Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Middle School Alternatives to public school

New member today, thought I'd jump right in with a new question.

My DD finished 6th grade today. She complained all year of boredom despite being in both accelerated math and reading. She is also and early entrance student, so she is only 11. This put her two full years ahead of some of her peers who are not in accelerated classes.

For next year, I have considered open enrollment in another public district which might have a better gifted program. However, we would need to drive a considerable distance every day (and I am a working single mom with another child who has mental health issues).

I have also considered online school so she could go at a faster pace, but I would prefer she be in a classroom as she already struggles a lot with social interaction.

The school is somewhat open to an option for individualized learning (the school has iPads issued to each student but this is a newer format for teaching. How patient should I be? What other options do I have?

Before moving to another school a long way away, I'd get more details about their gifted program and what it actually consists of. If it turns out to be no better than what is available where you are, then the change was not very helpful.
Can you talk to some of her teachers for next year and ask if they have plans for differentiation and if so, what it would look like and how often it would occur? If you approach them in such a way that they feel you are trying to work with them by giving them a heads up before the school year starts, maybe some of them would take some time this summer to do some additional planning for her. Or at the very least, some research into how to handle a kid like her. When my DD11 was 9 she was entering 7th grade and sitting in on some 8th grade classes, and I talked with each of the teachers she was going to have about her particular personality traits and what they mean and how she best responds to different situations. Most of them were very grateful for the advanced warnings/info and ended up looking up stuff to better suit her needs over the summer. For example, on the list of her traits (quirks really) is that if she is "in her zone" for learning and challenge she often hums without knowing it. It is usually annoying to her classmates, but she is unaware that she is doing it. The idea that she needs to doodle while sitting in class to keep 3/4 of her brain occupied while extra explanations are being given to classmates is not her being rude, but her trying to not get bored or frustrated. It doesn't mean she is not paying attention, in fact it means she has understood what you are talking about and has moved on to make more connections about the next few things you are going to talk about.
Is it an option if she does part-time school and part-time homeschooling? The year before DD went into 7th/8th grade we did half and half with her going to school for gt English, art and science and being homeschooled in the rest. The reason it was those subjects is because the school was on a block schedule and those were the 6th grade classes with the GT English and that was the class we really wanted her in. It worked out really well because she got the social interactions of being in school but got to learn at her pace at home.

My son is similar situation to yours. He is finishing 6th grade now and will turn 11 in 2 weeks. Bored out of his mind all year. But after several meetings with guidance/principal/coordinator, he will be in accel science next year, and 8th grade honors math (algebra). So we are hoping 7th grade is completely different than 6th grade, where he will actually learn things he doesn't know already.

my own 2 cents is that technology (iPads) doesn't necessarily mean a more challenging and quality education. Tech can't replace pedagogical skill. They offered my son Khan academy for math, once a week, to give him more than 6th grade. He didn't like it. What they consider gifted may not be what your daughter needs. Can you look on their district website for list and description of courses, and track through 12th grade?

Has anyone done any out-of-level achievement testing to measure what her actual needs are?

I'd look there first. Because until you know what's needed, it's hard to figure out how to provide it.

I totally agree about finding out her level. My daughter's SAT scores spoke much louder to her middle school teachers than any other testing that we did. Even when teachers knew she was smart, the SAT scores just really brought it home. So I suggest the SAT and see what you get back from that!