Here's an idea-- as a means of letting off steam, we've taken to encouraging DD to "enjoy" the CHICKEN-BRAIN* aspects of a variety of assignments that the school seems to think are appropriate/important.
It helps her to be able to let her sarcastic and irreverent side off-leash a bit. We just acknowledge that the task assigned is STUPID, and yes-- a bit pointless. But oh well; we're not always empowered to do as we'd LIKE with this kind of thing.
Then she can focus on compliance without the cognitive dissonance that leads to total rebellion.
* this term comes from "Technically, It's Not my Fault" which is a concrete poetry anthology by John Grandits. It's a GREAT book for gifted kids ages 7-10, and the poem it comes from is about a gifted child being pressured to provide "assistance" to a bully who is none-too-bright. Which he does. By marking the to-be-stolen homework with "chicken-brain" answers, see.
http://www.johngrandits.com/books/technically.php(Search out "chicken-brain option" in Amazon's book preview and you'll see the critical reference.)
