Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Elementary School Please help 7 year old behavior problems

It sounds like unreasonable/inappropriate expectations from the teacher is part of the problem.

I agree. If this were a medical condition, would the teacher also expect the child to need to "ask" for his/her monitoring/medication in order to receive it?

(Nevermind, actually... some teachers actually DO expect just that... )

In any even, not really developmentally appropriate for a 6yo to "take charge of his/her education" like this.

There is a trend now in educational theory that holds that students need to become engaged and empowered to "own" their education...

and that no age is too young to do this, apparently. I'm obviously not in favor of that because I think that it flatly ignores developmental barriers, and because I think it is a result of correlation fallacy, writ large.

But in any case, it also only seems to be applied to kids whose needs are difficult to actually meet in the standard classroom setting. The kids who fit into the regular menu of offerings get what they need, and the rest get "empowerment" to DIY, I guess.


Something to be aware of.

LOL but only because it is a better option than tears... I agree. Those who are doing just fine - read are the kids where the level and pace are already right for them - don't need to be responsible for their education because they are getting it - and getting it just right for them. It is only those who are either behind, ahead, acting out etc that get this advice.

I love the idea of child led edcuation, my son does it regularly at home. Want to know more about the Titantic, dinosaurs, etomology, the Civil War, or viruses, lets go find out! Not enough yet, lets find out more. How does that connect to x, lets think about that. What would be different if we never did y? I don't know lets reason it out. However, in a classroom setting it doen't work so well. They are studying something that the teacher has given them, the teacher has a plan of what they are going to learn, how they are going to learn it and at what pace they are going to learn it. So having a child that wants to learn more, or faster or doesn't want to learn it because he knows it and is facinated with something else right now isn't a good fit - and telling that young child that they need to find a way to make the lesson more interesting for themself is difficult. And at what point is that going to teach the child that they can tune out and entertain themselves, albeit quietly (a much better alternitive to acting out), rather than learning to study and actually learn in class? I learned in school that behaving was more important than learning, and boy was it a shock when I reached a point where I actually had to work to learn, I had never experianced it! Even then though I had the easy classes that I had to endure - and endure I did. I know I still think of or create patterns, write music, or do math in meetings to keep my self occupied when the enevitable loop of repeating begins, does that mean that I am paying attention or participating? No, I am just being quiet and looking engaged. I really hope for better for my son, and so far he hasn't shown himself to be the complient quiet child that I was.

LOL but only because it is a better option than tears... I agree. Those who are doing just fine - read are the kids where the level and pace are already right for them - don't need to be responsible for their education because they are getting it - and getting it just right for them. It is only those who are either behind, ahead, acting out etc that get this advice.

I love the idea of child led edcuation, my son does it regularly at home. Want to know more about the Titantic, dinosaurs, etomology, the Civil War, or viruses, lets go find out! Not enough yet, lets find out more. How does that connect to x, lets think about that. What would be different if we never did y? I don't know lets reason it out. However, in a classroom setting it doen't work so well. They are studying something that the teacher has given them, the teacher has a plan of what they are going to learn, how they are going to learn it and at what pace they are going to learn it. So having a child that wants to learn more, or faster or doesn't want to learn it because he knows it and is facinated with something else right now isn't a good fit - and telling that young child that they need to find a way to make the lesson more interesting for themself is difficult. And at what point is that going to teach the child that they can tune out and entertain themselves, albeit quietly (a much better alternitive to acting out), rather than learning to study and actually learn in class? I learned in school that behaving was more important than learning, and boy was it a shock when I reached a point where I actually had to work to learn, I had never experianced it! Even then though I had the easy classes that I had to endure - and endure I did. I know I still think of or create patterns, write music, or do math in meetings to keep my self occupied when the enevitable loop of repeating begins, does that mean that I am paying attention or participating? No, I am just being quiet and looking engaged. I really hope for better for my son, and so far he hasn't shown himself to be the complient quiet child that I was.

Wish you were on the same coast, sounds like our 7 yo's would be great pals! Our school tried to push the ADHD/ODD thing, too, around the same age. If you can, get a neuropsych evaluation done. Ours not only confirmed that he was frustrated due to his giftedness level, but spotted Asperger's as well. Knowing helped us guide him better re: dealing with social issues, and got the school cooperating with us better. Good luck!

We start that process on Monday! I alternate between excitement and fear. I know it is silly, but often the fear wins. Part of me worries that maybe he isn't gifted and maybe he really is ADD/ODD, despite the lack of evidence anywhere outside of school. No matter what I see him do - he is being normal for him, and never being around other "normal" children, I don't often see how different he is. I also worry that he won't test well because he tends not to show any one else his full potential (for that matter I am not sure that I see his full potential), so even once we have the test results will they be right? What I would do for a crystal ball right now.....

I hope that we have a similar experience with the testing giving us the tools to get the school to listen better. So far I have gotten the party line of "our objective is to challenge each student to their full potential in an interactive environment." Last year that didn't really work and I am hoping that with a few changes that this year may be better. School starts soon, and the testing will be done soon after that so hopefully it will be a better year