DS6 seems to have been actually really enjoying his last month or two of school after having a really rough stretch in the middle of the year. Over the last couple of months DS has been noticibly happier and has seemed to be in a really good mood overall. I know that they have been doing some fun, outside of the box types of things recently (like studying our town's Main Street- past, present, and future) and he really enjoys these things because they allow him to be creative and really don't have the academic grade level 'limitations' that math or reading sometimes do.
Anyway, DS hasn't been talking a lot about learning specific new things recently but, as I said, has been happy so I haven't questioned too much. While talking with his teacher yesterday though I found out that she has been working with DS on both multiplication and division and that last week she started helping him learn long multiplication. I didn't even know that he had learned his basic multiplication facts. Apparently he has been figuring these out for the last month or two.
I just LOVE the fact that his teacher can do such an amazing job of challenging DS while still remembering that he is also just a littel 6 year old boy! I am more and more sure all the time that his STEM school was the right way to go and I would go hug his teacher if I could.

That is excellent! I love hearing stories where the system is working in favor of the child!

That's brilliant! Do be sure to tell the teacher what a difference she's making. Btw, you have your DS's name in your post - if this was an accident you might want to edit it out (up to you, but I tend to feel that name [ETA it's not Colin ;-)] + location + HGness would make my DS way too identifiable if anyone who knows us should happen along).

Thanks Colinsmom-- didn't notice I had done that