Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy successful advocacy gone wrong -what to do

Hi all,
So need some perspective. DS 7 is in an accelerated gifted program - this works adequately - it moves fast enough, the day is interesting, mostly, and he enjoys going, for the most part. I would not say he learns anything new in the primary areas of reading and math although they are backfilling some areas, and going deep in others. He could do more, and does on his own, but its ok. In areas not his interest its great because they are doing things he has no innate interest but then is happy to learn.

So here is the problem - his focus area - science. If not for the fact that he writes like a 1st grader, he could easily be doing middle school science or more. First I spoke to the science teacher - she is sure she is doing enough for all the gifted kids. But I tried with her first, obviously she didn't get it. So went to principal - who totally got it - but was a bit troubled by the age thing - would not send him to upper grades for science. So met with principal and science teacher together and there were a few creative solutions, some good brainstorming - I was sort of satisfied. Thought everyone was on board. Then nothing! Science teacher does nothing for 5 months. Then finally the first opportunity for differentiation comes around.

DS was asked a question (which he answered correctly) was then sent home with instructions to do an experiment to test it. So we had fun, expanded it, tested multiple ways, wrote it up in his personal lab book, then did some research. It was a nice learning experience for DS. Then goes to school - reports findings - teacher has him present to class - THEN THEY DO THE EXACT SAME EXPERIMENT - and they did it for 3 more days.

So getting DS differentiation IN SCHOOL apparently means assigning the same assignment early so that DS now gets to do this same sad, simple little experiment for over a week!!! And all the differentiation and depth CAME FROM US AT HOME!

So what do I do? Go back to the principle? Let it go for this year but inquire for next? I was pleased initially with the talk of differentiation - but this is the worst outcome. Its made science more repetitive and given DS more homework. If I am doing science with him at home, this is not what we would have done!

Thoughts?

DeHe

I always think of science as being such a broad area. There is always more to do sideways. If they learn about the cell and mention that the mitochondria are the cell power plants, the young scientist asks: "In what way? What is the mechanism? How does my apple become energy in a cell?"

So, the best area for outside enrichment isn't in the direct experimentation or even in the content, it is in the ways of thinking like a scientist of asking the big questions. Help your DS enrich for himself as he sees fit. If they are doing typical "rain forest studies" in schools, he could read a book on it himself. Ask questions like: where are rainforests? etc. They do an experiment to test one factor, he can think of more factors. Better ranges of values to test, etc.

Then maybe you ask the school to get out of his way and let him find resources to support his studies adjacent to the school's curriculum. (and then the teacher doesn't have to be creative, just help with a few questions and double-check work as needed.)

Then again, I don't how ready that sort of self-enrichment is for a 7 year old as I don't think mine is quite ready to do it in science himself.

Hi ZS
We already do a lot of outside science enrichment. He reads a ton of material, we watch videos, go to lectures. This was all about the fact that he will not see anything new in science class for YEARS! I asked for and was given the curriculum so that I could expand on what goes on in class - the problem is that it is so slow - that if I give him interesting stuff on insects, they will be talking about a very small percentage of the knowledge he gains in two days over weeks. So my understanding was that the differentiation was going to be in school - not outside of school - since we are taking care of that.

The teacher seems to subscribe to the perspective that the class is moving so fast already (NOT) and that if he goes in depth now, what would DS do next year or the year after.

I would love it if he could do something different but that is not happening!

DeHe

I was thinking along the lines of him doing his own enrichment completely in class. Like can he keep additional materials at his desk that he can read more widely on the topic the class is covering? They are discussing the role of insects in the ecosystem, and he is reading about the self-organization of insect colonies. If they have to write a small paper on how plants respond to sunlight, maybe he could turn in a bigger paper on the various tropisms and how they work.

Of course, you'd think a teacher could at least take a couple of minutes to write down some deeper topic areas that extend the topic at hand.

ZS
I think that is what I assumed would be happening - I am glad I am not crazy and it seems logical to you to!!

