Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Fears of skipping grades

I keep thinking back to "Genius Denied" when I think about grade skipping. Grade placement should be where the child fits in, both academically and to some extent socially, but "every child deserves an appropriate education". Grade divisions should be viewed as imaginary lines, with the idea of "does the child fit here?". All of my kids have said, "I am so glad I skipped", when they see the work level and maturity of the kids a grade behind. Would they do that if they were skipped again? Probably, and it might happen at some point, but if they can be accommodated presently, then the fit is adequate.

I know -- isn't the "grade skip" search great? This is *exactly* the discussion I was looking for! I started an almost identical one on my other board last night before I found this one.

As for older children looking back -- I have a PG cousin who was not grade skipped. And this is one of those obviously gifted children -- the kind who, when asked to name a pot on a vocabulary test at age three, said that the picture was of "vaporized water" -- he was looking at the steam coming out the top! His parents chose to do a lot of enrichment and subject acceleration with him rather than skip him full grades. I've been speaking with his mother -- my aunt -- a lot over the last week and he's told her that he *wishes* they'd just skipped him the grades. He said that most of the older children -- much older, in many of his classes -- sort of took him under their wing and wanted to guide him, and he wished that he's been able to move up altogether rather than do the radical single-subject acceleration. I've been thinking about that a lot lately as we've begun to seriously consider a skip for our Benjy.

But I suppose that brings up another question entirely -- for the child who is truly academically ready, emotionally secure and fairly confident, is a two-grade or more grade skip more socially appropriate than a one-grade skip? Do you think it's easier socially to be the "really REALLY smart one who skipped two grades" or the "really smart one who skipped a grade"?

I don't know the answer to that question. I really can see arguments both ways.

I think Dottie's son skipped several grades at once--right, Dottie? Maybe she can tell you her feelings.

For me, I wish we had skipped more at once so we wouldn't have to agonize over it now. Especially if they're in elementary school and have mastered those topics, I'd rather them get into
"meatier" work earlier. At the time however, my kids dictated single grade only. Now I think my oldest regrets not doing more because it seems harder to skip HS credit/prerequisite structure...at least here. If you son's willing--definitely give it some thought!

This issue is the main reason why we homeschool. Our child would require radical grade skipping (depending on the subject, 5-8 grade levels). My just-turned-8yo would spend his days at the local high school; that is the best accommodation our school district could provide. Private schools would do even less, since they aren't bound to any of our state's GIEP laws. Facing those options, homeschooling is a no-brainer.

FWIW, I always think of the multiple single-year skips as a way for the child to learn two years worth of material in one. Skipping two years at once is just about being ahead. But remember that older doesn't mean faster. The child will still be getting material at the same pace as everyone else. I think that's the reason multiple grade-skips are recommended.

I guess that applies to multiple 2+ year grade-skips, too. The child just learns 3 or more years of material in one year...

The other problem that can arise with grade-skipping, even radical grade-skipping, is the issue of pacing.

For example, my kid could attend a high school Algebra course this year. But it will likely only take him half the time to learn the entire courseload of material. He will *want* to progress forward after that. Because we homeschool, he can still learn high school Algebra, but at his own pace. If he wants to do 2 or 3 lessons per day for a month, and then slow down to 1 lesson per day, that's fine. If he blows through 4 lessons on a rainy weekend, because he wants to do it, that's fine, too. If he was grade-skipped, he would still need to stay at the same pace with his class.

I know that no school is going to provide the ideal education for every child, and I do see the value in compromising. If I had to work outside the home, I'd definitely be doing more advocating for my kid within the public school system. Luckily, for now, we can afford for me to not work in order to homeschool.

I'm home schooling, too, and loving it for many of the same reasons as you, Esperanza. Certainly it saved DS from a truly horrendous first grade year this year!

But home schooling has its own drawbacks as well--having to work harder to get DS social time, his getting instruction and discipline almost exclusively from me, less time for me to spend with my younger child, not getting time to finish my own projects, etc.

I'm a firm believer that every potention schooling solution is a trade-off: give up something (money, time, or individualized education) and get something else. It's all about the specific priorities that each family has chosen. We've certainly yet to find an easy answer for our situation that solves all our problems! For many people, given the constraints of their lives and schools, the best available option is multiple grade skips. Heck, if homeschooling and a local private ($$$) gifted school don't work for us for next year for one reason or another, pushing for grade skips is probably what we'll do.

But I'm hoping one of the other options will work. I REALLY don't feel like advocating for DS to get what he needs. It's just too depressing and exhausting, and I'm REALLY bad at it!

(And DS is only 6! I swear, I don't know how those of you with older kids have dealt with the advocacy stuff for so long. I admire you! I wish I were better at it.)

I wish that homeschooling were an option for us ... it's just not. We work and cannot afford to homeschool at this point, though that may change. Also, I'm just not sure that homeschool is the best option for my Benjy; he's *very* social and loves to be around children. But I so respect those of you who do homeschool! I wish we could do it because it seems like a great solution for kids like ours.

As for radical grade acceleration in the schools ... I agree that a "one year at a time" is probably the best route. However, I'm hesitating at a grade skip now, or even next year; yes, he'd be in first grade, but his very lowest test result put him at the end of first grade right now, and all the others are mid-second grade and up with no formal instruction at home whatsoever. So he'd be in first grade, doing the first grade curriculum at a standard first grade pace -- which really isn't what he needs. How is that any better than kindergarten, really, given that he has that knowledge mastered already and can pick up new information extremely quickly?

I'm just worried about my little guy's long-term happiness! He's my only child ... I've thought lately how much *easier* it would be if he were not so advanced! Of course I'm happy and proud of him, but man -- this opens up a whole new can of worms, doesn't it?

Pacing, I think, is key when working with these kids -- and teachers aren't typically keen, I've found, on having a lesson plan specifically for one child, particularly if the child is already ahead!

Mia,
The advantage of a single gradeskip is that he gets to hang with kids who are more likely to get his jokes. The material may at least reach the level of "edutainment" if not challenge. A disadvantage can be more paperwork and no more challenge. An advantage can be that the child is moved to a mental catagory of "we need to be flexible with this one, he's different," so permission may be granted to pile subject accelerations, independent study or online classes as substitutions. It seems hopeless, but every little bit might really help. I remember when a early admission to the Math Club, 30 minutes once every 2 weeks made a major difference in my son's life. Is that sad or what?

Welcome and Best Wishes,
Trinity

"Mia, when you say "end of first grade", what are you basing that on? If you are using GE's, then it's really not that unusual for a kid to start 1st grade with a GE considerably higher than 2.0. If you are talking about mastery of 1st grade material though (85th or so plus percentile on 1st grade material), then the child would be ill-placed. But those are two very different scenarios. "

Dottie -- I'm talking about his WIAT grade equivalent in spelling -- it was 1.8. So no, it's not particularly unusual, and you're right -- I misspoke about him having "mastered" that material. I should have said that he's got a good head start on it for a kindergartner. That was his lowest score.

I guess my point is, for children who pick up information quickly and efficiently, does a one-year grade skip make a difference in the long run in the absence of an on-going acclerated curriculum?