Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Grade skip question

In my defense, I didn't actually have this problem until I started reading books on giftedness (many of which said that HG+ kids typically needed major accomidations and it was the rare exception who was able to spend 12 years in public school) and hanging out with all of you whose kids amaze me every day!

LOL! The kids would probably love that.

OOHHH NOOOO!!!!

I did the same thing! I was at a service academy and had a perfect 100 for the whole 6 months there until the next to the last test. I finished early, double-checked my work, had the instructor and the assistant both ask me, "Are you sure you have checked your work?" and turned the test in. For my arrogance and insensitivity to their body language, I missed the two questions on the back of the last test sheet.

Val: I have an 8 year old boy who has had one grade skip, although it looks more like 1.5 to 2 since he was a young summer birthday in a school district that holds kids back. He is in 4th grade, much like your son. We did get a subject acceleration in science this year, which has helped immensely. So I think of 4th grade as his base camp where he can stay with kids who are age appropriate (or +2 years) for most of the day. He then goes up to 7th grade in science for some intellectual stimulation.

This has been a wonderful compromise for my DS8. He is still bored academically in 4th grade. He struggles to read books that are way below his ability due to lack of interest. However he currently packs The Hobbit in his backpack every day and reads it in class when he finishes assignments early. But to him, this year is going well because he has finally found a good group of social buddies to hang out with. He can find ways of stimulating his love of learning outside of the school... but since he is an only child, having those buddies at school is really important to him.

It is a hard call to know when to leave the child in their current situation, even if they are bored, or when to accelerate them further. I guess I would listen to the child. They will let you know if they need a change. The flip side of that is this: DS said, post science acceleration, that he couldn't believe how awful 4th grade science was compared to 7th grade science. He is like a kid on Christmas morning with the new science challenges... complete and utter joy! (and getting an A in the class!) He would never have known that such happiness could exist if he had not been accelerated.

This is great advice. Thanks. I have a feeling that my DS8 might react the same way to jumping ahead in this subject. He ADORES science.

We were talking about the relative level of difficulty of school today. He told me that overall, it's "moi-cile" which means a mix between medium (moyenne) and easy (facile; he speaks French). He said this last year a month or two before he started really complaining (as opposed to mild complaining).

I asked him what his easiest subject was and he surprised me by saying science. I was NOT expecting that. I figured spelling or reading. They were facile too, he supposed. Social studies was moyenne, which I was glad to hear.

I looked at the 5th grade book and it's much more detailed. It discusses cellular organelles, for example, and has more detail about types of plants. What I saw told me that it would be right up his alley. I saw a copy of the book at a local library bookstore for 50c, and will pick it up for him. You can't go wrong for fifty cents in this regard.

I think I'll try to move this forward at the parent-teacher conference later this month. (Advice appreciated.)

Val