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Ds is 7 years old currently in 1st grade. We just tested his IQ. His WISC score is 146. He was tested in WISC to have 6/7 grade reading level and his math is probably at least at 3rd grade. We will be doing achievement test sometime in April to understand his ability better.

DS is highly verbal and very outgoing. School is boring for him, but he will tolerate school so that he can play with other kids.

Currently school has ability grouping. He is in the highest ability group in language arts. The reading group is reading at around 4th grade. It's not good enough, but it's at least something. He is learning language arts with other 1st grader, but it's clearly too easy for him. We asked his teacher to send him to 2nd grade for math. The second grade teacher challenges him by asking him to explain his answers and find other ways to get to the same answer.

Some information about his school: His school uses GATE curriculum to teach all students. They don't have a specific GATE program. Teachers also utilize Sandra Kaplan's approach to teaching students to learn in depth and complexity. Most teachers have GATE certificate plus Sandra Kaplan's training. In general, they don't like grade skipping, but keep advance students in the same grade and challenge them in depth and complexity. I wish I can explain more.

After IQ test, we talked to the psychologist. He strongly believes ds should go to a gifted school or homeschool so that he can advance as he wish and be able to branch out and learn any subject of interests. There is no gifted school in the area and it costs too much anyway.

I have no problem homeschooling him, but ds is very outgoing. Homeschool in the area provides 2 days of school. I don't know if it's enough for him.

Second grade teacher wants ds to stay in second grade math next year to continue challenge his reasoning. She said he computes very fast, but not able to explain his answers. However, next year I will be doing 4th/5th grade math with him at home. In fact, he is already doing some this year. Our psychologist said to push for 3rd grade math next year. He also mentioned that requiring a highly gifted child to explain his answer every time is unreasonable. Ds has gotten 100% in his 2nd grade math tests except one, which he has never learned that topic before.

I feel that I have no time to explore his interests with him after school. Homeschool situation is ideal, but I don't know if ds will do well socially.

After the achievement test, we will try to schedule a meeting with school administration see how flexible they are with gifted kids.

Here are my questions:
1. Should I continue with this school or should I take him out and homeschool him?
2. If I stay next year, should I push for subject acceleration in math and put him in 3rd grade?
3. Am I "wasting" his ability by keeping him in school?

Hi Cindi,
I think it's terrible that the school is reccomending that you 'make their life easier by taking him out' - there is no reason in the world why they shouldn't just subject accelerate him - OR are they suggesting that they will pay his private school tuition? Or maybe they will pay you to homeschool him?

I think you should email Sandra Kaplan right now and tell her what you told us (copy/paste) and see what she says, since obviously she is trusted by your school.

Some school offer 'partial homeschooling' so that he can attend music and PE with his agemates and still have time to learn academics at his 'readiness level' with you or a tutor at home.

I think that you might well be able to make homeschooling work for your son, if YOU believe it's what's right for him. Perhaps he will meet a few friends at the homeschool co-op who would want to get together for playdates on the alternate days? I think that if you are willing to work at it a bit, there will be no lack of social opportunities for DS, but it's a huge personal cost to you and your family. And you do pay taxes to the school, right? No one is offering to rebate that, are they?

I agree with your psychologist on the 'explain your answers' thing, he or she sounds like a reliable guide. Perhaps he or she could write a letter outlining proper placements. You have an advantage in that your school is already doing grouping, that means that with a year or two advancement, your son can work at levels that may be 'just right' for him. This makes your school more likely to be able to accomdiate him.

You say that in general 'they don't like grade skipping' - just ask them if they 'in general' have kids with IQ's like your son's. If they balk, remind them that homeschooling is of course always an alternative, but that they could at least have the decency to give multiple subject accelerations a try.

I have the feeling that you are going to 'win' on this one,if you just keep, smiling and saying, 'Yes that's true in general, But, in this situation the experts belive .........' Follow it up with 'The main thing that we have to do here, is to focus on what's best for the child and to stay flexible.'

Love and More Love,
Grinity

No one can answer those questions but you. If you decide to homeschool and it doesn't work out, can you return to that school? If so, then you don't have much to lose in trying out HSing. If you have 2days of school available while you HS that would be great. It's a place for him to make friends to schedule other playdates/activities with. Have you checked into HS groups in your area?

