Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments TERRIFIED/homeschooling

We are mostly likely sending our dd#1 who is 6 from her self-contained small gt school into 2nd grade in public. my options are down to flexible catholic that will allow grade floating but not gt services or public with 225 mins/week of gt and no floating (plus i'm really not catholic but still pray for me).

I looked at the everday math chapters. She's already done all but two of the chapters (and I say that because i'm not sure what 3-d shapes chapter covers but am assuming area etc.) Oh yes it is "everyday math" isn't that one of the least popular on this site.

So if one can homeschool part-time, can't i have her do math with a tutor (but in school).if they won't float her into a different class?

She'll be happy about the decision... but she also doesn't know what it means.

Help, I'm hyperventalating.... must, must find chocolate or a drink or a chocolate drink.

Oh, golly!

So what's sending you to pray, drink and/or eat chocolate, exactly? The school change? Is there a grade skip there? Or is it the insufficient services at both options?

What happened to the self-contained GT school? Do tell!

It sounds like what you need right now is a chocolate martini or a Bailey's chocolate milkshake!

(Or maybe that's just what I want...)

The self contained school closed so now I've got to put my blind faith in a public school with 225 mins per week of gt services for a hg+ kid. content wise it looks like 3rd would be a great fit instead of 2nd but she's 6.5 and in public i'm already worried she's going to get it for not being 7 when they go back.

it'll be ok... it'll be ok. it is late late...

Take it day by day. Doesn't that sound so wise and philosophical? Realistically, though, you don't really have a choice!
You can influence the PS, but you can't control what they do. PS can be a dream come true, not quite a disappointment, or a total nightmare, you won't know until you're in it.
Hope for the best, plan for the worst.
I REALLY like Aleks math for afterschooling. They cover all that geometry stuff, it's well done. For purposes of after-schooling for a child who advance quickly.....I think DD could get away with 30 minutes a day, 2x per week. If she wants to do more, great, go for it.
My big thing lately is homework. I not going to scream at the school if DD's aren't working at their learning level all day. But I DO NOT want to see homeword come home covering material they are already proficient in.
Okay, I'm going to sleep now, you should too!!!!

Sleep on it!

Yes, go slow on this. You can find something that will work. Remember: least-worst option is what you want. Just do the best you can.

Why would you "get it" because she's not 7 yet? Do you think they'll want to hold her back?

Are you thinking of pushing for a grade-skip?

First, it's normal to be frightened. That's what we are here to hear about.
2nd, if 3rd would be a great fit content wise, and the school will let you place her there, I reccomend you work it out NOW to give it a try. Kids in 3rd are still pretty oblivious, and if she shows up on the first day, no one has to know her age at all.

I've done the midyear gradeskip, and it's better than no gradeskip, but socially the first day of school is a help. Would it upset DD to go to third?

BTW - from what I understand, every kid gets teased for something. Assuming teasing is a given, wouldn't you rather her be teased for being 'too young' than for her clothing or hair - IF the academics are a good fit. My son's school district didn't have any pull out program, but what I've observed is that HG+ kids do much better in a pull out with kids who are older. The activities seem less idiotic and the peers fit better.

Good luck!
Grinity

Also - KB,
Do you have a class list of the kids at the old school? IF so, I strongly reccomend that you start calling the other parents, and taking notes about what the other kids are doing next year, and setting up a weekend playdate in the park, and perhaps you can get a 'Saturday Club' together - hire one of the teachers from the old school to lead the kids to figure out what they want to learn, and do some learing-with-peer on the weekend, and start a network of familys.

Srry if it sounds like a lot of work, but see if other Moms will help as you go. I just know that there is a lot of heartbreak around the end of your school, and that if you reach out, I predict that there will be a lot of good to come.

Love and More Love,
Grinity

Grinity's advice sounds great! See what the other kids who are also leaving the GT school will be doing.

I'm a bit confused. The PS will allow part-time HSing so you're asking if they will allow a tutor to come to the school to work w/ DD instead of her grade-level math?

Ingcogneato, You just described my approach exactly: roughly a half hour of maths twice a week. This amount of time seems to be enough to retain previous lessons and learn new stuff.

As for the homework, I had a deal last year with my eldest (8): I did his 2nd grade maths homework in exchange for the two sessions that were at his level (I can imitate his handwriting pretty well). Everyone was happy.

Kickball, have you investigated the precise meaning of GT pullout time in the PS? In some places, it means playing brain-type games or doing extra activities rather than true acceleration or even in-depth studies of grade-level work. The time you cited (225 min) isn't even 4 hours per week, which is not a lot.

Also, what does the catholic school mean by "grade floating"? Does it mean that your daughter will be tested and spend the whole year in what she tests into (ex. 4th grade maths, 5th grade reading)? Will the catholic school make an accomodation for middle school level needs if it's only a primary school?

My suggestion is to get all the concerete information you can find. Get DETAILS.

Val

>>"The activities seem less idiotic and the peers fit better."

Nice commentary on gt pull-out. Wish there was really much in the way of options. We're going to have to make PS work and pray for the real estate market to shift so we can move into a district that has self contained.

And no i'm not pushing for a full grade skip. I just want to float up for math - ironically her reading is even stronger but she can suffer with that and just read for fun at home. but i don't really want to full grade skip if in a year we can get into self contained it won't be necessary.

oh well.