Hello all- I'm new here but found this site looking for some advice or similar stories to mine. My son is 8- just turned and in second grade in a really good public school. The school is large, but his class has about 22 kids in it. Twice a week they pull him out to go with his enrichment teacher and once a week with the guidance counselor in group setting. He was tested this summer and scored overall 150 on the IQ test. The school has assured me they will continue to keep him challenged, but I'm beginning to see that this may not be the case.
My issue is this: Since about October of this year, he has been having problems with aggressiveness- according to the school. Once in October and once this past month he has smacked/hit a child. This past time he said he didnt know why he did it, and he was suspended.
After talking to him a few times he has begun to open up a lot more and has told us several times he hates school, wants to move and doesn't like his teacher. He says she yells at him all day (he tends to call out a lot and try to speak when it's not his turn and not raise his hand). The school is treating him as if he has behavioral problems and have him on a behavioral plan. They recognize he is gifted, but insist he has a behavior problem. However, when we are at home, we have no real problems, other than when he is upset from school he comes home miserable, argumentative, sad and almost depressed. He has told us several times his teacher told the class how terrible they are and he says this is the worst year of his life. When I think about what he is going through I want to just cry myself.
I am meeting with his teacher, enrichment teacher and guidance counselor this week and also a private psychologist to see if they can help. I feel as though he is bottling up his anger and emotions and at times he does lash out at other students.
When he was suspended, each day he came home like a new child- happy and full of life again. He told us that he loved suspension and that it was quiet, peacful, there was no yelling, he could read and concentrate and it was hectic. He said his class is just "crazy" (his words). He is also very gifted artistically and will come home and draw for hours just to relax his mind and unwind. He often draws all over his school projects when he has extra time since he finishes early.
My two main concerns are the relationship with the teacher and what is going on in his class room and how he is internalizing it and possibly acting out because of it...and that he isnt being challenged enough and the school thinks they are doing a good job. His enrichment teacher even told me on the phone last week, she isnt sure the things she is giving him are enough of a challenge. He has had one exam since starting school where he didn't get 100% and it was telling time and he said he couldn't tell where the hands were on the pictures- so I'm not really concerned with that. However,I am very concerned he is bored and emotionally scarred.
Can anyone provide any insight, personal experience or suggestions?
