Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Advocating for Grade Skip-Advice needed

((beaming smile))

I do really want to know about the little clues that have you thinking that 'as is' isn't enough....when you are ready, of course!

Oh, sorry. I was multi-tasking and forgot to answer that question. Here is why I think it isn't enough:
1. she spends almost all of the "with her 3rd-grade class" time reading on her own instead of participating. Since that is most of her day, I know she isn't engaged during over half of her day.
2. She is starting to write less again. She hates writing, but if it's regarding something challenging, she does it without complaint.
3. She once again does not want to tell us about her day. This was the case for all of her school time until early this school year when she started doing some subject acceleration.
4. Some of her anxious habits have returned.

Basically, most of the 'signs' we saw last year are back. The big difference between now and before they made more accommodations is that she isn't telling us that she's bored. However, at the beginning of the year she found out that we would consider changing schools if needed and it really upset her (doesn't want to leave friends). Therefore, I don't think she will tell us now. In fact, she makes it a point to tell us that school is much better now without us asking. But if it were so much better, why wouldn't she want to tell us all about it like she did the first 2 months or so? She has told her after-school babysitter that her spelling words (4th grade words) are too easy now. Interesting since the first week she got the harder words, she was in tears telling me she doesn't know how to spell words like ascertain.... That was in mid-Sept!!

I knew from all of you that we couldn't expect accommodations to last forever, but I really thought it would be longer than a few months.

Wow! That is beautiful. I think all those signs need to be part of the conversation! So sad that you and she seem to be a 'cross-purposes' but unless the work in the higher grades would be just as boring, I think you need to 'be the grown up' here. Your list is VERY convinsing to me, and I believe that it would be to the school as well.

Have you all explored her litterally going to 4th or 5th grade during 'reading time' or 'math time'? (that's what I am usually thinking of when I talk about subject acceleration)

Sadly accommodations don't last forever, even gradeskips sometimes. I think flexability is key.

I realize that for shy kids, going to a different classroom and doing things that no one else is doing is like 'dying a thousand deaths' - it was for my DS anyway, which is why a full gradeskip at a different school was much better in the long run, for him, but I think that learning needs come before comfort. Of course if the school can help out by choosing a few other girls to 'go up' with her, that would be very kind of them.

Grinity

I went back and reread, and I think I'm starting to get the picture: Which classes is she subject accelerated in? How are things going in those classes? Does she have to work hard not to be the top student in those classes? What percentage of her day is with agemates?

For kids in the YSP program, a common accomidation that works for a while is a full grade skip plus more subject accelerations, so if that's what she seems to be needing - you aren't crazy!

so sad that she gets anxious when she is underplaced, but totally predictable. Makes it scary to do new and untried things onces she is already anxious from being underplaced in the first place.

I think in this situation, I would investigate what is going on in the subject acceleration classrooms. If she isn't getting exciting learning there, she might prefer to read a book in her agemate classroom. But, even if it is her preference, it doesn't seem to be working for her!

Love and more Love,
Grinity

She is subject accelerated in Math currently, and it's still going very well. She is in the top third in the class, but I haven't been told where exactly. I assume it's challenging for her since she is completely engaged at that time. Math is the only time she goes to a 4th grade classroom. Her 3rd grade teacher gives her the 4th grade spelling words though, which was challenging content at first but isn't anymore.

In addition, they implemented something I specifically requested - a gifted program that isn't grade-specific. So in addition to the 2-hr weekly gifted program with others in grade 3, she now also goes to another 3 hours/week that is for all exceptionally gifted students across grades 1-5. The bad news here is that there are currently only 3 kids and she's the oldest; however, the gifted teacher says DD has begun to show more leadership skills there, so that's good.

Even with those changes (which helped a lot for a while), she is still w/her 3rd grade classroom about 65% of her day. The gifted teacher is looking into doing some more subject acceleration - perhaps science and social studies. And she will also talk to her teacher about stepping up the difficulty of the spelling words. But her classroom teacher really doesn't 'get it', so I can never count on anything happening that relies on the classroom teacher. In general, this school is completely new to any accommodations on this end of the spectrum, though, so the best way for me to ensure that the classroom teachers do what the school commits to is to advocate for a grade skip. My first choice would be the HG school, but I can't count on that. Another option is to inquire about moving to a different grade school in the same district. I'm told that one in particular does a great job with this, so I may at least check into that as well.

Good Luck Wanna!

I'm thinking that even one more subject accleration may work wonders - two even better! (at least to get you through the rest of the year.)

It reminds me of the chemistry labs were we would drop-drop-drop and tritrate. I think our old experiences seems so bad, that we tend to think that only a giant step will help. Sometimes babysteps really do work. Sometimes they don't.I'm hoping that your gifted teacher will get those 'more' subject accelerations soon.

Best Wishes,
Grinity