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...but not if there's no material for the child to accelerate with. I think that's the point the blogger was making (and one I also happen to think is accurate!).

Dazey,

You have managed to put your finger on the exact problem that we are struggling with. <thank you, thank you, thank you>

Almost every topic that DS8 covers in school, whether it's reading, social studies, health, math, or science, seems to be watered-down to a point where it is superficial. There is just very little meat on the bones, so to speak. (Please forgive, any vegetarians out there!) His love of books and reading has taken him so deeply into most subjects that everything the school covers is shallow and empty for him. We were talking at the dinner table last night about Gandhi and DS8 chimed in that he knew all about Gandhi as a leader in India. We had a long discussion about world history, peaceful resistance, and ended with the civil rights movement here in the USA. How many years will it take until he begins to even vaguely discuss such things in school? I agree that books can set you free. But they can also make a curious reader very, very bored at school. And that boredom infiltrates history, social studies, reading (if the levels are not appropriate) and even science and math.

We are currently trying to decide on whether we want to subject accelerate him (at the school's suggestion) in science from 4th to 5th this year, and both text books look like watered-down versions covering different concepts. There seems to be very little difference between 4th and 5th grade science, except one covers weather and one focuses on biology.

How do you get a teacher to add depth and content to the material? (for any subject?)

Can anyone help to clarify what type of learning style these kind of kids need, other than the drivel about differentiation that the schools quote? How do I explain to a new teacher what DS needs for the upcoming school year? We constantly are told that the teachers can not teach anything outside of the prescribed material for fear of stepping on other teacher's toes.

From what my teacher friend says of our school, he needs an entirely different school. She says it's so watered down, the 4th-5th graders thought that slaves were either a) invited here or b) they were already here. This is not just one kid.

Mind you, this is one of the best districts that everyone flocks to with state ranking football, hockey, music, etc. So I don't know if I'm just being nit-picky, delusional, to think that I want more for my kids.

DS7's first grade was similar - everyone read the same material mostly. There was open reading time where there was a little differentiation, but that only happened a couple times a week for a short period of time.

The teacher tried to differentiate after a conference when I complained. I even gave her some book suggestions. She ignored my book suggestions and gave him a book he already read in kindergarten (which I told her). She rarely followed up and he languished all year. She "assessed" his reading level at the beginning of the year the same at the end of the year. Despite obviously progressing through many levels of reading at home.

Anyway - I tend to agree with this article. And I thought a lot of the comments from parents were very interesting!

I actually have a ton of respect for teachers that can identify when a school is not going to work for a child. Not every school will work for every kid, GT or not. Our teacher last year did suggest that to us in a round about way.

I agree. That's a big assist!

(Well, assuming, of course, that the teacher is sincere, not merely sick of being bugged about differentiation and trying to get rid of the kid...)

Hi Ebeth,
I'd take the subject acceleration -
1) the kids will be another year older, and perhaps more fun socially or academically to interact with
2) It will smooth the path for further accomidation down the road.

By the time 6th grade comes, there is more of an expectation for independent thought, deeper, more abstract - so hang in - you are almost there.

Meanwhile, keep suplimenting expectations of related work as afterschooling if you can get away with it, or hire a tutor (local or over the internet) - but keep giving your child chances to go deeper, and insisting that he do the challenging stuff. The good news is that each step in the right direction makes a happier, healthier kid.

Best Wishes,
Grinity