Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments School bingo

"Well, you could switch her to the gifted school, but that's really more for VERY gifted children..." (We switched her. DD's first report card at the gifted school= straight As.)

"She doesn't work ahead in the math book like some of the other children do. She chooses to read solo instead." (= "Why she didn't need math acceleration")

"It's okay if she already knows the material because extra practice (on math concepts that she's known for years) is good for her."

Principal: "she has to be able to behave well in class before we will consider adding any differentiation"

Us: "Her behavior was great until she got tired of repeatedly telling everyone she was bored and being ignored."

Principal: "I think if you will put a videocamera in her room, you will be surprised at the behavior you see"

[later that same year...]

Principal: "I know that the school for exceptionally gifted is great at meeting the needs for those who qualify, but that's not what we're dealing with here" (our DD qualified later that month).

The above was for DD who is now 11 and thriving at the awesome gifted school. Fast forward a few years to teacher conference for DD6, who is already starting to have behavior problems (in 1st grade):

Teacher: "she's not ready for the 1 day/week pullout program. She needs more classroom time first because there are gaps in her learning."

You would think that with an older sibling who has paved the way, it would get easier the 2nd time around... but so far, we are on the exact same path. And we even sent DD6 to an expensive private school for early-entrance Kindy to avoid the boredom for a couple of years until we could hopefully get her into the exceptionally gifted school. Once again, we can't even get her into the one day/week pullout program.

"Have you thought about doing something else with your child?" i.e. homeschool or private school
- I wanted to say "I've only thought about it every day since we've had a change in administration."

I did get one bit of input from the District Superintendent at a meeting we had. There are some children whose academic needs may not be met by public school, but we will try to meet your sons. I liked the honesty in her response and the district has been very accommodating.

Ditto.

Our principal, who has been extremely helpful, recently said, "I don't believe in private school, but that might be the best option for your son."

BINGO! Only they were talking about me...

Regarding my youngest dd.....Did you know your daughter knows all the months of the year? (from her kindergarten teacher) with a giggle..yes she's known them for a while. (she knew and could say them at 18 months)

Last year's 1st grade teacher "Your son wasn't selected for the GT program due to his behavior." *sigh*

Me: you're showing me these test results that are really exceptional, that show all this great potential. Then you tell me she's got a fine placement, because her work is barely below average for her class. What about accommodations that would allow her to work at her potential?

Principal: we get that question a lot. The truth is, we don't have the resources- or the responsibility- to do that.

We pulled her from the school two weeks later.