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Stole the subject line from Dottie....She gets the credit.

Spoke to Susan Assouline today on the phone. I explained to her my current situation with DS6. After explaining to me that the IAS is not meant for multi grade skips, she gave me another option.

Instead of skipping 3 grades at once, 1st to 4th, she recommended that we skip once, start him in 2nd, skip again at midterm to 3rd, then skip him to 5th the following year. So in 2 years he'd be in the same place.
It means that next year he'd still have full day pullouts, basically what he's doing now.

I can't decide how I feel about this. On the one hand it's not so dramatic, kind of easier from a transition standpoint. On the other hand, it means changing his peer group 4 times in the course of a year. He's still have some stable peers as he'd continue to participate in his core classes with 4th-6th grade. So here I sit once again, completely at a loss as to what to do!

Which way makes more sense to the rest of you? Should he skip to 4th with 2 pullouts a day, or does Dr Assouline's method make more sense?

Hi Shari,
That was so sweet of her to talk! Again she is aiming her advice at the majority of gifted children, but it's not a bad plan. Doesn't appeal to me personally, but ((shrug))

I'm still in favor of whatever placement keeps him with the same group of peers for the longest. I'm also in favor of taking the perspective that the skips have already occured, you are just making it official. Think of it like a 9 months pregnant bride in her wedding dress at the alter. Ritual like marriage and officially accepting grade skips DO matter, but the 'content' of the experience is pretty obvious no matter what you call it.

How does your son feel about all this?

I say it's great that you have so many good choices!

Love and More Love,
Grinity

I agree with Grinity--it's great to actually have choices in this situation. I would go with what makes your DS the happiest and most comfortable. IMO, a big skip does sound like much easier a transition than many little skips especially since academically he is already at 4th grade level.

I third that. I think this isn't really a multi-grade skip. Not really. He's already done the heavy lifting of said skip this year. All you're doing is making it official. BIIIIIIIG difference!

I say stop thinking of it as a multi-age skip and just do it! I really think it's okay!

And you know, if it turns out to not work for some reason that I can't fathom right now, you could deccelerate him, right? I mean, the school seems sooooooo supportive, I think you have alternatives if they turn out to be necessary. (Though I REALLY don't think they will be, given what you've told us.)

Mmm... too many changes in 2 years. I will take the direct route. There is always an option to change back if there's any problem although I think your DS should be fine re. academics.

The only problem I foresee is the interaction with the older kids re. the social language. Some older kids may use more "matured" but undesirable language in front of him and also the topic of discussion. But these may not happen at all or affect your DS. So all the best in your decision. It's great that u have so much support and options.

Edit: grammar mistakes

That's the way I'm leaning. She asked me to write to her and let her know how it went regardless of which course we choose.