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I wasn't really sure where to post this, but Parenting seems to fit the best.

I had a conversation today with Wolf (almost 5 1/2) that I think will go down in the annals of history as the only time this particular conversation has and will EVER take place.

Wolf has been dragging his feet about schoolwork recently. We had FINALLY found a level of difficulty that wasn't too hard or too easy for him (or so I thought) and had cut down on things that he wasn't as interested in, so I was really at a loss. He's been a bit on edge because of Bear's testing (not gifted based unfortunately), but we've been talking through that.

Anyway today he was taking FOREVER to do a page of math that should take him only about 5-10 minutes because it was a new version of something he knew how to do. I asked him what was up and he burst into tears crying, "I want to do 4th grade work. I want to do 4th grade work. I want to do 4th grade work." I cuddled him and rocked him and asked, "But why?" He sniffled and replied, "Because I want more challenge."

I teared up and tried not to laugh at the same time. I mean, what do you say at a moment like that? I ended up telling him that I love him and that 4th grade work would be too frustrating for him until he learned to multiply and divide easily (I couldn't come up with anything else). It seemed to satisfy him though and he went back to his work and actually concentrated and got it done quickly.

Aww...it's sad to see them like this but at least he was able to get the work done once you explained it to him!

Ohh, poor little guy. It is so hard to seem to find a balance. Even with DD only being 2.10 I am already struggeling with finding not to hard not to easy. HUgs to you

Um - I would get him on Aleks.com and have him sign up as a 4th grader and let him see for himself. The assesment will get easier as he makes mistakes. Speed really isn't an issue right now, and these kids are amazingly intuitive about what they need. You can also give him a chart with all the multiplication tables on it, and let him refer to that. You just never know.

If he needs work at his current level, you can have him split his math time, but my son filled in lots of gaps while doing above level stuff.

Best Wishes,
Grinity

Poor Wolf!
He sounds much more motivated than my almost 5 1/2 yr old, lol. Mine is *mostly* content to be doing stuff that isn't much of a challenge, but I do find he drags his feet when it's too easy. 3rd grade seems both too easy and too hard for him at times. Does he do EPGY or ALEKS at all? Maybe *some* 4th grade math would be good while he works on the skills he still needs to master for the rest?

DS has a hard time memorizing the fact tables but I know he'd never do anything if I made him wait to have them totally memorized before he moves on to tougher stuff. He is only 5 after all, we work on the memorization little by little.

I second the ALEKS suggestion. The assessment process insures that they are getting what they can handle. Periodically it will pop up a new assessment and has no issue bumping the child back if they got through something that they truly don't understand.

I checked out ALEKS and told Wolf if he wanted to do a 4th grade math assessment he could. He's thinking about it.

Currently he's doing 2nd grade math with supplemental 3rd and 4th grade stuff added to it. I'm not certain what to do because we don't want to push him through the levels too quickly and end up with him frustrated, but at the same time when it's too easy (even if it is new work!!!) he gets horrible to deal with. Sigh...