DS7 just not working at school - 09/04/14 08:59 AM
Hi all,
I really need help. DS7 has overall iq of 132, so moderately gifted. He also has SPD which seemed to mask any signs of giftedness. He doesn't follow any of the "typical" checklists/milestones, apart from early reading.
School has been an uphill battle all the way, pushing big time for "something" to help attention, concentration, never supplied any ideas about WHY he isn't concentrating when he is clearly capable of the work.
Today we were called for a meeting with the HOD and the class teacher. They are worried about his very negative attitude towards school work as he is constantly asking "why" he has to do anything and would rather talk to friends/play with his shoe/lie on the ground - anything except do the work.
They also want him to get everything right before they will offer extension - so if he gets all 10 sums right, then they'll offer "more" (of the same - maybe adding a 0 here and there...). They claim they simply cannot offer higher level work before he has shown them his mastery of the current level, even though the report with his iq test states he is 2 years ahead (roughly).
When I state that he is doing advanced work at home, they say that's "lovely" that I'm offering extension (as in oh yay now they don't have to), but refuse to see that as a reason to give him the same advanced level at school. Not before everything in the 2nd grade box is checked - and checked PERFECTLY.
I honestly don't know what to do - HOW do I motivate him to do the work when I simply, honestly cannot see why he should have to do it - and I would feel like a fraud telling him I feel he needs to do it because I don't think it's right. I think they are treating him with utter contempt and are ignoring the IQ results and wanting him to perform how they want, when they want, and then using his lack of compliance to "prove" that he isn't gifted.
They will "allow" that he's gifted in reading, since he aced his test, but they don't see he's gifted in math or anything else, plus IQ tests just measure general knowledge.
They then went on to say that everyone is gifted at something, we all have talents.
Oh, and the HOD ended with "if this was my child, I would have him repeat the year", due to his apparently huge lack of maturity, which I think (considering his relationships outside of school) instead points to a complete lack of stimulation/challenge, as well as of any true peers.
I am so frustrated and disappointed with them. My hubby agrees and says he doesn't feel we are going to get much more from this school (we are looking to change) - however he still feels we need to follow the psychologist's recommendation that he finish the year at this current school and start "fresh" at the new school next year. To me I feel like we are doing huge damage to this child by sending him to a place which demands perfection at the wrong level, isn't willing to "give" at all - no wiggle room - and is making comments to him like "come on, with your little brain you can definitely do this."
I really need help, advice - I don't know how to do this. I'm scared DS is about to lose interest in school completely - and we still have at least 10 more years to go! I want him to succeed, but more than that, I want him to be happy. All of this doesn't tell me he is happy where he is...
TIA
I really need help. DS7 has overall iq of 132, so moderately gifted. He also has SPD which seemed to mask any signs of giftedness. He doesn't follow any of the "typical" checklists/milestones, apart from early reading.
School has been an uphill battle all the way, pushing big time for "something" to help attention, concentration, never supplied any ideas about WHY he isn't concentrating when he is clearly capable of the work.
Today we were called for a meeting with the HOD and the class teacher. They are worried about his very negative attitude towards school work as he is constantly asking "why" he has to do anything and would rather talk to friends/play with his shoe/lie on the ground - anything except do the work.
They also want him to get everything right before they will offer extension - so if he gets all 10 sums right, then they'll offer "more" (of the same - maybe adding a 0 here and there...). They claim they simply cannot offer higher level work before he has shown them his mastery of the current level, even though the report with his iq test states he is 2 years ahead (roughly).
When I state that he is doing advanced work at home, they say that's "lovely" that I'm offering extension (as in oh yay now they don't have to), but refuse to see that as a reason to give him the same advanced level at school. Not before everything in the 2nd grade box is checked - and checked PERFECTLY.
I honestly don't know what to do - HOW do I motivate him to do the work when I simply, honestly cannot see why he should have to do it - and I would feel like a fraud telling him I feel he needs to do it because I don't think it's right. I think they are treating him with utter contempt and are ignoring the IQ results and wanting him to perform how they want, when they want, and then using his lack of compliance to "prove" that he isn't gifted.
They will "allow" that he's gifted in reading, since he aced his test, but they don't see he's gifted in math or anything else, plus IQ tests just measure general knowledge.
They then went on to say that everyone is gifted at something, we all have talents.
Oh, and the HOD ended with "if this was my child, I would have him repeat the year", due to his apparently huge lack of maturity, which I think (considering his relationships outside of school) instead points to a complete lack of stimulation/challenge, as well as of any true peers.
I am so frustrated and disappointed with them. My hubby agrees and says he doesn't feel we are going to get much more from this school (we are looking to change) - however he still feels we need to follow the psychologist's recommendation that he finish the year at this current school and start "fresh" at the new school next year. To me I feel like we are doing huge damage to this child by sending him to a place which demands perfection at the wrong level, isn't willing to "give" at all - no wiggle room - and is making comments to him like "come on, with your little brain you can definitely do this."
I really need help, advice - I don't know how to do this. I'm scared DS is about to lose interest in school completely - and we still have at least 10 more years to go! I want him to succeed, but more than that, I want him to be happy. All of this doesn't tell me he is happy where he is...
TIA