Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Hi everyone... new here

My DD8 blows through the state tests, but gets in trouble for not doing the classwork. When she brought home multiplication homework (3rd grade), I asked, "Didn't you do this last year?" She said yes. That was when I started to really consider pulling her. Turns out our (former) school could be closed if the test scores dip...my kid needs a LOT more than just math and language arts and constant pressure to do well on a test. Believe me, if it's all about those test scores, your child will be miserable and it will just get worse.

I have come to the conclusion that our (former) school gives just enough "enrichment" to say they are giving it and dissuades gifted students from leaving (unless they are HG behavior problems) to pump up the test scores. I believe they KNOW certain kids should be accelerated, but that might ruin their high test scores, so they won't do it.

LOL.

In most DFW area ISDs, their procedure for skipping K is that your kid has to pass the 3rd Grade TAKS test.

Then they allow your child into 1st grade!

If Mr W can pass the 3rd grade TAKS test, then why should he go into 1st grade? Shouldn't he be in FOURTH grade? If he should not, then why should anyone else be in Fourth?

Just for grins, I downloaded a sample test for 3rd grade and read it to Mr W. He has most of the verbal sections and about half of the math. He should be able to pass it on his own at 4 in the Spring as his reading gets better.

Its funny to talk to people at schools. As long as you don't mention age, its a rational discussion about curriculum and developmentally appropriate schooling.

The MOMENT you mention age, its like the record needle jumps to a different track and STAYS there.

Bingo.

I think this is why standardized test scores are dropping or stagnating in the DFW area. A lot of new privates have opened up the last few years and the kids are leaving the publics.

I also think that the top tier of kids will also disappear from many of the publics and top privates as privates focused solely on GT kids get going and parents become more informed and these privates actively seek out these kids.

Austin - that is just crazy! (testing with 3rd grade taks to skip into 1st) Sadly not shocking though. I looked over the TAKS practice test and I think the only thing Ethan doesn't currently know is fractions and that's just because he's not been introduced to it. I could probably explain it to him in a couple of minutes and he'd be off to the races.

It's probably TERRIBLE of me, but, given all his behavior problems, I haven't been giving him any 'new' material at home, because I'm afraid having him be even farther ahead of his class is going to make things so much worse. HOW AWFUL IS THAT? *sigh*

I am hoping that once we get all his testing done and score back and we go to the school with all of it, that they'll want to work with us. We'll have to wait and see though. I makes me sad to think we are basically writing off this school year...

epoh, Singapore Math has some assessments available on their website http://www.singaporemath.com/Placement_s/12.htm

that might be of interest to you.

And, yes, kids this age are not that tactful! lol So maybe he asked at the wrong time. But he did ask and I do think the teacher should be responsive to that. Maybe you could work it out where he does some additional material that you provide instead of some of the practice sheets that he would otherwise be doing at school. Flash Kids' Math for the Gifted Student series is a workbook alternative that doesn't move beyond the grade level curriculum but instead provides more complicated and thought provoking exercises.

I don't know if they would go for that, but even if you did something along those lines at home you could be feeding his math needs without sending him way ahead in the curriculum.

Thanks for the link, I'll check out those assessments.

Epoh, what is your plan B and plan C?

Mr W is 3 and doing first grade stuff, so by age 4 he will do doing 3rd grade, then who knows after that.

He does not know he is different. I don't want him to stagnate or know he should be any different. Not until he gets a lot older and then it won't matter as he'll be a Tasmanian Devil and will just eat through anything thrown in his way!

Well, I am going to bring my step mother (public school teacher for 15yrs, administrator for 10yrs) with me to the school meeting, so I am very hopeful about that. Plan B would probably seeing about enrolling Ethan in a public montessori charter (it's a bit of a drive), plan C right now is Barbera Gordan Montissori (private school).

Awesome, I'll see if I can find a copy of that book (why is it not available on my kindle!)