I could kiss you!
How did you go about getting this implemented? Did you get the teacher to buy into it, then approach the principal? Did you need to go higher than the principal? Did they approve the curriculum? Can you tell me what curriculum you are using? Who graded his tests? Did he stay in his regular classroom and do his math while his classmates did their math? If he needed help, did the teachers help or did you help him in the evening?
DS actually asked for the first attempt at acceleration which was simply working through the fourth grade book with a couple other kids while in 3rd grade. They kept getting distracted, though, so the GT teacher helped them out a couple times a week. She saw what DS was doing and ultimately suggested that we try the homeschool curriculum for 4th grade. At that point the Virtual Academy for our state was underenrolled so they actually accepted DS as a dual-enrolled student for their online charter school. So he got credit for the work he did. The principal signed off on the dual-enrolment paperwork, so she was supportive. (NOTE: Our virtual academy is now packed and probably would no longer accept a student like our DS. We lucked out in that we asked for this when they were still new and trying to get the word out.)
The curriculum was K12. They did a computer pre-test and put him in 5th grade math. Then when we got a textbook and a book of worksheets and instructions and tests. I organzed his sheets and instructions at the beginning of each week which he took to school and he worked on it on his own during his class's math time. Typically, I would have him take the end of chapter test at the beginning of each chapter so I could see what he needed to learn and what he already knew, then I only sent the lessons on stuff he needed and we skipped the ones he didn't. When he passed a lesson, I marked it on the computer. He knew most of 5th grade math already so that went by in a couple months and he then did 6th grade math while still in 4th grade. We did pre-algebra the same way in 5th, but we slowed down a bit so we could do more concept stuff from a college text a friend loaned me.
Teachers were often intrigued by what he was doing and sometimes helped him when he was stuck and sometimes even shared fun assignments with the rest of the class. The GT teacher would invite him to her room to do some of his math when she was free and then they could talk about it. But mostly he had to be self-sufficient. I did all the true teaching at home, usually over dinner or while running errands. DS is auditory, even for math, so we covered a lot of material while doing yard work etc.
Because we could skip through stuff he already knew, it worked way better than a skip. Once he got to algebra, he was at his challenge level and I think is not bothered by the pace anymore. In fact, as soon as he got his hands on a TI83 calculator for his algebra class, he has been a happy camper. LOL!
