My son WAS acting out in school, and I would still say that any 6yo whose needs aren't being met in as dramatic a way as his were not being met would act out. Of course the world doesn't revolve around him, and of course we let him know that. But the acting out was the symptom, not the heart of the problem. The fact was that he was *trying* to behave, but he was deeply frustrated and unhappy because he was spending roughly 7 hours of every day in the wrong place. Way wrong!
Saying "straighten up and fly right" just isn't right for a kid that young.
Now, I would have a different response to a middle or high schooler. They're expected to have better coping mechanisms. But to expect a 6yo to handle a day of near-constant boredom and frustration with patience and grace--and to come down with an iron fist in some form if they don't--seems to me to miss the point.
Of course, I agree with you, Grinity, that getting a psych assessment isn't a bad idea so that there's some sense of how gifted the child is. But I still say that young kids who are otherwise well-behaved have very few ways to show just how unhappy they are with a bad school fit. Assuming the child is not normally spoiled or terribly ill-behaved, acting out is a big, big sign that something is wrong and they need help.
Sorry--I don't mean to keep chiming in. But the "GT kid acting out" WAS my son, and I DID pull him out to homeschool. Two years later, he is a happy, kind, thoughtful, pleasant child who plays well with others and does NOT think the world revolves around him. He's not perfect, but he's pretty darn good! Punishing him for acting out or refusing to adapt his school situation "because that might make him think he's the center of the universe" seems so wrongheaded to me!
You have to fix what's broken! Somehow, you have to find a fit that works. The behavior is the indicator light that something is wrong, but it's NOT the problem!
