Good morning all! Well, the DS9 conference is right around the corner, and I'm dreading it...I know what teacher will say..."He can do so much better....He's not working up to his potential....He's underacheiving" blah, blah, blah. So what do I say to all of this??? I have to admit in math it is true. Teacher is right. His in classroom test scores are terrible...lots of doodling on the papers but sloppy, sloppy work when I KNOW he knows this stuff!!! Gifted psychologist who tested him says he can easily work up 2 or 3 grades ahead in math, DS is doing EPGY at home, but at school it's like he knows NOTHING!!! It is getting so hard to stick up for him. Any words of encouragement, advice??? I'm feeling a little hopeless here Thanks

I would bring in examples of what he has been doing at EPGY. Is he being challenged with his school work enough?

Thank you, all good advice...And a big thanks for replying so quickly I'm seriously at tears with this. Husband and I seem to always be talking with DS about making good choices etc...etc...etc...Half the time it just seems like he's looking through us. It's SO frustrating when we know what he is capable of!!! Great idea about bringing in the EPGY I had another big chat with DS today, and he told me that when the problems are too easy for him that he just gets lost in his doodling and forgets where he is on the test, forgets to do problems, sigh. He seriously is "at risk" right now for 4th grade math when at home he's doing algebra!!! I feel like I've tried everything...rewards, consequences, always changing everything from a negative to a positive, "I know you'll do better next time....What can be done better next time"....On and on and on with no consistent results. Another thing is that lately I'm getting no support on this situation from husband. He doesn't agree that DS needs to be challenged, because DS isn't proving to anybody that he even knows the basics. Husband is so over all of it that he wants to take away EPGY, which results in huge tears from DS...Drama, drama, drama!!! Ten minutes ago, DS just pulled a "I just don't test well" comment on me ...I know he got that line from reading Calvin and Hobbes! Oh well, thanks for all of the support. I really do appreciate it

I'm pretty new to this stuff and still haven't even had our initial IEP yet so take my advice with a grain of salt. I'm learning to read all the laws and regulations for your particular state that you can find! If you are lucky enough to be in one of the 12 states with regulations it seems to be easier to get the appropriate education for your child. Also the books and national report below have been really helpful. Good Luck!

GENIUS DENIED: HOW TO STOP WASTING OUR BRIGHTEST YOUNG MINDS BY JAN AND BOD DAVIDSON WITH LAURA VANDERKAM

REFORMING GIFTED EDUCATION � HOW PARENTS AND TEACHERS CAN MATCH THE PROGRAM TO THE CHILD BY KAREN B. ROGERS, PH.D.

ACADEMIC ADVOCACY FOR GIFTED CHILDREN BY BARBARA JACKSON GILMAN, MS

A NATION DECEIVED: HOW SCHOOLS HOLD BACK AMERICA'S BRIGHTEST STUDENTS- THE TEMPLETON NATIONAL REPORT ON ACCELERATION