Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Help Curriculum Question

My child is new to gifted. He goes to gifted class each day with a group of first and second graders for an hour. They are spending the year studying Roman history. The teacher tells them a story. They spend the next several days writing it from memory. My concern is that the stories are very graphic. He has an excellent memory and tells me the stories each time. He talks about Hannibal slaughtering the Romans. The slaughter was so great that the dead people fell on top of the living people and smothered them to death. The blood ran for three mile. Lots of heads got chopped off today. Etc. The district lets the teacher choose the curriculum. The teacher says he feels writing stories from memory is an important skill. The entire year has been spent on Roman history. I envisioned a variety of topics. Is this normal? I worry that this is too graphic for 6 and 7 year olds. Advice?

err - - - I find everything about this scenario rather not normal. The focus on a single topic for a whole year. Writing stories from memory. The gruesomeness. 6 and 7 year olds, really?

I don't think a long talk with the principal would be out of order here.

Regardless of how worthless that program sounds overall, I would totally flip out if my 6 year old was exposed to anything like that at school. I was pretty upset when they let him watch a pg rated movie and he came home and told me there were scary scenes in the movie he watched but that he was proud of himself for not crying in front of his classmates. I know all kids are different, but my DS would have permanent psychological issues from exposure to material like that. In fact, I myself would probably have to work at not showing how upset I get at cruel and graphic material. IMO that person has no business teaching young children, even if he did change his curriculum. He obviously lacks a basic understanding of child development. Worse yet, he probably enjoys nasty, gory stuff. Maybe he's a psychopath? This whole thing is very disturbing, I'm so sorry for your DS!

Aside from the gruesomeness, which I agree is extreme, having kids that young spending several days writing stories from memory is not developmentally appropriate, even for many gifted kids. And it is not developing the "higher order thinking skills" that most gifted programs are tasked with developing. In Bloom's taxonomy terms, it is at the bottom (recall) made more (inappropriately) difficult with the writing skills overlay. I'd definitely talk to the teacher and the principal if the teacher wasn't receptive to my concerns.

This is totally unacceptable in my books. The material he's teaching is way too gruesome and graphic for 6, 7 year olds. I would not even show that to my 10 year old.

Also, for a gifted class only learning Roman history for the whole year? Writing stories from memory? This is a really odd curriculum. Most gifted programs in schools start with advanced reading, creative writing and/or advanced math. I agree that you should take this to the principal.

It is a useful skill but a little early and only as one skill not the only skill. One topic a year would be OK if it were used in a variety of ways for a range of skills (Rome could be used to jump into geography, transport, logistics etc). Gifted kids on the whole seem more sensitive so gore and inhumanity are even less appropriate. It seems like a lot of NT kids can say 'it was a long time ago' whereas gifted kids think a bit more deeply and put it together with other information.

Welcome!

I agree with other posters that the daily gifted pullout for 1st and 2nd graders should not be what has been described.

As far as advice, I would jot all the points made by posters so far (and any which may follow) in order to begin preparing for a phone conversation or meeting. Having a concise and well-edited list will be helpful for guiding your conversation, and will assist you in listening to what they may say, without concern for forgetting your points.

Often a curriculum description/overview and a syllabus or lesson plan are provided to parents at the start of a program, or prior to a program beginning. In this case, apparently such information was not distributed? Sharing these plans with parents would be part of determining a good "fit", as well as soliciting parental input for a sense of collaboration and partnership in their child's education. Gather anything you may have received regarding the gifted pullout. You will want to begin keeping complete records and documentation.

Do you know any of the other parents? For example, from your child socializing at playdates, receiving birthday party invitations, being in scouts together, or on the same sports team, etc? In casual conversation, could you ask their impressions of the class and the teacher?

Is there any opportunity to volunteer in the classroom?

When you meet with the teacher and/or principal, I would ask questions such as:
- What are the objectives of this gifted program/service?
- How does the current curriculum meet these objectives?
- How was the curriculum chosen?
- What other options were considered?
- Is there a syllabus or lesson plan?
- How many years has this curriculum been taught (to this age cohort)?
- Was parent feedback solicited when selecting curriculum?
- Is student feedback solicited? How frequently?

Depending upon their responses to the questions you pose, I would share the points jotted from the forum (ways in which this curriculum is developmentally inappropriate, etc).

Take notes during the meeting (or phone call).

For everyone's convenience, e-mail a polite and factual written summary after the meeting (or phone call), including areas of agreement, disagreement, next steps.

Be aware that parents may go into a meeting (or phone call) anticipating that it may be a friendly chat, only to find the school has brought in the teacher, principal, gifted specialist, school psychologist, school social worker, etc. and the school team may want to focus on whether your child eats his school lunch or other inane, unrelated, or tangentially related topics. Schools can be very insular.

Remember, you know your child best.

If you can bring your spouse or significant other to a meeting, this may help keep the meeting on-topic and focused. Both parents must be of one accord, or school may try to "divide and conquer". Oftentimes parents report that no matter how many parents have raised a concern, the school will tell parents they are the first and only family to complain!

Be aware that a school might be using a curriculum intended to encourage parents to opt-out of the gifted service.

More advocacy info on this old thread.