If he's in 2nd grade math now, why would they want to make him repeat it? He can learn reasoning skills doing 3rd grade math if he's mastering 2nd grade math. I would likely push for 3rd grade w/ the option being if that doesn't work out, he drops down to 2nd grade math.

Dazed&Confuzed,
Once I leave this school, I won't be able to return. This is actually a homeschool charter school with 4 day in-school/ 1 day homeschool option. Currently 1st grade class has 10 kids and will quickly fill up to max as soon as an adequate facility is found.

The psychologist is in a private practice that we paid to get him assessed. His recommendation is based on his own experience. He is not affiliated with ds's school.
The psychologist recommended to take him out of public school to HS him or go to gifted school.
Thanks for all your suggestions!

Hi Cindi,
Have you spent time inside the homeschool charter school? What is the atmousphere like? What is 'homeschool' about it? Would they be open to a gradeskip? Multiple subject accelerations?
Grin

People with extroverted kids definitely have a tougher row to hoe with getting their kids the social time they need. But it can certainly be done. If you chose to go that route, you might just need to develop a weekly (or more!) playgroup that meets for "recess." 4-6 kids and someone's playroom or back yard or a park might be all you need. If you can find someone to trade time watching your kids with or find a sitter, that might give you some quiet time. Life with an extrovert is rarely quiet, and if you need quiet, you'd have to find a way to get it.

I'm not saying you *should* homeschool more fully. I can't answer that question. I think you have to decide what would work best for your child. It may well be possible to advocate and get what your child needs from the school. It seems like they accept that your child is smart, but that they just don't currently agree with you about what his needs are. That's potentially a good place to start advocacy if they'll listen to you (or to test scores!).

The math teacher is the one who worries me: conceptual understanding of math and speed are two very different skills that often develop asynchronously. (I have seen this with my son--he handles pre-algebra but does his times tables as slowly as any 7yo.) For a GT child, the speed often comes organically out of greater conceptual challenge. They then have a reason to want to work fast. With a highly conceptual/low speed kid, drilling for speed is worse than drilling teeth! Finding more creative ways to cement the learning is often useful.

I think I'd try advocacy with the school first if you think that might work. You can always homeschool fully later. If things are going south with the advocacy, you can start putting together a playgroup ahead of time so that you have things already in place for when you pull him out.

We don't have a homeschool co-op here. But my kids are very involved with other children through homeschool activities such as field trips , board game days, monthly open swim, etc. Our group focuses more on social activities than academic, though we often do short term academic programs with other families such as a science class or book club. I really have to work to have us home enough to actually get some schoolwork done! There are so many opportunities to do things with other families that I am now trying to cut back.

We also have no shortage of playdates and informal hanging out. My 8 yo plays webkins online with her friends when they can't get together, my 12 yo spent over an hour on the phone with a buddy last night. They're really not so different from schooled kids in the way they interact with others.

I highly recommend this book about homeschooling and socialization: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art27055.asp

Homeschooling isn't for everyone, but I hate to hear that social concerns are keeping someone from trying it. You do have to be proactive about getting together with others, but there are homeschoolers all over the place these days.

good luck!

Hi Grinity,
The homeschool charter school that ds is currently in is not much of a homeschool at all. Four days/week in school instruction covers almost everything in the curriculum and one day/week homeschool is for projects/some worksheet pages etc.

Good thing about it is that most teachers are GATE trained, but not sure if they can handle and understand a highly gifted child. I am starting to believe a child in GATE program is different than a child who is highly gifted. I wouldn't say the same a month ago before I discover ds's IQ score. Also they only have 4 day school that gives me an extra day to explore his interests.

After the achievement test, I will bring the score in to meet with a couple teachers and the principal see if they are willing to work something out. It's a wonderful school. I'd hate to leave without trying.

I am really not sure how willing they will work with me

I just wanted to agree with Lorel's post. We are new to homeschooling this academic year, and my son leans extroverted. I think he gets more positive social experiences than he was getting at public school (where he seemed to seek out the kids that were goofing off).

He plays with kids outside our house almost daily. That being said, we do live in an urban area with homeschoolers of all backgrounds (I know some areas have predominantly religious homeschoolers) and specifically have found a GT home school co-op. Although I do think co-ops can work well, even if they are not GT specific. If homeschooling is something on your radar (even if it might be some point in the future), I would put feelers out for opportunities in your area.