Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Results from the meeting...

I'm still a little in happy surprise/shock mode over the class room work because I thought the meeting was very mixed. But since my last post I got some one on one time with the boy. Apparently he spent time with the math specialist today and took "a very long test... um like maybe 10 pages". Now apparently this test didn't go up to multiplication, but it did include a lot of "hard math" and "complex math" (according to the boy) and time and money. As he admitted, he missed a couple "but only because I was going fast; I knew the answers."

I am wondering if after he did that if the math specialist did a wink wink nudge nudge "he really does know this stuff" to his teacher.

There were a couple of things said during the meeting that we're still mulling over and trying not to read too much into but trying to decode what they meant. For example, the GT teacher talked about getting 1st and 2nd graders that knew how to solve quadriatric equations. It was an awkward comment because on the one hand it was like she was saying "we've had other very gifted children before" but in the same breath she was trying to tell us that these kids couldn't explain the rationale behind the math (which I can believe; you can teach a gifted child an advanced algorithm). And there was an over-emphasis on having DS demonstrate his abilities.

So thanks for the kudos. The tense moments at the meeting weren't too bad. I think we came across as constructive, sane, and honest. I told the home room teacher what DS said just yesterday about the "other kids learning stuff but I already knew it" and followed that quote up by stating that we did not believe that to be a reflection of the teacher, but only the fact that the other students were receiving the appropriate level of instruction.

Of course when DW got a bit passionate during the meeting I think that helped a little too

JB

Oh, and I send a follow up email to the home room teacher and thanked her for the extra effort. I am sure that she hears a lot about when she doesn't do something right and I want her to get feedback when we like what she's doing.

JB

It never hurts to catch someone doing something "right." If DT continues on this path, do consider emailing the principal (her boss) to let him/her know that you are pleased and wish to commend DT (JB's teacher).

Sounds like we are in the same boat now JB Dad, after similar GIEP meetings. We're also "picking our battles" - for math. I wrote a letter to the district requesting a revised GIEP with more in depth PLEP assessment in math and measurable goals for math. I'd be happy to share this with you if you want. I just got a response from the special ed director stating that he wants to arrange another meeting and is sure that "all of my concerns will be addressed". We'll see...

<Mounting the soapbox>

In my experience (such as it is), when differentiated work for GT students works, it's usually as simple as a bottle of white-out and a "x" sign.

It's all but free, quick, easy, it doesn't even require great creativity, but it makes a HUGE difference to a kid.

Differentiation is still not my first choice for GT policy. It's too easy to undermine the following year because there's nothing in writing anywhere, so the child can effectively be held back a grade (or 3!), but it IS something that any teacher can do if s/he recognizes the need and commits to teaching ALL children, even the smart ones! :p

Every time someone talks about how expensive GT ed is or how GT kids must somehow compete with special ed kids for $$$, a bottle of white-out and an "x" is what I think of. This is why I say over and over that educating GT kids does not have to be expensive.

<stepping off soapbox>

Call me cynical but I just don't see, well, anyone that I've interacted with in our school district trying to help my kid learn. Caring, yes, but my kid actually learning something academic seems to be at the bottom of the priority list. At first I thought they just didn't realize how cheap and easy it could be (right on Kriston!), but I'm just beginning to penetrate the surface of a system where teachers fear for their jobs if they deviate from the curriculum. I really hope JBDad's school district is more flexible than ours... And JBDad, Kudos for keeping a positive attitude and giving the district the benefit of the doubt at first.

I agree. We had one teacher who actually said, "I think my job is to teach ALL the kids, not just the ones who are behind." She was a wonderful teacher, and she made good use of her metaphorical white-out and "x"s. But she was the only person we worked with at the school who seemed to have any interest in teaching our child anything academic.

I heard all about social goals (which he had met years earlier--yes, he can stand in line, thank you! Argh!). I heard about his developing a tolerance for boredom. (NOT why I send him to school, thank you!) I heard about the extra "fluffy" stuff that the school might try once a month or so when the GT coordinator could fit him in specially in an effort to keep his attention until the GT program started years later (with more fluff, BTW). I didn't see much effort to teach him.

Even now, thinking about it just depresses me. No wonder my poor kid was angry and depressed!

Well said and it's a Catch-22. If we can get them challenging work that allows them to learn from making mistakes, it's turned around as, "See, they're not really that smart because it's not perfect."

I'm crossing my fingers that DS will get one of these teachers next year. A friend of mine who has an academically advanced (not ID'd gifted) son in 1st grade said his teacher is giving him differentiated math that is outside of the curriculum. This teacher told my friend not to tell anyone. You'd think they were giving the kid drugs instead of harder math problems