Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Brick wall? Bang head here!

seriously, do we have that emoticon available here?

Overall, we are pretty happy with the new "home study" program for Butter. Or I was until today.

We had finally finished our testing/assessment and the principal said he welcomed having a talk with me and the school psychologist about what we would do for Butter. That meeting was today...

Chops (that's the husband) an I decided that, based on her WIAT, we would like her moved to 4th grade (she's in 3rd). So that's what I went to ask for. SO SHUT DOWN!

The school psych was DISMISSIVE of the testing and said they wouldn't even look at it! They pulled the whole social emotional BS card. The psych did NOT like it when I pointed out that math "enrichment" is pointless for a kid not interested in math AND when I challeneged the notion that she didn't really NEED to be worried about Social Studies at this point, especially when the topic was uninteresting to her. She DID glance over the WISC and say my kid couldn't possibly have any auditory processing problem (even though she's not qualified to make THAT assessment). I was told that even if Butter finished the 3rd grade work tomorrow, she would not be given 4th grade work, but the principal will introduce me to the HIGH SCHOOL english teacher and see if we can't get some more approriate novels and literature analysis...he told me I could "enrich" her at home, but what is the POINT of THAT if shes not getting any kind of credit and will be expected to perform at a LOWER level in the classroom? Oh one more...the SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST told me, indeed, we would not likely EVER get any additional testing or assessment for ANY KIND of LD because, BY DEFINITION, a kid could NOT test that high and have LDs!!!!! OMG!!! BY WHOSE DEFINITION? THE DISTRICT IS WRONG!

To add insult to injury, THEN the principal told me that skipping is at the behest of the teacher at the END OF THE YEAR. So, we will not even be allowed to CONSIDER this until then...so...off I go to put a bug in the teacher's ear. She also teaches 4th, btw, so she woul be pretty well placed to figure out if a kid could skip 3rd or 4th...she ADMITTED that Butter seemed bored (HER WORD) at times or like she's not really paying attention, but then asked WHY I would want to skip her???????? REALLY?!?!?!?!?!

I just don't know what to think at this moment. my head hurts so bad! We have one other option, Connections, but I don't want to move her AGAIN this year, especially when she likes all the extra cirriculars

Egads. I so wish you could figure out a way to have Butter go to Mr B's school.

I will bring my oar & some life jackets to Sbux in the am.

If I had a brick I'd hold it up for you to bang your head on, but I'd be nervous you might just lob it at the psychologist. And that I might help you.

Isn't it frustrating when the level of ignorance despite the amount of degrees ends up creating a road block for you?

I was told the same thing - that high scores and good grades would end up bumping my son out of his LD special Ed classification.

You likely did better than me. When I was told this during his IEP, I asked the diagnostician, " So you're telling me that unbeknownst to me, the some fairy godmother came down and pwanged my son with her magic wand and he no longer has dysgraphia?"

I'm sorry it went so poorly.

oh great...so I just looked up her "Wordly Wise 3000" first edition to see what grade it's for...FOURTH. and the teacher already gave us book 2, which is 5th grade level.

If you see me and I have a bald spot, it's because I tore my hair out in frustration!

My son has an IEP for his hearing impairment. I think that, in some cases, if your child is at grade level for the condition that the IEP is there for, the school could possibly remove the services being given for that. My understanding is that they don't have to give an IEP so your child is above grade level.
It doesn't mean obviously that your child doesn't have a disability but it might mean that the school doesn't have to provide services anymore.

Well, a disability by itself doesn't necessarily qualify a student for IDEA. There must also be an educational need for special education services. Simultaneously proving an educational need in order for her to do grade level work, while also proving that she's ready to move beyond grade level, that's going to be a tough combination to sell.

oh, for this visit, I wasn't in there trying to get an IEP, I was just trying to get her moved to a more appropriate grade level with the right amount of challenge for her.

My comment about being gifted and having learning disablilities was more just me being pissed off because she was so wrong! Even Chops said "and this woman has a degree?"

I still just don't understand. I say "The standard is too low", They say "We have to make the standard apprpropriate for the average student". I point out how "unaverage" my child is. They say that I can "enrich" her at home, all I want. I'm still not understanding how this is actually a good idea. She already has problems doing this level of work because she already has more knowledge, deeper understanding, "gets it" faster than the average kid. We don't seem to have gotten a GT level cirrculum (which she does qualify for based on the District's own test), so I'm asking that she be moved up to the next grade.

I don't understand why it matters to anyone else what grade my kid is in. I just want her to get an actual appropriate level of work...like, they say if she finishes the 3rd grade math, they won't give me the 4th grade. I guess I could go buy my own, but why should I have to when they have it there. And why should I move her to that when they will put her in 4th next year and she would essentially have to do it over?

I am in the exact same situation as you are. A 3rd grader who should be in middle school. Our school has the exact same attitude as your school. We have had no luck even with Davidson's support! And your statement here about "what does it matter to anyone else?" is so true!!! Why the heck do they care?!

I have a meeting with DD6's school tomorrow. We had a family meeting to discuss it, and pretty much all that has changed is that DD is getting some slightly more interesting busy work after she's finished the 1st grade work that insults her intelligence. Everything that comes home is still stuff she's already done before, only now it's becoming more sloppy and inaccurate, because she clearly doesn't care anymore. She's also pretty sick and tired of immature classmates that can't behave themselves.

So, we agreed that she still needs a grade skip. I already know what the school's answer is going to be, so tomorrow I'll tilt with those windmills, and then I'll join you here to find interesting things to do with bricks.

hugs all around and passing a cup of cammomile tea and valium to calm your nerves...
I'm so frustrated on your behalf and dreading when/if it will be my turn next year...ugh.

Magic insight dust being dispatched in your school district's general direction.

What a ludicrous thing for the psych to say...ugh