Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Middle school grade skip?

Hi everyone!

My DS13 is HG and is currently in 7th grade in our small public school. He was identified in 3rd grade (a bit late, due to significant speech issues). Our school district recognized that he was a great student but never truly appreciated his abilities until 6th grade. DS is a very hands-on kid who loves science, technology, engineering and inventing complex motors and machines. When he expressed extreme boredom and frustration with the 6th grade science curriculum, the district did a basic online science assessment and found that he was way, way, WAY ahead of others his age and the current science curriculum didn't even come close to meeting his needs. They moved him to a self-paced science class (mainly involving online lessons). Unfortunately, his joy for learning science has faded. Who wants to learn chemistry by just looking at pictures and computer simulations? He wants the labs and the opportunity to actually mix those chemicals!

Earlier this week, my husband and I were called into a meeting with his Gifted coordinator. She and the vice principal presented a proposal: they want DS to skip 8th grade next year and go straight to high school (9th). Apparently, all of DS's teachers (not just science) have reported that he is so far above his peers that they do not think they are meeting his academic needs. Even the advanced classes are not helping, as he is far above the others in those, too.

I was shocked to hear them offer this out of the blue! They mentioned that their only concerns are social in nature. DS is quiet and a bit shy. He is well liked, but prefers to stick with just 4 of his closest friends. The principal said they were concerned about how he would handle being away from his friends and in a completely different school building.

In the event that we decide not to skip the entire grade, they offered the option of sending DS to 9th grade for just a couple of classes each day. He could return to 8th grade for lunch and special classes. They suggested that he consider accelerated biology and chemistry classes with labs. In addition, they said he could choose a couple of other classes that interest him (maybe a programming, architecture, or engineering class) and spend 1/2 of the day in the 9th grade setting and 1/2 in the 8th grade.

In order to even consider these options, I must find a way of overcoming my own, personal bias against grade skipping. I was moved from 3rd into 4th grade as a child, and it was a terrible, stressful experience for me. I swore I would never even consider allowing my children to grade skip. I can't believe I am even considering this option right now!

My main motivating factor right now is DS's frustration level. He is exhausted by the repetition in his current classes. He spends much of his day doing busywork to allow his classmates to learn concepts that he understands in 15 minutes. He told us that he needs a change. I know I must do something to help him--and soon.

I am hoping some of you might have experiences with grade skipping, particularly with teens. Are there questions I should ask before making this decision? Are there issues I need to consider as we discuss this? Do you have any experiences or advice to share?

I feel quite lost, and I find myself wishing that I had been given a book of instructions when I gave birth to my son! Then, I could just follow the step that said, "If your son is bored to tears every day in middle school, you should _____." That would make this a whole lot easier!

Thank you for any input you are willing to share...

jellyb

There are some chemistry kits found online and in educational specialty shops, which are meant for use at home.


I'm so sorry to hear of your negative acceleration experience years ago. For the past decade or more the gold standard in grade skipping (whole grade acceleration) has been the Iowa Acceleration Scale. Info here - http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10053.aspxm I'm familiar with up to 3 years of successful grade acceleration.

Some positive grade skip stories here: http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/Articles_id_10651.aspx

Genius Denied here - http://www.geniusdenied.com/

Have you talked to your son about the grade skip?

You may also wish to schedule an appointment with the high school advisor and have your son work with the advisor in choosing courses. Your son may want to shadow for a day (or more) to visit potential courses to assist in making his decision.

Does your son enjoy a sport, club, or extracurricular which would help him make new friends, and keep in touch with his old friends? The high school advisor may also be helpful in making some selections in this area.

The school sounds very positive and flexible, so that will help ensure success whatever choice is made and adjusted for the best possible fit.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience. But long term do you think you would have been happier a year behind for the rest of your school years?

I quite like the idea of the second option but maybe with the option of choosing to move up to 9th after the first 6 weeks or back to 8th at any time if he chooses. He may find someone he really clicks with in the more advanced classes after all.

He obviously needs those more advanced classes though.

Hi
Have you talked to your DS about it? We made a decision not to do a full skip of 8th grade, but instead do MS/HS combo for DS. Our primary reason was he didn't want to do a full skip. He spent the morning at the HS and afternoon at the middle school.

He really didn't want to miss his 8th grade year or his friends. Ultimately, DS now spends most of his time with the older kids he met in the HS classes, but it made for a nice transition socially for him. He didn't have an problems with the older kids. They mostly thought it was pretty cool he was in their classes. I think at 13 a big part of what will work does depend on the child's interest in the option.

It was important for my DS to be involved in the decision. The down falls were the occasion schedule change for a event or field trip at one of the schools. There were very few issues for him at all. It did take some of the excitement his friends were feeling for the beginning of HS away for him. He had experience it before them. He also was less stressed by the workload because he was used to the expectations that his friends experienced coming into HS. Overall, it good choice for my DS and he had the decision for himself. We did talk a lot with him about pros and cons before he decided.

I would have never considered grade skipping was in the cards either. My DS was not learning how learning. He was disengaging in boredom. My only regret was that we didn't do a full skip early for him.

I would really make sure they intended to place him in honors classes. Originally, our school talked about accelerating into non-honors classes. Which honestly would have left DS just as bored. I would have never done a partial or full skip for non honors placement. It is a considerable jump in workload for most kids between 7th grade and all honors classes in a High school.

