Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Test results in, meeting done....

Well, MrWiggly's test scores are back and we met yesterday with the principal to discuss the plan for next school year. Just a quick reminder, DS7 just finished 2nd grade with 3rd grade math. The school had him take the 4th grade level Stanford Achievement test to help with planning for next year.

Scores on the Stanford test were in the average range, for a 4th grader. He scored in the 60th% overall, 76th% in science, relatively lower in some language areas, stronger in the math subtests. But overall, his lowest grade equivelant was 3.0 (spelling subtest) and his highest was PHS (post high school)in word study skills. He also ended up with straight A's on his report card for the year end grades.

The prinicpal also showed us two lists, one from each of his teachers, that contained all the behaviors over the course of the year that were noted by the teachers. Unfortunately the teachers weren't there (school is out for the summer already) and the principal did not have any insight in terms of the items listed. He didn't know if they were at the beginning of the year and resolved, a constant problem or an infrequent one, etc. The list contained some issues we had discussed before with the teachers but were reassured by the teachers that they weren't a big deal. The lists also contained some behaviors we had not heard about. Behaviors ranged from what I would say is typical for a 7 year old boy ("he plays in the water and is loud in the bathroom") to behaviors that are typical for him ("he cries when tagged out in gym," "he talks to and yells at the computer") to issues that are upsetting and should have been discussed with us months ago ("every morning he takes a new pencil and spends up to 1/2 an hour sharpening it down to a specific size before he can start his work"). The principal knows we are upset about this last bit of information - I told him I was shocked that they allowed this behavior to continue "for most of the second semester" and never once contacted us!!!!

The principal has said that what they want to do next year is have him progress to third grade with 4th math. We don't want further grade acceleration but do want differentiation in 3rd grade. I asked for things like pretesting and more in depth study of some topics that are of particular interest for MrWiggly. I also expressed great concern that the teachers this year really never seemed to understand MrWiggly or realize what he was capable of. The 2nd grade teacher was still sending home little 2.5 - 3.0 level 15 page booklets for reading when MrWiggly was choosing Magic Treehouse books fromt he library for silent reading. Mr. Principal said we should plan on meeting after the first week of school to get some concerns settled and plan more concretely for the school year.

My thought now is that we should definitely pursue more input. I'm thinking that many of the behaviors are due to his sheer boredom in class. He is distracted by others, doesn't do his work, bothers others, blurts out answers and comments when the teacher is presenting, wanders around when he supposed to be doing seatwork, etc. You guys have heard all this from others, too! Same song, different verse!

What do you think? Am I going too far if I have him tested privately and request consult with the school? There's a place near us that might be able to do that. They offer testing for gifted, including personality profile/learning styles and psych stuff like anxiety issues. They also offer consultation to the teachers for curriculum planning, even doing inservices for educators. Too pushy or good advocacy???! I know I asked this question before and everyone seemed to agree that it was better to test if I had questions - I think I just need more reassurance!! Thanks to all for reading and responding.

I say, get him tested w/ a specialist trained in testing gifted kids. The information can only help you. You can then decide to share the info w/ the school or not.

OH wow just read about the center near you. Unless it breaks the bank, I say go for it. I'd love to have such a resource close by. For me, it's 2hrs away and $2000.00.

Dazey

Hi Debbie,

I'm so happy to hear from you, and that your son did so well on the tests! I wonder if those scores can be calibrated to show how he would have done if he was just now finishing up 3rd instead of 2nd. Those scores seem very impressive considering the children he is scored against have had two whole grades more teaching than he has (except in math)

Scary about the pencil, but I can top that story, and hopefully ease your mind.

When DS moved to the 3 year old room, they introduced a system where the children put little cards with their names next to the various center. Each center was allowed to have three children, and if the center you wanted was taken, you had to wait for someone to leave.

After several months, DS started to complain that Daycare was really boring. I tried to ask a few good questions, but hey, how much insight is a 3 year old going to give you?

I asked the teachers and they patiently explained that it made sense that DS was bored, because every morning, all the boys rushed to the lego table, and if DS wasn't one of the first three, he would go to the writing table. He didn't actually write there, he just had a really good view of the lego table from there. He would sit and wait for a child to leave the lego table - for hours. Every day. For several months. No one thought it was worth mentioning. Did I mention that I was paying for this?

