To accelerate or not accelerate, that is the ? - 01/05/08 10:30 PM
Here's the background:
Grandson, now 8.5, is in third grade. Teacher this year recommended he be tested for the gifted program. He will begin the gifted pullout program for math that starts at the beginning of the next semester, in 2 weeks. They did language arts the first semester but his teacher in 2nd grade did not identify him as potentially gifted.
We've had custody of him for almost 3 years, after a chaotic start in life. He had a lot of emotional, behaviorial and social issues in school, which have diminished to a normal 8 year old boy level this year. As his other issues have diminished, his intellectual ability has become more apparent. At the beginning of 1st grade, he was testing on grade level. At the beginning of 2nd grade, he was testing at the 3rd grade level. At the beginning of 3rd grade, he was testing at the 5th grade level.
The pullout program will be a nice diversion, but I fear the pullout programs just make it easier for the teachers to work with the rest of the class, and don't teach a lot extra. His teachers have been great, and this year his teacher has been allowing him to work on a book he is writing, nothing big, just your typical comic book hero type of thing. But it's been a great learning experience while keeping him occupied when he's finished his other assignments.
We have immersed our grandson in extracurricular activities, 'Earth club' at school, music, swimming, Scouts, church, and included him in our farm business raising registered cattle. The more he does, the more he wants.
At this point he could easily skip a grade, but with a rocky start emotionally & socially in school, I'm hesitating even discussing it with the school. On the other hand, if he starts acting out in the next year due to boredom, it'll be bad for him, and bad for the kids around him.
We had recognized his giftedness when we got him mid-K. When discussing it with a friend who had just retired after 25 years as an elementary principal, he said "let him be the big fish in a small pond", meaning don't push to accelerate him.
Any advice on knowing when acceleration is the best option, or when it's better to supplement the education at home and let the child remain with his chronological peers? FWIW, he does have 1 buddy his age that is his peer, mentally and chronologically. I would probably talk to his parents about acceleration and see if we could request them be accelerated together.
Also, our elementary is K-5, with middle school being 6-8. Any recommendations on best year to accelerate, 3rd to 5th, or 4th to 6th?
Thanks
Grandson, now 8.5, is in third grade. Teacher this year recommended he be tested for the gifted program. He will begin the gifted pullout program for math that starts at the beginning of the next semester, in 2 weeks. They did language arts the first semester but his teacher in 2nd grade did not identify him as potentially gifted.
We've had custody of him for almost 3 years, after a chaotic start in life. He had a lot of emotional, behaviorial and social issues in school, which have diminished to a normal 8 year old boy level this year. As his other issues have diminished, his intellectual ability has become more apparent. At the beginning of 1st grade, he was testing on grade level. At the beginning of 2nd grade, he was testing at the 3rd grade level. At the beginning of 3rd grade, he was testing at the 5th grade level.
The pullout program will be a nice diversion, but I fear the pullout programs just make it easier for the teachers to work with the rest of the class, and don't teach a lot extra. His teachers have been great, and this year his teacher has been allowing him to work on a book he is writing, nothing big, just your typical comic book hero type of thing. But it's been a great learning experience while keeping him occupied when he's finished his other assignments.
We have immersed our grandson in extracurricular activities, 'Earth club' at school, music, swimming, Scouts, church, and included him in our farm business raising registered cattle. The more he does, the more he wants.
At this point he could easily skip a grade, but with a rocky start emotionally & socially in school, I'm hesitating even discussing it with the school. On the other hand, if he starts acting out in the next year due to boredom, it'll be bad for him, and bad for the kids around him.
We had recognized his giftedness when we got him mid-K. When discussing it with a friend who had just retired after 25 years as an elementary principal, he said "let him be the big fish in a small pond", meaning don't push to accelerate him.
Any advice on knowing when acceleration is the best option, or when it's better to supplement the education at home and let the child remain with his chronological peers? FWIW, he does have 1 buddy his age that is his peer, mentally and chronologically. I would probably talk to his parents about acceleration and see if we could request them be accelerated together.
Also, our elementary is K-5, with middle school being 6-8. Any recommendations on best year to accelerate, 3rd to 5th, or 4th to 6th?
Thanks