Wow, thanks for all the quick replies.
I sense a desire for full mastery in DS8's teacher, and there appears to be some discomfort at moving forward in its absence. I also don't understand the big deal about letting him do grade 5 science, yet I got a pushy parent look when I brought it up. DS8 brought his grade 5 book to school to show to the teacher and she told him "not until you finish grade 4."
I just don't get this. I understand, sort of, about having to cover most things in mathematics, because it builds on itself. That said, we skipped a lot of mathematics and went straight to algebra and this was not a big deal. Sure, he still needed to learn how to add unlike fractions and multiply decimals, but he learned it! So, I definitely believe in a non-linear approach to this subject for mathy kids.
As for science, the elementary level books I've looked at don't build cohesively the way that college level courses build on previous knowledge. They just use more complicated ideas about the same basic things, which he's well capable of understanding.
I think I have to ask for a conference; dunno what I'll say yet. Advice welcome.
Argh. Here we are again!
Val
