Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy what to clarify about subject acceleration

Looks almost definite that DS8 will be accelerated 2 years (from 3rd to 5th) in math. Any suggestions re: things we should clarify with the principal/teacher/curriculum specialist when we meet? Things that come to mind are: how will he be evaluated, will he be sent back to 3rd for standardized test review? How will the scheduling work? But I know there much be a number of other issues that I am not thinking about.

Suggestions? Thanks a lot.

Scheduling was our problem last year when DS7 in 2nd grade was going to 5th grade math. He got really frustrated with having to miss out on music, art, and other specials because they conflicted with math. We ended up pulling him from the 5th grade class for the last month of school. He is going back into the same 5th grade math class again this year, tentatively, as they are still hesitant to send him to middle school in another building. The whole school K-12 is on the same campus in our little town, but separate buildings. I'm not sure how it's going to work out, because he is really ahead of that in math, but we still want him to have a class with other kids instead of just doing ALEKS by himself. It's tough to know what to do!

I'm sure this sounds stupid, but I couldn't tell you how he was evaluated last year with 2nd grade, 3rd grade reading and 5th grade math. I don't really think that the other teachers had anything to do with his report cards, and we were only actually scheduled with the 2nd grade teacher for PT conferences although I did go and talk to the other two when I was there. He brought home papers graded by the other teachers, but as for how they went into his report cards, I don't know. It sounds lazy when I say that, but we really just don't worry much about how he's doing with math or reading because he's always been so far out there.

This probably hasn't helped you in the least. Good luck with yours!

Nautigal
We have had the same issue with school scheduling, DS8 missed writing in his class to be able to go to math. So we went back to online math in class. Not sure hopw well it will work out this year, but we will try it. My issue is ensureing he is challanged enough to keep him interested in math.

With ds7, when he was in 1st grade and going to 2nd grade for math, his 1st grade teacher noted on his report card that math instruction was mainly with 2nd grade. Then the 2nd grade teacher just filled out the math section of a report card for him. He did the 1st grade state testing at the end of the year (and got 100%, go figure - bet he boosted their average). In 1st grade he went 3 days per week to 2nd grade math, as that was all scheduling would allow without him missing specials. This year, the teachers knew ahead of time that he would go to 3rd grade for math, so they co-ordinated their schedules, so that he could go 4 days a week (again, the 5th day was too full of specials, which was out of the teachers control). I'm pretty happy with this - although I think he'd do just fine in 4th grade for math, we'll see how 3rd grade goes, for now.

When we agreed to subject acceleration we were told that DS would take all the tests that the kids in the higher grade get (i.e. for the purposes of math, he is part of the grade he jumped to). I think this falls under both state and NCLB testing guidelines, though I have not read the guidelines.

We are running into serious scheduling headaches; I don't know what to tell you other than that the problems you imagine are real and contingent on local goodwill for their solutions.

DeeDee

In retrospect , some things I wish that I had firmed addressed earlier with the school concerning my dd's 2 year math skip last year:

- A communication system (email or note) when dd was going to have a math test
- A way to find out how she did on the math tests (what grade/percentage)
- Whether it was okay to put a time limit on homework if she didn't get it done
- When she had homework other than math, what was the more important subject to get done
- Whether dd was allowed to play with the older, math class kids at recess instead of only be allowed to play with age peers
- What would happen if there was a substitute teacher
- That dd required her own designated desk/chair/supplies

Now, my kiddo has some executive function issues... She did make it through the acceleration last year and I truly think its going to be easier this year.

What I wished I had asked myself before dd's math acceleration was, "Would I be satisfied that the acceleration was a success if dd didn't end up with an "A" in the class?" (She did, but it was interesting for me to learn how I felt about her no longer getting 100s.)

This is all so very helpful. Hopefully the scheduling won't be too tricky. Because 2 fifth grade classes are paired (so 1 teacher does math 2 times a day - once with each class, while the other teacher does LA), the principal has 2 time windows to use to match up with the 3rd grade math time. This was one of the principal's initial concerns, but once she was convinced DS needed this, she clearly saw the necessity for smooth scheduling. He won't have to miss specials, etc. from what we have been told.

But the other issues are important ones to think about. I am like Dottie, I don't want to raise too many questions at this point, I'd rather bring them up as we go along, but the issue of evaluation and communications I'm going to talk to them about. As for things like field trips, etc., I think the first time that comes up I will push for them to let him do Aleks either in the classroom or library. If not that, I don't think they could argue with letting him work in his geometry book or Fred book, or even just let him read his own book and I'd have him do 20 minutes of Aleks at home.

For state testing, I assume he will test with his main grade. My feeling is they should give him the homework packet for the testing (because there are always some terms in there you learn and forget) and he can just do that, but should stay with the 5th graders the rest of the time (review is boring regardless, so might as well make it as good as possible).

The other issue is whether he will get the 5th grade math enrichment. I guess we need to bring that up right away too. Maybe I won't bring up the evaluation question yet , since I have a few months for that.

And this is all in one school, I can only imagine what it will be like next year, when he has to go to jr. high, and we are dealing with 2 different principals, 2 dif. curriculum supervisors, etc.

Thanks again, Cat

Dottie, I'm curious what would the "religious exemption route" be with respect to testing? Sorry if it should be clear to me. I'll blame it on my head cold and insufficient quantities of caffeine today.

It just got my curiosity piqued as to what religious objection would cover testing. I understand it as a basis for homeschooling (when reasons need to be given for that), and for being opposed to vaccinations and stuff, but I wonder if there is an ACTUAL religiously-based objection for testing, or if what this really means is that you can say you object for religious reasons to pretty much anything and the system can't question your reasons....

I wish you a great school year!!

[quote=Dottie
That will have to be over coffee, . [/quote]

Only people on this forum could possibly understand how wonderful that would be!

As terrific as this forum is, it just isn't quite the same as live conversation. Of course, sometimes that can be a good thing But not in this case.

Cat

Sounds like this has been addressed by others, but our experience with acceleration and testing/grades has been:

- when subject accelerated, dd's grade is based upon her performance on the grade level material she is being taught (so if I had a 3rd grader in 4th grade for a subject, she'd be judged against 4th grade stds for the grade on her report card). However, her NCLB (state) tests were still given at her overall grade level. In other words, she still took 3rd grade state tests.

- when whole grade skipped, her grades and tests were, obviously, all based on the grade into which she was skipped. So, my 10 y/o 6th grader was taking 6th grade state tests and her grades were as compared to 6th grade stds in all subjects.

I like what my younger dd's school does in relation to subject accelerated kids and transcripts. There is a spot on the report card that says "instructional level" next to each grade. A 5th grader who is in an accelerated 5th grade math class would still get a "G" on this meaning "grade level." He is doing accelerated work for grade level, but it is still grade level.

A 5th grader who is doing 6th grade reading or math gets an "AG" (above grade level) demarcation on this spot indicating that he is being subject accelerated.

I do believe that it could be more specific for situations like yours where the child is being subject accelerated multiple grades. That may be a moot point where I live, though, b/c I've never known either district to subject accelerate a child more than one grade level in any subject.

ohhh my I just wrote a response and it has disappeared... One small issue we had when we accelerated mid-year fourth to mid year 6th was the speed in which DD could do the calculations. I attended class with her to do the calculations fast enough for her to stay with the lecture. It motivated her to increase her speed with things like multiplication tables. She soon kicked me out of the class. In the long run it was a very small issue.