Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Just another vent...

I just had the writen report on DD that I ask her teacher so I could give it to the tester. In this report there is not a single reference to DD being gifted, or to any or the suggestions/links/articles that I gave the teacher. None. It is like I have not told her anything at all.
It is all about how DD is fitting in (=obeing her in my opinion) better.

DD is more and more into acting: she now pretends to be a 'new small girl' and she does it so well that the teacher is fully buying it. In the mornings she pretends to be very affectionate towards her, grab her hand or her leg, in the same way a new girl would do.
BUT... if I ask DD is she likes the teacher, says 'yes' while she avoids looking at me and her pupils contract....

I gave the report to a Dutch friend and she told me that the whole tone of it is rather unpleasant, a little like the teacher was resentful of DD.

We now have two weeks of holidays. After that, I do not know what would be best: let her finish the year (until the end of June, so one and a half months more with this teacher) or keeping her home until next academic year? Next year she HAS to go to school by law - we cannot homeschool. We still do not know if there will be a GT school in the area, so we are studying different possibilies. One would be pushing for a change to the next 'grade group' (ages 6 to 9) in the same school.

In any case, next year calls for a change - that for certain.

OK, vent over. Thanks for reading.

I am hoping your DD will get a teacher next year who understands her better! How old is your DD now?

If you can keep her home the rest of the year, I'd seriously consider it. If school wasn't over in a month and the principal had not set up an independent study for DD5, I would take her out because of the same issue. Teacher does not like her, teacher thinks she is dumb because she does not stretch and chop words to learn how to read and write and DD is internalizing it.

((sad face))

DD is 4.5 yrs old now. Next year she would be with the same teacher, but obviously we are not going to let this happen.

The best option would be the GT school, but it is not clear yet that there will be one next year.

Another option would be the same school as now, but in the next group (ages 6 to 9). We have not yet talk to the Principal about this since we think it is better to wait for the test results (which will be done in June at the end).

And another option would be an international school - English speaking. It is not GT school but has an excellent curriculum and some provisions for GT kids.

In the meantime, we are having holidays now and DD is coming back to ther eagerness to learn
She is even sleeping the whole night now! (shhh, fingers crossed).

I think after the holidays I am going to be VERY liberal with sick days or extra holidays. And our summer holidays will start beginning of July (end of the school is end of July).
The only reason I do not take her completely out of the school is in case the best option is the same school next year. If I take her out now I do not think they will accept acceleration.

oh Isa how sad for your DD. My son had a horrible K year and I know how distressing it is.

big hugs,
Dazey

The international school sounds neat. Can you move your daughter there even for the end of the year?

I like the idea of the international school. What kinds of provisions do they have for GT kids? Is gradeskipping possible there?

Mine is up all hours of the night. Would you consider that a symptom of school problems?


The only reason I am leaving mine in for the rest of the year (1st grade) is that they have a field trip next week, an "olympics game" day later in the month, and an end of school party. I'd hate for him to have had to put up with the miserable part and miss the fun bits. However, I'll be pretty loose with absences as well, we're taking him out two days next week to on on a trip. Only 21 more school days (19 if you don't count the two he's out! oh, and 18 because he is off Memorial Day; I might just make it after all!)!

Okay, back to topic:
Our international school is extremely expensive and is really a French school - educating French kids who are going back to France.

Someone in this board said that their pediatrician (sp?) told them to give their kid more intellectual challenge to make him (or her?) sleep better. So I tried with DD... and it seems to work!
Sorry I do not remember who said it, but thanks for sharing it

About the international school: it all depends if the GT school opens or not next year. If it opens, it does not make any sense to put DD for the rest of the year in an English speaking school, to go back in September to a Dutch one. As well, the international school has some admision procedure that takes some time, so by the time DD would be admited, the academic year would be finished.


The testing date has been rescheduled to the 6 of June. Then we will know more and with the more up-to-date test results we will go to the Principal or our school and of the International one (unless of course the GT school will open).

Right now, in these holidays (until 12 May) I am trying to 'hot-house' her so that her love for learning returns and to see if she becomes more willing to try new things.

Would you believe that she told me that 'counting more than 20 was tooo difficult' the same day that she did her first 9x9 sudoku? A very easy one and she needed guidance, but she did it...

This is from their web page:

Enrichment
The coordinator for enrichment services works with elementary teachers to devise ways to enrich classroom instruction.

This exchange might take the form of brainstorming, planning units of study, creating learning centers and activities, or co-teaching the students. Teachers might address their students� differing academic ability with flexible groupings and learning centers or they might compact the curriculum to focus on skills yet to be mastered. Other enriched teaching strategies: presenting the subject at a more complex level, drawing on interdisciplinary studies, clustering highly able students in groups.

They do not say anything about gradeskiping.

About International Schools:

Isa, is this school international because it offers IB? Or is it international because it teaches in English?

My friends, who lived in Eindhoven for 2 or 3 years did not have the best experience with the international school there. I will PM you if you want more info.
Ania

Actually, it is an English speaking school, but it has a really good name.

Anyway, Ania, please PM me.

But if the GT school doesn't open for next year, won't you be glad you went through the application process?

Grinity