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I wouldn't assume that she is MG just b/c that one set of scores say so. She sounds a lot like my eldest who also tested with an IQ within a point of your dd's at the same age. We had a similar situation where dd totally refused to complete part of the test and came out in the 25th percentile on that part (which would constitute bombing in my book -- lol!). Even the tester told us that she thought it was an underestimation given how high other parts of the test fell and other indicators.

While we've never retested IQ, I do believe my dd is HG b/c all other signs point to it. Her early development is spot on with your dd's even with the amazing small motor skills. She's consistently tested in the 99th percentile in everything on achievement tests except math (which falls in the mid-90s) even with being young for grade and even after skipping a grade. One test is... one test, one day.

That long aside apart, have you visited the GT magnet? If your dd is happy and has peers where she is, I'd be hesistant to jump at moving her. However, if she is going to go to the GT magnet middle school down the line my concern would be that she might not be performing as highly as she might otherwise be by that time if she's been underchallenged for most of elementary.

I'd do two things: visit the GT magnet and see whether you think it would be a good emotional & social fit for your dd, and, if she stays where she is, be a pain if you need to be and try to get better enrichment/acceleration options for your dd and her peers who need it. I'd ask for things like sending the group of kids who can handle it to the next grade up for literacy, an advanced spelling list for kids who get most of the std words correct on a pre-test, bringing some of the next grade level material for math or literacy into her classroom for the higher achieving kids, etc.

She sounds like DS7. I wouldn't have guessed HG, and still to this day, I have moments where I second guess. We grade skipped last year from K to 1. He was hesitant at first, but has turned out just fabulous (and he is immature with us... very mature at school, so don't let behavior at home fool you). Academically now, he is advanced in certain areas, enough to grade skip to 3rd, but seems to be a great fit in other areas to stay in 2nd.

Each child is different, but talk to her. See how she feels. Have her visit the school if you can. While keeping her where she happy isn't a bad thing all the time, taking on new challenges can be a plus. Is it something she can do for a semester/year and change back?

Good luck!

We will visit the magnet this week--she can visit as well. I have heard relatively good things, but also have been told that there is a lot more homework (right now she has almost none) and that the teachers are a little too heavy on talking about how "special and smart" the kids are. Also, we are a lower-income family living in a modest house and driving a beater car, with some pretty outside-the-mainstream views and habits and a very strong belief in unstructured play and free time; I worry about transitioning to a school that may be mostly wealthy kids of high-intensity parents.


This is a major concern. I also worry that most of the kids at the magnet middle will have been at the magnet elementary together. Also, the magnet might be a better choice socially. DD sometimes has a hard time figuring out how to relate to her age peers. She is not "girly" but also is not athletic and hates war and fighting games, which can make it hard. I think she might be more likely to find "her people" at the magnet.

Pushing for more in-class acceleration appear to be a nonstarter. The school is convinced that what she gets is adequate and our relationship with school admin is unfortunately somewhat strained. Pushing more is likely to make things worse, which, in a tiny school like this, could directly affect DD. That said, I am pleased that her current in-class reading is a book at about the 4th-5th grade level; they are using the "Daily 5" literacy plan. This is certainly a step up from Frog and Toad, which is what she was reading in class in Sept.

Are you me? I worry about those things too, especially because my parents moved me from another state to an area such as you described, and it failed big time. BUT, I was also in 8th grade/high school then. Not a good time to move a teenage girl, especially one going through puberty and whatnot.

DS7 went from a middle/upper middle class elementary to now a lower/lower middle/middle class one... there are problems in both schools and with kids/parents of all classes anywhere you go. I have also learned that the issues that I fear for my children are usually out of fear for myself and not them. They adapt very well, especially at that age (meaning I worry about the parents' reaction to me instead).

Make a list of all the positives and negatives and rank the importance of each. You'll figure out the best move.

I would stongly look at the GT magnet. Visit and observe the teachers at work. The work level might be lower than your dd's current situation.

I don't get the flavor that you daughter is loving her current school - only that she loves the teacher. If she was loving her peers, I'd be more hesitant to leave. I can almost promise that she won't have the same teacher next year if she stays at the current school.

I would speculate that half the kids in YSP are Ruf level 3 - anyone care to take a guess? YSP is very careful to acknowledge that kids can be PG in one area and well below average in another area - that's just the way kids are sometimes.

Now I'm going to generalize even farther:
"The problem with boys is that they can't control their behavior; The problem with girls is that they do."

With a female child who happens to have tradionally female strengths, I think it's imperitive to make sure the 'backround' you place them in is a good fit to their abilities and needs, because before you know it, they will start to blend into the backround. I don't know if it's cultural or biological or some of both, but I see it over and over. Sometimes for good, but often to the great disservice of the individual and society. So if the Magnet is going to teach her to her readiness level, swap her, if not, skip her at the homeschool (I know you said she's immature, but I would bet that she isn't having trouble sharing her toys, she's probably just supersensitive - and that isn't going away!) or go in and take over the school. Frankly, I'm not a big fan of 'in class enrichment' because it's like adding a new pillow, when what's needed is to create a whole new wallpaper. I don't think it's enough for most girls to really get the message that 'school is for learning.'