In thinking of a full skip, I would think a lot about how much time your DS can handle spending on homework nightly. It depends on the kid, my DS still doesn't spend that much time working. Some of his peers are spending crazy amounts of time working. The school said the average time regarded for nightly work was generally around 2 to 3 hours a night for my DS's schedule. My DS doesn't spend anywhere near that amount of time working, but many of his classmates do. My DS is ADHD and working until late night is not productive work time for him.

Good luck with the decision. I know it can be a bit overwhelming to have it sprung on you.

Jtooit

Jellyb, we completed my DD's final gradeskip in the same kind of graduated fashion that Jtooit mentions.

In other words, she was "officially" not skipped-- but we had a 5y plan for high school that we (meaning we, she, and the school) had devised in 7th grade.

Well, plans change, though-- midway through her 9th grade year (her second in HS classes, recall), she simply couldn't take any more-- again.

So we officially "skipped" her from the end of her 9th grade year into 11th grade the following fall when she was 13. We realized at that point that getting her OUT of high school sooner was the only thing positive that we can do for her.


Yes, she'd been gradeskipped into 3rd upon entry at 6yo, but it was not enough in the end.

Honestly, she is (now 14) very eager to be in college right now, and is only tolerating this year of high school (including AP coursework) because she can see the end of the line. Two or three more years of this she COULD not do. I believe that.


Yes, also, to honors placement. At least. GT kids will have so little in common with classmates in "regular" classes that the social aspects will be far more pronounced than they'd otherwise be.

Also-- look into summer camps and internships for STEM. Many universities run such programs, and they are WELL worth doing for HG kids with those interests. Best thing that my DD has ever experienced was a university level internship the summer she turned 13. She got a publication out of that summer, but what was even MORE valuable was the experience of seeing for herself that it wouldn't ALWAYS be so dull and mind-numbing, the way school is for her.

Here is a another thread which discussed a similar issue:
http://giftedissues.davidsongifted..../all/Advice_on_Grade_Acceleration_P.html

Every once in a while, there may be a post in which someone looks back and wishes they may have skipped a grade. Thinking about looking back provides a different perspective from which to consider decisions. http://giftedissues.davidsongifted....t_would_you_do_different.html#Post141710

Hi again, folks!

I can't thank you enough for your kind, thoughtful replies!

When I started this thread, we had not yet talked to DS13 about the grade skip issue. My husband and I wanted to be sure that we had fully grasped the situation before attempting to sit down with DS for an in-depth discussion. Since then, we have talked with our son at length about the possibility of a grade skip and he is THRILLED! He shared even more feelings about his frustration level with constantly repeating assignments in 7th grade. He also mentioned that he really isn't learning anything--at all! He is eager to make some changes. He is interested in visiting the high school in order to shadow one of the current 9th grade gifted kids for the day. He would really like to see just what a day in the high school is like!

At this point, he is leaning toward a partial promotion, as he would like to have the opportunity to see his current friends. (Remember that a complete skip would mean that he would move to high school, while his current group of friends would remain back in middle school.) His Gifted teacher mapped out tentative schedules for both scenarios, and we are just weighing our options right now.

Indigo, thank you so much for the informative links! I feel much better simply by reading those positive stories of grade skipping. DS plays hockey and is a terrific trumpet player in the band, so he would definitely have the opportunity to see old friends and make new ones, regardless of the decision we make. You are correct in saying that the school is showing a great deal of flexibility! I am actually shocked that this has happened! They tend to be extremely conservative.

Puffin, you make a terrific point. No--I would have been miserable without the grade skip. I know it was for the best, but I do not want my son to go through such a difficult experience. However, I keep reminding myself that he is much older and has coping skills that are far more advanced than I had. I just hope we do the right thing!

Jtooit, thank you so much for sharing your son's story! I am so glad he has a successful experience! I am pleased that my son seems very excited about having some high school options. We continue to discuss full vs. partial promotion. I think we need to visit the high school and have some discussions about scheduling possibilities to make our final decision. In the end, it will be up to DS. He is the one who has to live with it, after all! The school has assured us that he will take all AP classes in high school. I will get firm confirmation about this, though. You are correct--jumping to regular classes won't help DS at all. Currently, in 7th grade, he is taking 4 accelerated classes (science, reading, english, math). He is comfortable with a heavy workload and says he would definitely welcome the chance to actually learn something rather than just doing busywork.

HowlerKarma, I am so glad you shared the story of your daughter's experience! It is comforting to hear that you were able to deviate from your daughter's original plan when it no longer fit. Hang in there! The end of high school is near and the light at the end of her tunnel is in sight! Our school tells us that they will be flexible for DS. They will promote as DS wishes (either full or partial), and re-evaluate as needed. They assured us that he could do a partial skip now and a full one in years to come. I do hope they are telling the truth! Funny that you mentioned local universities...DS has worked with two nearby programs. One is a university based program for gifted kids. He did a terrific robotics program there! At the other university, he was able to participate with kids 3 or 4 years older in a chemistry program that was just fantastic. We need to find a way to do more of those activities. DS learns far more there than in a regular science class. What a wonderful experience your daughter had in her summer program! And a publication is like icing on the cake!

Again, thank you all so much for your support and input. You have given me a many wonderful tips and a great deal of comforting information. I will come back and update or add questions as they arise. We have many details to handle before the plan is in place!