these work packets did not come with any instructions or teaching by the teacher. The teacher said that differentiation meant that they will provide challenging work, but they had no time to teach new concepts and expected the child to already know them.
This is exactly what I am seeing. Not every PG kid can learn new concepts on his/her own, especially at a young age. He/She needs instructions and some teaching before they can get started. What happens to my DS is that they expect him to know how to answer the questions already but what's the point of learning that material if he already mastered the material. What's different about these PG kids is that they learn and master a concept more quickly than non GT kids, doesn't mean they automatically know or can learn a concept on their own all the time.
he has met 5 kids who are at the same level in math as him - they are his peers and he is feeling competitive and energized in class because he enjoys the interactions with them.
This placement is not perfect, but we appreciate that DS can meet kids who have as much passion for math as him.
Differentiation in the class room did not work. But, we have had some success with a combination of "ability based grouping" and after schooling.
This is what I am hoping for next year when my DS is grouped with similar ability kids. He does seem to be more interested in doing the packet if he's doing it with another kid (he's also doing a math packet from his room teacher besides the one from the math specialist, and another boy is doing the same packet from his room teacher). He was able to finish this packet quicker because he was doing it with his classmate.
I also do Beast Academy outside of school with him to provide more challenge at his own pace.
