Welcome!

I agree with other posters that the daily gifted pullout for 1st and 2nd graders should not be what has been described.

As far as advice, I would jot all the points made by posters so far (and any which may follow) in order to begin preparing for a phone conversation or meeting. Having a concise and well-edited list will be helpful for guiding your conversation, and will assist you in listening to what they may say, without concern for forgetting your points.

Often a curriculum description/overview and a syllabus or lesson plan are provided to parents at the start of a program, or prior to a program beginning. In this case, apparently such information was not distributed? Sharing these plans with parents would be part of determining a good "fit", as well as soliciting parental input for a sense of collaboration and partnership in their child's education. Gather anything you may have received regarding the gifted pullout. You will want to begin keeping complete records and documentation.

Do you know any of the other parents? For example, from your child socializing at playdates, receiving birthday party invitations, being in scouts together, or on the same sports team, etc? In casual conversation, could you ask their impressions of the class and the teacher?

Is there any opportunity to volunteer in the classroom?

When you meet with the teacher and/or principal, I would ask questions such as:
- What are the objectives of this gifted program/service?
- How does the current curriculum meet these objectives?
- How was the curriculum chosen?
- What other options were considered?
- Is there a syllabus or lesson plan?
- How many years has this curriculum been taught (to this age cohort)?
- Was parent feedback solicited when selecting curriculum?
- Is student feedback solicited? How frequently?

Depending upon their responses to the questions you pose, I would share the points jotted from the forum (ways in which this curriculum is developmentally inappropriate, etc).

Take notes during the meeting (or phone call).

For everyone's convenience, e-mail a polite and factual written summary after the meeting (or phone call), including areas of agreement, disagreement, next steps.

Be aware that parents may go into a meeting (or phone call) anticipating that it may be a friendly chat, only to find the school has brought in the teacher, principal, gifted specialist, school psychologist, school social worker, etc. and the school team may want to focus on whether your child eats his school lunch or other inane, unrelated, or tangentially related topics. Schools can be very insular.

Remember, you know your child best.

If you can bring your spouse or significant other to a meeting, this may help keep the meeting on-topic and focused. Both parents must be of one accord, or school may try to "divide and conquer". Oftentimes parents report that no matter how many parents have raised a concern, the school will tell parents they are the first and only family to complain!

Be aware that a school might be using a curriculum intended to encourage parents to opt-out of the gifted service.

More advocacy info on this old thread.