Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Desperate!!

P -
good luck with the meeting...these things are scary....sometimes they will be right on target and sometimes they are just plain wrong. If they think something is wrong, agree that you are concerned and ask them to do the IQ/achievment testing to check. Find out the name of any test they plan to use. Bring a notebook and take lots of notes. Make a list of pamper things to do for yourself when you get home, and then do them - these meetings can be very stressful.
Best Wishes,
trin

Here is the Ruf Levels Link

Hi Raddy:

I think sometimes teachers do tend to roll their eyes when parents use the gifted label. I think if you go in talking about WHAT your son is doing, rather than what category he fits in, you may have some success. I think also that teachers are more responsive to hearing about how a situation is affecting a child's emotions.

I'm pasting below something I wrote as advice to someone else a while back. It's what I told my son's teacher last year when asking for him to be challenged in class. For the first time ever, in four years of asking, the teacher responded by trying to tailor lessons and material for him so that he was challenged.

Here's what I said:

My child is a really fast learner. He gets frustrated when classes spend too long going over the same information. He comes home really excited any day he learns something new. He comes home depressed on days when he hasn't learned anything new. My child has an amazing memory and thirst for knowledge, so he wants to learn a lot of detail about any subject you are covering. For example, he thought ____book about chemistry was really boring because it had so few facts. He really liked ____ book about chemistry because it provided more facts and interesting things to think about. He has gotten so frustrated about not getting called on that he doesn't bother to try to raise his hand and answer questions any more.

So, you've talked about his needs without using the dreaded "g" word that seems so off-putting to a number of teachers.

I am wondering, with the poor fine motor skills, if your son also has problems doing what I call "tracking" --- following a long line of text across the page, without slipping accidentally to another line, or keeping columns straight when adding. This could affect his interest in reading and doing math. I think it would be worth mentioning to the teacher when you ask for an evaluation. There are tests that look for these kinds of issues, I believe.

As far as reading, my son really took off reading with the Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey. They are totally silly, and there are just a few lines of text per picture, so it was easy for him to follow the line across the page. Perhaps your son needs that sort of spare text to get into reading? Now that DS is 8, he's really enjoyed books of the Calvin and Hobbes cartoons. Your son might enjoy thinking about some of the philosophical ideas that come up in them, yet there are usually just one or two lines of text per box. At our house, they've been the source of endless conversations!

Also, my son has an interest in math concepts, but NOT math drilling. He does really love a television cartoon program called Cyberchase that shows mathematical ideas and problem solving. The shows come from our public broadcasting network. You should be able to find out whether you can buy them by going to www.pbskids.org. They are entertaining enough that your son will just think they are another set of videos.

Good luck,

bk

We went to see the teacher and had a good (40 minutes ) session. Trying to get her to appreciate that he is different is nigh on impossible. She thinks his head is everywhere - and mentioned that he will put his hand up and volunteer some new facts about the Ancient Egyptians in the middle of a maths session. I think she has her hands full, quite honestly, but she is not 'worried' about him. One good thing is that she tells him to come and see her before each break period and talk to her about what interesting things he has to say. This, I suppose, keeps class disruption down, and also gives him a chance to show what he is made of. With the just below par performance in reading and writing, this system is not going to do anything in terms of more challenging work I'm afraid.

One thing, we took some of his models along and she was literally 'gobsmacked' as we say here. She couldn't get over how anatomically correct they were, and yet the level of abstraction in his work. She has told us she will be seeing the art co-ordinator (I won't hold my breath but which I will chase up).

I am very aware that we need to give him freedom to do his own thing and trust that it all comes together on the bread and butter. I don't want to squeeze the (very) 'special' out of him.

With the writing thing, I am going to get him to write a little book of robots. Almost every morning his first words are 'dad, I'm going to design a robot that can...'. I'm going to try and harness that to get him to draw the design and then write about it. It mat be a way of introducing some maths concepts too (mechanics, fulcrums....I dunno). More work for dad.

