Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Math confusion....

Hello everyone!I'm hoping someone can relate/give advice/ANYTHING!!! In a nutshell...DS, who is in 4th grade and in public school, is "confusing" us with low test math scores. My DS is highly gifted but not in g/t classes...Does get pulled out about once a week for math...Reads/comprehends at high school level...At home he is thrilled to do Stanford's EPGY math program (5/6th grade) where he is doing great...Today, he brought home a flunking math test where the problems were as easy at 8+7!!!! Seriously!!! I just don't know what to do with this...His teacher makes him stay with the class for all the normal math time because she just doesn't believe he knows all the "basics"...I myself have to wonder...!!! He has always been so random.... At times he can focus and just do the easy problems and at other times he can rattle off some pretty complicated algebra, statistics, and geometry problems....But so far this year, he has basically shown everyone at school that he doesn't know what the heck 1+1 is!!! How can I advocate for him when he can't prove high scores on even basic math??? Please HELP and thank you so much for all your thoughts!

It sounds to me like he may be bored. If your DS is doing advanced math at home, the usual 4th grade fare at school may be quite dull, and maybe motivation is the issue. Or maybe he's not checking his work and making careless errors. Talk to your DS and ask what the issue is. I agree it may be difficult to advocate until he shows his true ability.

Is time pressure an issue?

My Ds9 is PG in Math and failed some tests last year. He got pretty stressed in class which is never good for his patience and thinking. There were discipline problems in class and since he is sensitive he felt like he was getting yelled at all day even when most of the time he was well behaved. He also wants to go fast with his easy math so he can get to his higher level work they are allowing. He also has some checking work habit issues. Search the homework thread for more insight. You might have some similiar issues. It can be hard to work below level.

Also search Davidson Data base for help.

If the teacher is not getting his abilities consider testing or showing portfolio of work. I would also talk to the gifted teacher and explain your situation before testing. She may not be aware of his abilities.

Last year at school my DS in 2nd Grade was given SRA readers he had done the in Kindergarten at another school. Prior to this he tested 99% IOWA, was in gifted program, I was told he was top student in his class, he had a caring teacher and yet this reading ability slipped thru the cracks. The moral of the story - know what your kids can do and watch out for them.

Does his concentration/focus seem to vary in other subjects?

We had some real issues with a principal who didn't think DS11 knew 5X1. It was difficult to even figure out where we could connect on the conversation! Anyway, lots of anxiety in our son, perfectionism, boredom, never believing that an easy answer would be the right answer, etc. The thing that clicked with me was when we found out that kids with ADD can have varied attention depending upon the day, time, and circumstances. It seems that sometimes he really was doing the algebra fine, and other times he wasn't answering 5X1 (even though he knew the answer - duh).

I don't know if this applies at all. Just keep asking the questions and you'll figure it out. It has taken us a few years to find the right questions to ask!

Well, since he always has a bunch of cartoons doodled on the sides of his papers, I don't think having enough time is the problem... sigh...I noticed that on one paper he got several adding problems wrong because he was multiplying instead (all right-lol)Several questions were left unanswered so of course, teacher had a field day with the red pen....Unanswered questions as easy as "What shape is this?" and he just didn't/wouldn't write in the darn answer!!! This morning we went over his last test, and he rambled off in lightening speed all the correct answers!!! Needless to say, this is very, very frustrating. His class size is 27, and I know that he gets distracted very very easily...Oh the joy!!! haha

I do believe he could be borderline ADD...He really does baffle us though, because when he's able to do/read what really fascinates him, you can't even break his focus. He is so intensly focused...But then at other times when he's required to do something in school that doesn't appeal to him, that's when he's distracted, unfocused, the class comedian etc...His behavior just goes out the window. Incentives, consequences don't work with him...He is a very happy-go-lucky kid with a smile always on his face. He could be content hours on end with a piece of lint!!! Diet shouldn't be an issue either. We are already a preservative/dye/additive free family. Benny, what did you end up doing with your son???

He says he is bored and not learning anything. I don't blame him. I've volunteered in his teacher's classroom before, and I would be bored! Lets just say she doesn't exactly appreciate his "creativity" ....BUT what I struggle with and what really fustrates my husband, is that we feel he still has to follow school rules/procedures, show teacher respect, etc...That sometimes you have to do things that you don't want to do but you still have to do them...He's in 4th grade now, and it's not exactly cute anymore if you know what I mean! Ugh.

sometimes a child can be gifted and have ADD behavior but not be ADD. If a child is stressed at school and doesn't get enough exercise they can have related behavior. I know a smart teacher that makes the kids walk all the way around the room as their path to hand in each paper and go back to the seat. Having a manipulative during lectures, math facts, or spelling words can help release extra energy.

We had exactly the same thing with litle'un.
He was...
.....bored BORED BORED!