Hello, I would like to join in the discussion, having just joing the Davidson Institute.
My son skipped third grade and went into 4th at about thanksgiving time. He is in a school system that does not ability group or cluster gifted kids. For him, it worked out really well - although his closest friends are still the ones that are his age (one is another gifted child who just skipped from 4th into 5th last year and will join him in 6th next year).
We are however facing an issue for next year with his math course. He has been doing the Johns Hopkins on-line courses instead of regular math instruction in school since 1st grade. (he was at frist grade about 2 or 3 grade levels ahead in math - but has slowed down because of some of the changes that occured during the year he skipped a grade) He is going into a private middle school (6-8) that empasizes inquiry based learnng and problem solving. He is ready however to take 7th grade math. I am not sure if we should leave him in the 6th grade classroom because the approach will be different and other changes (such as homework levels, appraoch, assignments) could be overwhelming, or ask the school to skip him up for math. The situation is complicated because he has an older brother who is in 7th grade, the school is small (2 classes per grade level) such a skip could wreak havoc with the scheduling, and the school district has just implemented an IB program which does not allow kids to skip ahead in particular subject areas once they are at the high school level. He is also reading at a much higher grade level, but some of his other skills (although high for the grade he is in) do not exceed the grade level that he will be entering.
Any advice would be appreciated! thanks. LG