So once again, thanks for your suggestions which I am certainly taking note of. I will probably nip to the local library to find some calvin and Hobbs today, along with a tape set of Greek Myths (another favourite of his)/ I looked at Aleks and have been in touch with them about how the study pattern will mesh with the UK curriculum. I need to chase up the Intelligence Tests.

I wonder if anyone has treid the Multiple Inteeligence testing for their little'uns, which can prove quite insightful? see one example here:
http://www.mitest.com/omitest.htm

there are others you can google.

the BBC has g some good education resources like PBS, like:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/

have a great weekend all and a million thanks again

P

Well P,
It sounds like you have gotten some good info and built relationship with the teacher which is good. I think the intelligence testing is the needed next step. I don't think the Multiple Inteligence thing is going to help you because (my bias) I'll bet your son is basically 'way above average' on almost every kind of intelligence. So I think the system is good in for a school to try and 'pan for gold' and catch the strengths of all it's students, but not much use for kids who are processing at your son's level.

Are you open to homeschooling? Sounds like now that you see what the teacher has to deal with on a daily basis you realize that you could hire a tutor 2 hours a week, and drill him yourself 20 minutes a day, and let him pursue his interests the whole rest of the time without any loss. I've never had the daytime hours to try it myself, but to me it seems like something one could try for a year and see if it fits.

Glad to see you are less "Desperate"
((hugs))
Trinity

I don't know what the laws are about homeschooling there, but if you can do it and you think it might be beneficial, it probably would be.

We're homeschooling (after DS6 went a month to our local elementary school) and we LOVE it! I wouldn't have believed it if you'd told me two months ago that I'd say that, but it's true. Many benefits! (To me as well as to my son, surprisingly.)

If you're interested, I'd be happy to tell you more. No hard sell or anything.

K-

I have thought about the home schooling, but I think my boy likes the social aspect of school - especially if the bullying is kept under control.

one thing bk1 mentioned was his fine motor skills. The teacher - amazed at his model work - commented on the fine motor skills needed to achieve the level of detail he has.

picked up a Calvin & Hobbes and will it iout with him later today.

I picked up a Greek Myths tape (Greek Civilistaion is on this year's syllabus), which he set going and listened to all day while making models out of modelling clay - which he then tried to breathe life into a la Prometheus!! He will have all the myths 'off pat' by now - ready to amaze his classmates and teacher in Spring.

I also picked up a tape by Bertrand Russell called 'The ABC of Relativity' for myself. He comes up with the odd physics question - like, if one was travelling at the speed of light would you see your shadow?!!! - so I need to get more up to speed. I just hope he doesn't get onto Quantum Physics.

I need to investigate the Intelligence Tes situation - these things cost a lot of spondoolicks over here, and I believe finding a practitioner can be a bit hit-and-miss.

have a great weekend all

P

That sounds so good, P!
I love that you are modeling being a life long learner. I have also heard that some of the local university professors will have little "visits" with some of our kids, and try to answer their questions, so put on your "to do" list calling up the local universities, making friends with the staff, and seeing who you can come to visit.

As far as homeschooling goes. You can keep him in till the end of December, and then do a semester at home to try and see how he likes it. I've never done it, but I keep hearing that kids have more time to socalize when they homeschool, and that instead of just 'being around kids, but not getting to talk or play much' they get to actually play and work with kids who they have more in common with. Plus here in the US, afterschool sports and scouting activites are very big, and it's hard to fit them all in when so many hours are taken up with school.

Best Wishes,
Trinity

In my experience, it's true that kids have more time to socialize when homeschooled. It can, however, be harder to find kids to play with if you don't make an effort. Joining a good homeschoolers' association helps, since they're free when you are--in the middle of the day.

And it is definitely much higher quality socializing that takes place outside the traditional school building. No waiting in line, no bullying, no being shushed when they meet someone they like and want to talk to...All good things!