To bring you up to speed - DS8 is in the 2nd grade. His MAP scores at the beginning of the year created some attention and he was placed in differentiated math, spelling, and language arts. Still, he never had math homework and told me that his math boring. He took the SCAT in December and tested very well. I have utilized the IAS - thanks Dottie - and actually conversed the Susan Assouline (IAS author) via email. I met with DS's teacher and then his principal. I have spoken with my district's assistant superintendent for student performance as well as the consultant in the gifted and talented office at the state dept. of education. All were supportive and the consultant suggested I used the IAS, which I already had. I showed the IAS to DS's teacher and discussed it with his principal. We are now in a wait and see mode. They have given him multiple 3rd grade end-of-the-year benchmark tests and have differentiated his curriculum a bit more. He is working independently using the school's computerized curriculum program. His activities are based on his MAP scores. His principal agreed that if he was ready for 4th grade next year she would make it happen. I thought things were going smoothly until last week. DS said he didn't want to work on the computer in the classroom, that he wanted to do what his class was doing BUT that it was too easy. I asked him what he would think if the school decided that he should go to 3rd grade right now. He said that he would like that because he would be learning new things. I asked him if he would be scared and he told me that me might be a a little scared but that he would make friends quickly. I passed this information to his teacher so she would be up to speed on how he was feeling. We are really trying to take a team approach to this and include the school on what's happening so we can make the best decision for DS.
I have discussed the situation with some teachers at the school, whose opinion I greatly respect. I was told that he should be able to "test out" of areas of learning - that 85% is the gold standard. It was also suggested that he be able to go to 3rd grade for social studies. The SS curriculum is huge in our state and he would miss a big chunk my skipping 3rd all-together. I was also told that when his benchmark tests are graded that his inability to compute the math problems 100% correct should NOT be an issue. Apparently students who are gifted in math have the ability to understand the relationships between the numbers but might not be able to compute the problems perfectly. This is normal.
So...I don't know where we stand. I don't think his benchmark tests have been graded. He did get into the gifted and talented program, which will open a few more doors for him, but his principal wants to wait until he takes MAP again in March. Meanwhile he is burning out in the classroom. His teachers knows that how he feels, as I shared that with her. I asked if he could go to 3rd grade for SS and was told that was up to the principal. Do we ask to meet with the principal again or send her an email about him going to 3rd for SS? I don't want to be the pushy parent. We have gone to great lengths to make this a group effort but I don't want my DS so suffer because of our desire to "play fair".
What to do.....
