Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy When Child Doesn't Appear Bored In School

DS just started school in the US equivalent of Grade 1. He was homeschooled before (and had some pre-school before that). He has been identified as PG amd the school and the relevant authorities have his records. We are waiting for acceleration to happen (it's been 1.5mths) and in the meanwhile, he is chafing at the bit and complaining everyday about being tremendously bored with the curriculum.

However, as in all his previous kindies, his teachers tell me that he is enjoying himself and is an active participant in class. The exception this time is that he does seems to have found a friend (he told me so); his teachers have always told me he's got tonnes of friends, which he denied in the past.

I'm curious - does it happen to other GT kids as well? I think school this time around is great for him in so many respects - he's finally making friends, learning to take instructions, and is even keen on taking up leadership positions, to name a few. Despite the slower pace of learning, I believe (so far) that it is the right environment for him. But I am yet again surprised at his apparent Jekyll-and-Hyde persona. At some point, as in all his previous schools, his bravado will break down and he will demand to be homeschooled, but I really hope to be able to stick this one out because of the overall benefits to him.

I genuinely believe he is bored - he started with Algebra not too long ago and is enjoying himself at home with "short and sharp math" while the class is learning to add. His all-time favourite book is The Phantom Tollbooth but his classmates are learning to read. His complaints about school are getting increasingly bitter. You get the picture. I wonder if his happy front will hurt his chances of acceleration? I know it shouldn't, but if I were his teacher, I would think the mother was overly pushy!

Hi Blob Is there some compromise to look for here? Sometimes just a small improvement can go a long way. i think that the time to ask for changes is now while the behaviior is appropriate and not wait until he is at the end of his rope. Yes they do learn to behave better as they get older but if there isnt anything in it for them than motivation may suffer. If you see benifits that DS isnt seeing then I agree to try to keep him in the environment to some degree but the whole set up sounds odd to my ear. Of course when your DS complains he complains bitterly but he still has reasonable complaints.
best wishes grinity

Yes!
I like to think that in grade 1 my DD's brain turned ON. She thought K was fun and entertaining, but when she hit 1st grade she was done with fun and ready for a challenge and would complain about how repetitive math was. Fact Families YUK!
Due to lengthily testing, she did not get into the advanced/GT classes until the end of grade 1, after she was moved into the program I saw a huge positive change in her attitude about school.

While you are waiting for acceleration, I would see if you meet with the teacher and set up some differentiation. Why can't he make his own Algebra problems on the back of the addition sheet, or change the problems to include negative numbers? Show her some of the work he is doing at home at fun
I wish you the very best of luck

Perhaps he is complaining only when in his comfort zone - home and you. Is he the type of child that wouldn't dream of making a "fuss" at school?

If you believe he is bored, and you must be based on what he is telling you, then don't wait for acceleration to happen, initiate it. Do what's best for your son, don't hold back based on what other people may think.

It sounds like he is learning to blend in at school which may have some social value. If he as bored and frustrated as you think, his behavior is likely to deteriorate. What kind of gifted services and/or acceleration does your school district offer? You may need to contact someone beyond your school building to figure this out. You really need to be the advocate for acceleration or an alternative placement. If the school hasn't gotten back to you, you need to bug them.
Yes, this does happen to other kids. I still remember my DS10 coming home in first grade and announcing that "Math is boring and stupid." The class was working on "making 10" while DS10 was figuring out things like exponential powers. DS10 is now in a gifted classroom and much happier (though still not really challenged). Sadly, even a gifted classroom probably won't be much of an academic challenge for a PG kid.

Thanks so much to all of you for redirecting me to my child's needs. That is the fundamental starting point, and I will do well to remember that.

We went back into the school system based on promises of acceleration, regularly updated IEPs and interest-driven GT programmes. His achievement tests were scheduled for mid-last year, of which he only completed the math portion because he refused to write for the language portion (he has some fine motor skills issues, so he did the math mentally). He tested at the grade 4 level with some gaps, but I can see that the mismatch has widened because he only became interested in math after the test. The school/authorities want him to complete the language portion before assigning his grade level, and we are awaiting the test date.

The biggest issue is that "waiting a few weeks" from their perspective is agony for my son on a daily basis, and my frequency of calling them has risen in line with the sharpness of his complaints. Unfortunately, I was turned down yet again yesterday for higher level material. The teacher is unprepared to differentiate in the meanwhile and advises that we wait for The Test Date. I am given to hope that we will know this within the next week or so.

The stories and suggestions that all of you have made are very helpful. I am learning that if acceleration takes even longer to happen, I can suggest the type of differentiation he will like, such as negative numbers, exponent fun. Better yet, I'll show them his home-work so that they can allow me to provide the material. Or yes, he can make up his own algebra problems, which he loves to quiz us with.

Have you read up on profoundly gifted children? One article is:
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/underserved.htm

Try going to Hoagies: http://www.hoagiesgifted.org
Search on "profoundly gifted", start reading.

To discuss the "inside out" perspective, I remember all too clearly sitting in school with my brain in a type of neutral, because there was nothing to think about, nothing to learn, and I was prohibited from reading or researching anything that would be at my own pace. It was awful.

Does anyone at his school have experience in dealing with PG children? Or more pointedly, interest and excitement about educating them?

Hi Allison, tks for your perspective. It was a tough decision about whether to go back to school or not. The GT board in our area is committed and deals with kids of his nature. DH and I were quite impressed when they told of the success stories they've had. My primary problem with homeschooling was achieving a certain level of discipline, which school-gong kids are unlikely to face because of the structure in place. In terms of flexibility though, nothing beats homeschooling! I am now understanding that the wheels of bureaucracy turn on their own time and require far more documentation and justification than I had realized.

On a happy note, my son told me that they had showed up in his school and had administered a writing test. It's a surprise, but I am relieved. Perhaps things will move much faster from here.

Hey, super that *something* happened. Also sounds like you do have good resources there, what a great fortune. Keep us posted on the situation as it unfolds.