DeHe

DeHe, I don't have a great answer for you, but fwiw, our ds is also very into science, was way ahead of grade level in what he was interested in and able to absorb in science way back in early elementary. We did not have an option for acceleration in science in elementary school, so we just simply didn't even think about it. The way it played out for our ds worked overall. He was bored in class with the pace and depth of the discussions, but he was interested in most of the subjects that were taught in science, so he had things to think about in his own head even if he didn't have class discussion to support the level of his thinking. At home, we ignored what was being taught in science at school and just let ds do his own thing - which, back then, was mostly watching videos about science and reading reading *reading* books. We supplied him with tons of science books at advanced reading levels and he devoured them and would then later toss out questions at us for discussion, or more often, toss out thoughts he'd come up with re science concepts. It probably helped that dh and I are both scientists so we had some great discussions! But we never spent a minute worrying about acceleration at school. Now that he is in middle school and has the opportunity, he's accelerated in science at school and he also takes classes online for fun (for him) and also to give him the option to accelerate further once he's in high school.


FWIW, my ds has done this in school on occasion. While you of course don't want your ds doing the exact same thing repeatedly, especially for HG/+ kids who absorb and learn the first time around - I don't see science experiments presenting as a repetition trap in the same way that assigning the same math problem too many times presents redundancy. Data obtained from a science experiment rarely comes out exactly the same even when you're doing the same experiment - that's one of the fun and educational things about doing an experiment in a class with multiple groups of students, and that's one of the reasons that in real life - scientists repeat experiments to test a theory. While it's not ideal to be stuck without something new being taught - I wouldn't necessarily think that time repeating a lab is necessarily time wasted for a kid who's thinking like a scientist - he's still in the lab, still able to ponder the what-ifs or alter the experiment in slight ways to see how the results change etc.

One thing you could consider (we considered briefly) is asking the school if your ds could take an online science course through one of the talent searches or another accredited program during science class at school as a way of offering him accelerated and faster-paced curriculum. The other thing I'd consider at this point in the year is just waiting until next year and start fresh with a new teacher.

Best wishes,

polarbear

We didn't get Science acceleration until Middle School. It was only when my DS's math levels accelerated so far that the Science would never catch up. They agreed to allow him to test out of courses using course exit exams. Of course, they didn't think he would pass and had to scramble around to figure out the scheduling once he did. We have a school fairly open to certain advancements in Language Arts and Math. Apparently, my ds is the first child they have every allowed to accelerate in Science.

Many schools argue the math will fall behind the science curriculum therefore no acceleration.

My ds has a library size collection of science books, microscopes, telescopes, robotics, you name it things around the house. We let him go crazy at home. The school was not going to even entertain it.

DeHe, let me think about this. It's been a problem for our DD, too.

Being in a bricks-and-mortar school setting, your DS' options are constrained in some ways that they are not for our DD. I'll think about possible analogous solutions, such as our successes have been.

Hi PB
I doubt they would let him do a CTY or something like that in class, but maybe. I just can't decide if this is worth going back to the principal about.

We had been just ignoring it, until I broached his teachers about it. Its SOOO frustrating that this teacher is not really interested in dealing with the science wiz - its almost like he finds his knowledge and expertise annoying! And this is a gifted teacher in a gifted school. SHe believes he isn't an outlier so will ask these "test" questions - and if he misses just one - oh he didn't know that so he doesn't need anything. So I thought the differentiation plan was a good idea - but then this seemed so deflating. DS thought it was cool to present to the class though - but I hope that doesn't become the default avenue.

DS also has some good options/opportunities starting in 5th grade - but that is a LONG time from now!

DeHe

DeHe, one idea is for him to do independent research outside of class time on the topic of biography/history-- of science/scientists, mind.

This is something that we had DD start doing at about your DS' age. We also encouraged her to do "science-fair" projects, even though she had nowhere to really share/enter them.

Both would allow him to present info to his classmates (assuming that the teacher continues to at least be cooperative re: that, and that your DS enjoys doing it).

After all, part of science is sharing what you've learned with others, so it isn't as off-topic as it seems.