Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Another teacher conference gone bad..

Teacher actually suggested we keep him back next year while his social skills "catch up" I have to get him out of there!

I don't think teachers understand that gifted kids being challenged can help their social skills. Have you shown her any articles about this?

Is there a better teacher for her? Are you going to send DC to a new school or HS?

Good luck. I know this is hard.

How can they even suggest that? Do they not get that holding him back to repeat this grade, means that he will have to suffer through yet another year of being surrounded by immature minds?

I just do not get it! Sorry to hear about this.

I think we are at the homeschool option as our only current option. He is refusing to do work in school. He tells his teacher every day how much he hates school. He is either scribbling on his papers or refusing to do them and is also disruptive in class.
Their other suggestions were medication or pull-out next year in a program for kids having behavioral issues. This is the first year any teacher has had such a negative attitude with him and the first year he has had such and issue with school - he always thought it was boring etc. but liked his teacher/friends etc.
I do not know how (or if) I can afford to homeschool but I can't see him suffering along any longer.

Ouch. That sounds truly horrible. I hope you can figure out something. May be moving him to a different class could help some.

That's really awful. So sorry you're having to deal with this. I hope you can make homeschooling work for you if that's what you think they right thing for your son (and you). I know many "non-traditional" homeschooling families now where both members of the family work.

That sounds awful!!

That said I'm sure my DS's teachers feel about the same way. We are planning on doing K12 next year and then deciding to continue school at home (either k12, different virtual charter, or on our own) or go back to ps at that point. I don't forsee going back to ps but we'll see.

Thanks guys. At least I can come on here and have validation of the ridiculousness of the situation. Even DH says something similar to the teacher - "I hated school and I had to do my work. I think he needs a punishment." My reply "Right now school IS his punishment."

I mean obviously every one has to do things they don't like or don't find particularly interesting but to take a gifted child, any child and teach them to hate learning reminds me of the old "This is your brain on drugs" commercial.

Camera pans in on young child excitedly building with legos in his living room.

Child "Look Mom, this is the suspension bridge that goes across to the island. The mad scientist lives on the island and he is experimenting on making man eating plants by grafting like in the story I'm working on."

Over-voice "This is your child's brain."

New scene - Sullen silent older (8 or 9) child rolls eyes and sighs oblivious to the rest of the class while the teacher drones on (like from Charlie Brown)


Over voice - "This is your child's brain on SCHOOL."

To change teachers I would have to change schools. Right now I think he is so turned off that even a new teacher would have a tough time.

Not giving up though. Well maybe giving up on that teacher and perhaps school for now but not giving up on trying to get DS re-invested in himself and learning and having fun.

Thanks again for listening to my vent. :-)

Breakaway

Wow. That had to be awful. While I'm not having those exact issues, DS is having a more difficult year than he's had in the past. I can totally empathize with the struggle of whether or not 'traditional' school is right for your child. This year has really been the catalyst for our decision to HS next year. (Actually, it's a K12 charter school, so not totally independent HSing). I'm hopeful that this change will be a positive one for DS.

Good luck to you in figuring out how best to serve your DSs needs!

We had the same situation last year except DS7 was spending half his day in K (age appropriate) and the other half in 1st grade. When we wanted him to just skip to 2nd this year the 1st grade teacher thought that he should do first grade due to his social skills and the fact that he missed the morning portion of 1st grade each day and may have missed something important.

This came during a meeting when we discussed how the 1st grade work was still not close to challenge DS and meeting his needs!!

I totally feel your pain and can't even being to understand some of these teachers.

FYI: We did get the skip to 2nd for DS7 this year.