that she goes as high as the kid can. This is, apparently, as high as my kid can go. Biscuit, but at home she's reading Harry Potter and CS Lewis.

The school we can switch to next year is much lower performing. This current one is IB and has some distinct advantages...Science in K and Spanish, as well as a ton of cultural lessons. The other school offers none of that...but did mention that they would skip her. I can't even begin to describe the mess our district is in and there are many options but few valid ones...lengthy applications and the possibility to get revoked at any time and redistricted with almost no notice.

We would consider homeschooling, but only as a last resort for K. We are strongly considering it for the future.

I didn't want to have to push harder, but am thinking I may need to. My first thought was that I had badly misjudged my kid, but I have been assured by those who know her that this is not the case. But we've never had a "professional" opinion before, and she is my oldest, so I am not sure.

Hi!

I'd first like to say that I sympathize! It sounds like we are in very similar situation, minus Moby Dick and Animal Farm. DS5's report card just came home and one of the comments stated that they'd been learning to write numerals up to 31. All I could think was "Wow", and not in a good way.

Our PT conference is Monday evening and I am not sure how I'm going to handle it yet. I'll probably start my own post in the next couple of days asking for advice. I've been tossing around the idea of bringing in the math workbook that he does at home for fun. I know that he does not show what he knows in class and since they have yet to test him, despite a few requests, I feel that I need some sort of evidence. Since I know that he already aced they're reading assessment, until the end of 1st grade which ids the furthest that they've tested him, I might mention the idea of a grade skip and see what they do. If nothing else it may get them moving to collect data to prove to me why he wouldn't qualify. I think that they will be the ones who are surprised. Also if testing has not been completed by then or a definite date set I think that I'll be contacting the GT coordinator and possibly the principal after Thanksgiving.

I've started to talk to DS about how his behavior in class is interpreted by his teachers. If he knows that they're not going to teach him anything new until he actually does all that they ask with accuracy and speed it might make a difference.

I'll be following this post to see what advice you get! Good luck!

Couldn't you have her tested on your own (if financially able) and have those test results to use if needed? We chose to have our DD8 tested (at our expense) when she was 6 to rule out the different diagnosis the school was just throwing out there in an attempt to explain her behaviors. It ended up that she was just very bored in class. The testing was the best thing we ever did and the best money spent. It proved to us we really did know our daughter and erased any doubts we may have had about how bright she is. We kept our results to ourselves until we had to prove to the school she is really at the level she is at. If having your daughter tested forced your school to do their own testing what would that hurt other than being out the cost of your individual evaluation? I think the test results would ease your worry - I think sometimes it is not knowing for sure that is the hardest!
I also don't know how your state or school district works, but in some states if a parent requests an evaluation then the school has a set time to respond to that request. If they come back and say they don't see a need for testing then you can provide your test results showing there is a need. Just some thoughts!
We are fighting our own battle, but I know for a fact that having DD tested and proving to the school she has a need for accommodations is the only reason we are getting a GIEP this week!

We could have her tested and are financially able, though not necessarily with a tester we would otherwise choose (she has some anxiety issues and some hiding issues and I have very definite ideas about who would test her best to help us tease those out, get a "truer" number and also help us figure out what's going on with those other issues, but our financial state isn't capable of handling that particular tester at this time).

The test results would either ease my worry or completely make me feel that I've been wrong all along...we know several extraordinarily gifted kids who came back with very subpar results, and our kid does not like to answer questions and feels she's doing something wrong if she gets something incorrect, then shuts down completely and refuses to "play" (certainly part of her issue in this school setting, but wouldn't help her on a test, either).

We have asked for an evaluation...at the beginning of the school year, the AG teacher asked us to send all materials related to our kid. We did. She did a pre-assessment on the first day of school, then told us she would review her further at some point in the next two weeks. Radio silence after that. At the PTC, this is where we learned that DD answered the "teen" questions incorrectly...in our state, there are zero AG services for kids who aren't working at least 2 grade levels advanced in all subjects, so obviously the AG teacher felt that she no longer needed to be assessed because she was working at K level, not 2nd grade, and thus it was dropped.

They have told us that they would look at our testing if we did it, but that they would do their own for the official report. We can reapply for gifted services at the beginning of 1st grade.

I think you need to go back and explain more clearly what your child is doing at home with examples and maybe bring in work to back you up. After being more blunt with my ds teacher, she gave him a star test for Acclerated Reader program. (He had also been assessed as a DRA 10- which is 1st grade in our district.) Once I explained he was reading solidly second to third grade chapter books, something happened. So, it has helped with reading. Somehow, the teacher is somewhat accommodating my ds in math, but prior to August he had no exposure to math. I am still fighting for level appropriate language arts, but we'll see. It almost seems much easier to homeschool, but I'm not sure I'm ready to take it on. Good luck. You are the voice for your child. Let us know how things go.

What about a SIT Plan(School Improvement Team)or 504 Plan. Are either of these options within your school district? I know they say she is doing fine where she is at and with what they are teaching her, but these types of plans are less work for the school, but could help your daughter with some accommodations. You also mentioned she started doing some AR, but has only taken one quiz. We are using our DD8's AR level and her ability to pass the tests on higher level books as leverage to get her some accommodations in reading. When we first started her taking the tests in Kindergarten (AR isn't required until 3rd grade in our district) my mother (a retired teacher) went up to the school to help her get on the computer and log in. This could be something you ask about - could you or someone else go to the school once a week and work with her to take some AR tests? If someone shows up at school to help her with the tests then they can't just put off letting her take them and they don't have to use their own time to do it. We found the more accommodating we were by sending extra puzzle books and higher level reading books to school with DD, for her to do in her down time, the easier it was because the school didn't have to be responsible for finding her something to do. Then once she has some more AR tests to prove she is comprehending what she is reading at a higher level you can use that to show she needs accommodations. Just some more ideas for you! Believe me, I know how down right frustrating it is and if I only knew then what (little) I know now. Keep plugging away!