((shrugs and more shrugs))
Grinity

Hmmm... Best Option Yet!

I just talked to her about switching schools for the first time. She liked the idea of harder and more exciting work a lot, but then crumpled into tears at the thought of not having the 2nd grade teacher she is scheduled to have--she already knows her and loves her because said teacher is super-into birding. She asked if she could stay at her current school for second and then switch. I wish she could, really, because I do think that teacher will be great for her, but there is MUCH less chance of getting into the magnet after gr. 2.


I really am concerned that her current school sees her mainly as an accelerated reader and a "verbal kid," in part because she is a girl with nice handwriting. I KNOW she has a ton of potential in math and science, and I really do worry that no one there perceives this about her. I would hate to see her natural spark for those subjects die. Her dad is a scientist, so that helps some, but still.

My DS7 was VERY attached to his K teacher. In fact, they were going to not go ahead with the skip because of it. It was the only thing holding him back. For him, the option of seeing her each morning before going to his new class helped a bunch. After a week, he stopped going to see her.

I know that your DD couldn't do that if she switched schools, but maybe they would be able to tell her what teacher she would get (or let her meet the possible ones). She may, on instinct alone, tell you that she would rather be in Teacher Y's class at the magnet school than Teacher X at her current school???

Hello - your DD also sounds a lot like my DS, who I predicted to be a high level 3 or a level 4 after reading Ruf's book, but who turned out to be PG. Sometimes you can't tell from just one score, and I think gifted parents tend to underestimate because to them, their kid seems normal.

Since you are not guaranteed a spot in the gifted magnet, I suggest you apply even if you haven't made a decision yet so you have all the options on the table. And if she doesn't get in this time, like you said, she will have a good fit 2nd grade teacher.

My DS7 just switched mid-year to a HG magnet. He commented that it was much harder. I told him I thought things were a little too easy at the other school. He said, "I like it easy. You know how I like to play on easy mode on computer games? Well, the new school is on hard mode." I am glad we switched now, because hopefully he will learn more about perserverance in the face of challenges. So, I would vote for trying to get to the GT magnet sooner, rather than later. My DS also loved his teachers at his old school, and he had friends; it was hard to leave, but DS said he wanted to switch after he toured the new school. If possible, I would suggest touring all the grades - that was enlightening for all of us, and DS really liked that the 4th graders were "doing really hard stuff."

As for the math, I recommend working hard to get appropriate math - that should be pretty easy for the teachers to do. I feel I lost out in school because I was seen as the verbal kid, and even though I did really well in math, I never felt it was acknowledged and so I never pursued it.

Good luck in your decision making!

I think this is so right on.

Also, my PG SIL was strongly advised by the admissions officer at one college (I am thinking one of the smaller Virginia schools? but could be wrong) to major in English because she was a girl (this was <10 yrs ago). She didn't listen and is now just about to finish up her phd in genetics.

To further up on St. Pauli's point, if there is only a 50ish chance of getting into the magnet can you get in first and then decide?

Have you explored what other accomodations could be done at her current school? Seems like next year if she's there it would be nice if more than the hour a week pullout could happen.

Next question, will the kids at the gifted magnet elementary progress to the gifted middle school (where she would be going)? Or will they all switch around then? Will other kids from her elementary be going to the gifted middle school, or just her? Are the other 2 kids in her class that are GT going to be changing to the gifted magnet for 2nd, or staying put? Trying to get at how many times she will be needing to make new friends, how many kids would be going with her, etc.

Can you just call up the science teacher at the gifted magnet and see if they like birds? Or ask their front office staff if they can find out if any of the teachers at the school are birder types? Birds is not too rare an interest, at a gifted magnet there may be either a teacher or known particular kids who are really into birds.

On a separate note we got the "Bird Watching Trivia Game" for Xmas, DS3.5 is bird obsessed and loves it, if you don't have that your DD might like it, with 3 levels of questions there's a lot of room for varied levels of bird knowledge. Also there's fun bird quizzes at http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/profile_birds.htm

Polly

Oh yes--we are applying to the magnet no matter what. If she gets in, then we'll go from there.


Yes, the kids at the magnet elementary are very likely to either go to the magnet middle or the pre-IB middle. A few will probably go from her current school to the gifted middle. The other presumed GT kids in her class have NOT been tested and are therefore not eligible for the magnet next year. That is very unfortunate. Her current school has done some not-great things WRT how it handles its GT stuff, and failing to test promptly is one of them. DD was only tested because we pushed for it rather relentlessly.

ETA--thank you for that link!! DD has been asking and asking for bird websites and links. She likes this site a lot: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/browse

There is no gt magnet here, but there is a math science magnet which ds10 is trying for (for middle school). I figure it will be a better fit socially (at least a bit) but he does have a few friends he'd be leaving behind and his very best friend is currently at our regular middle school, so that is a bigger issue...we are doing the "applying first, figure it out if he gets in" thing.
Testing here is a real slog, too, requesting, consideration, waiting, waiting some more, then when you least expect it, (and you kid probably has a cold or forgot their lunch...) they test. Sheesh.