After 4 years we are finally seeing an EP to have the little'un assessed as gifted. The headteacher asked us over summer to compile a dossier of our reasons why we thought Cian was gifted. that was easy - we took a Gifted checklist and highlighted all the relevant teacher comments showing how different (we say special ) he was. What could the school say when we presented them with the evidence'in their own words'.

We await to see what the local authority can do. In the meantime we took him to an open day at a locacl public school (private - we are in the UK). The teachers who spoke to him were amazed at his knowledge about Tudor and Greek history - abnd he is not the least precocious honest.

One problem his latest teacher has again pointed out is his lack of motivation to get on with a task. Now one of the class teahers we saw at the public school commented that after 4 years of not being 'stretched' he had become lazy and unmotivated. We also mentioned that he doesn't sleep - and she said this was symptomatic of the same thing, and insisted that we have to address this NOW!

We recently read a book calld 'Dumbing Us Down' which has had quite an effect on us, since the public school would entail more schooling, and the book has very pertinent and persuasive arguments as to why schooling isn't the answer. So, despite the progress we are still in a bind. That and the fact that a public school will cost �6000+ per year, which is going to be nigh impossible to find,

Any thoughts anyone.

Do your public schools have financial aid?

Interetsing sounding book, although I can't imagine why more schooling 'at the child's readiness level' would not be a solution. MOTS, of course isn't what any of us are looking for (More of the Same)

Not sure what an EP is, but I hope the assessment goes well.

In the meantime there is always 'Afterschooling.' If you child doen't get much homework, you can 'assign' your own, - although you may have to sit with him if the 'lazies' have really taken hold. My DS had gotten into a bad cycle where everything looked either 'too hard' or 'too easy' at first glance, and one glance was all he was willing to do without a fight.

After some carrot and stick we got him out of that cycle, and yes we had to choke up some terrible money for a few years of school to help - but wow - I love the results!

It was a long hard struggle - but so worth it!

Best Wishes,
Grinity

Grinity
EP is an Educational Psychologist - this will paid for by our local authority.

the book is written by an ex-teacher who basically argues that schooling is about control, and children are not taught in any meaningful sense. In our experience this has prioved to be the case where teachers, or rather the school, have taken 4 years to initially tell us our boy was idle and lazy, only now ro be told he is probably a gifted under-achiever. To the headmasters shame he said there was a asimilar child now in grade 6 in a similar position.

Check out the book tho' - very interesting. I'm sure the local library will have it

P

http://www.amazon.com/Dumbing-Down-...mp;s=books&qid=1223976009&sr=8-1

Thanks P,
It sounds very interesting, but I strongly disagree that 'school just doesn't work.' I speculate that most of the folks who write books are themselves gifted, but think of themselves as 'average' and project that school systems that don't work for them also don't work for anyone.

I fell in that trap anyway.

Smiles,
Grinity

And different kids are so different! Blanket statements (almost) never hold true.

Thanks Grinity
In the UK at least we are in a position where there is a huge difference in the achievement of kids depending on social background.
Achievement as measured by our SATS (which we have coped from the US) are falling and, from my own experience, the children seem way behind where I was at a similar age. One commentator here wrote that teachers had become 'glorified childminders'.
We also have a system called 'parents as educators, where the parents assist the teachers at home; In our case is we educate our child since the teacher has told us she knows he has special needs but she can't give him the time as she has 29 other kids. If that isn't a driver for conformity and uniformity then what is?

You really need to read the book to get the picture - if you don't well that's ok - just a different viewpoint along the path we are all travelling on this forum

P