A little chat, and some brainstorming about 'what might be 2nd best to do' apparently helped him make a change - but yes - these kids are very intense, and do things ND kids would never dream of doing.

If the center is 'that good' and you have the money - yes - do get tested. You are certianly dealing with a boy who is more than 'a little' gifted - and you need guidance about what to ask the school for. But I would also pull out a pencil sharpener at home and invent a reason for you to ask him to sharpen a few pencils for you.

I did read a wonderful book recently, "The brain that changes itself' and it promised that if a person has 'sticky' behavior, and attempts to act in a more flexible way, that they will be less troubled by sticky behavior in the future - their brain will acutally change. DS11 and I have started trying to practice this. Until then, I thought I was 'honoring the way he was.' Opps!

Love and More Love,
Grinity

Thanks to all who replied. I keep leaning toward more testing but my husband seems reluctant. I feel like we need someone with a more professional background to help us advocate at this point. And we were both shocked by how well he really did on the test. We thought he'd be more like maybe 10th to 25th%. When he was 5, before starting school, he scored in the 9th% on an end of first grade test and couldn't even do the reading portion. So, for him to be in the 60th% now for two grade levels above his exposure seems to me to support that "gifted learning curve" and his need for a faster pace of instruction.

Grinity, thanks for that story about the Lego center! I could totally see my son doing something similar. I'm not sure what the pencil thing was all about. When I tried to talk about it to my son, in a very non-confrontational way, he said he didn't want to talk about it because doing so would ruin his first day at daycamp! He admitted that, yes, he did that. Then would just say that he won't do it next year. I have no idea what prompted it - anxiety, avoidance, amazement with how the sharpener worked (?!), who knows. I was just floored that they kept giving him pencils, never wrote a note home to even say that he needed to bring in more of his own and never thought the parents should know. Let alone the fact that he wasted 30 minutes of every school day!!

I've been thinking about it a lot and feel that we need more answers about his behaviors and how to help him with certain behaviors/emotional intensity as well as the academics. It is just reassurring to have others agree that testing isn't too much at this point.

The FranCenter in Darien, Il does look pretty good. It is $75 for a consultative appointment. I think it is worth the investment to do that much - take old records and our son to meet the director there and see what they could offer. Certainly can't hurt. Worst case it ends up a waste of time. Best case, we get someone in our corner to help the school.

The principal already mentioned that we are probably looking at IMSA as an option for high school for MrWiggly. He readily acknowledged that our high school won't be likely to meet son's needs. Now if we can just get from here to there!

Oh Debbie,
DHs feel that it's their job to 'fix it or ignore it' - and the educational fit for your DS isn't going to be easy to fit!

My DS also whistled every waking hour during the age of 9:
"Hey mom, great news, I can whistle inhaling AND exhailing!"
Sounds pretty sick, right?

But then at his private school interview, the lady who was testing him said "Do you HAVE to whistle?"

He shut up and didn't whistle again. When I asked him how he did it, he said he knew that when she asked him, that if he didn't he wasn't going to be able to go to that school. So he stopped.

((shrug))

Try 'Dottie Says' on DH.

Or offer DH three choices -
1) quit job to homeschool (you or DH)
2) ask for another full skip to 4th with 5th grade math, I mean if he's placing at the 60th percentile without being in the classes, then how would he place at the end of the year.
3) Get testing and see what advice is offered.

My favorite story of all (a friend's kid) is that they know a gradeskip is needed when child gets a bald spot from hair twirling.

Personally, if you have enough date to fill out an Iowa Acceleration Scale now - I'd save my money and try the second alternative.

Maybe our DSs can do elementary school two times fast?

((giggle))
Grintiy

Deb,
I'm thinking that sharpening a pencil for 30 minutes a day would have a sort of Meditative effect. Will he learn to knit or chrochet?

If you have every done one of these types of activites, then you know how delightful repetitive motion can be. Maybe just knit where he can see you and see if you get a nibble.

Smiles,
Grinity