Hi Jill,
That is a wonderful point about the challenges of keeping up with these kids. I think thats why we really need multiage classrooms and individual learning plans for each child. I well remember when DS10 reading seemed to be taking forevvvvver to come it! I'm not sure when it really happened, but by his 6th birthday, when he had just finished kindergarden, he must have been reading "enough" that we were comfortable to get him a Gameboy Advance. We didn't want him hooked on video games before he could read, but I'm sure the reading he was doing wasn't "much." Ironically, the first game we bought him was Monster Ranchers, where one trains monsters and then battles them. 75% of the game was all about reading the results of the training. I had to sit with him in the begining - both to figure it out and to help with all those tiny words! I think his reading ease really got locked in from playing that game.
Bottom line - some HG/PG kids teach themselves to read at age 3, and some learn on the regular timeline. I will say that he sprinted way ahead at the end of first grade. Also I have heard that if a kid is HG/PG and not advanced with reading, that a trip to the Developmental Optomitrist is in order. My son does, in fact, have some tracking/accomidating problems, which have never been treated. This could explain the delay between knowing which letter was which at age 2 (he'd hand them to the daycare lady) and finally reading around the age of 6. At the time if figured that the fluffy cartoon animals where beneath his dignity, which is certianly how he acted.
I'd try her on some 2nd grade math now, before the meeting, and see how she does. It maybe that her reading isn't below 2nd grade range. I think the teachers do a lot of "let's do one together before you do your sheet" at that age. You can always negotiate for the subject acceleration and hop back if she isn't ready after trying it for a few weeks. I've gone that route, and believe it send a positive message to the child, "I see you." even if it doesn't work out. You've seen how quickly they leap when they are ready, yes?
Best Wishes,
Trinity
