Ebeth, I think you're probably right about needing to teach these people about gifted kids. This makes me want to stick my head under the covers and not come out. They are NOT all warm and friendly. The parent school assemblies are all about terrorism lock-downs and about how the curriculum is now in One Big Book, so that we can Know Our Child Gets The Exact Same Education No Matter The Classroom. I just don't even know where to start. Truly. I feel like we don't have an ally. We have to go to a HUGE meeting tomorrow that they called, b/c we asked if ds's psychologist could do a classroom evaluation, as he's been unhappy and they themselves said he was having social problems. Now we have to have an 8 person meeting to even get permission to have him evaluated!
I've been doing research, and they have like half the instruction time for english, math, science, of comparable districts in the state, and twice the administrative staff. And they're so out of money, but they keep buying these electronic whiteboards that as far as I can see are not being used at all effectively in the classrooms. It's like tech for tech's sake, not tech that anyone knows how to use to enhance learning. And then they have no money or time for the top 50% of kids. Every school meeting we go to, it's about special needs and how they're aiming to help that population. Which I don't want to steal $$ from...but geez, their state test scores are slipping dreadfully, don't they think that ignoring half the school might have something to do with that? I just don't know HOW to change anything or WHERE to start. I wrote my state rep, asking her to explain to me the history of the financial constraints placed on schools so I'd understand and not be asking the wrong thing of the wrong place or demanding impossibilities. I was so frustrated...she ignored me, and I got a solicitation for her campaign. BITE me.
But, thank you for those links...I especially liked that blog...and yes, I think ds's teacher is out there with her scythe!
Barbara, thank you for the welcome! And questions, I really hope I can get to where you are sometime soon! I'd love to hear any homeschooling decision-making stories any of you might feel like telling, as that and the grade skip are both my biggest concerns and the most obvious fixes.
sorry to have written a ton. I just don't want to ignore anyone when you've all been so full of ideas and welcome! I really appreciate it!
