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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 430
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Joined: Apr 2009
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mom2twoboys - I'd talk with the teacher. Since he's so mellow, she may not even be aware of his capabilities.
And on my front... DS's testing is over with. We meet next week to discuss his results, etc. They scheduled the meeting for Thursday, but I asked to do it on Tuesday. If I have to wait an ENTIRE week, I might give myself an ulcer from the anxiety!!! I'm so nervous and excited I can't stand it. Good luck!!!
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 430
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 430 |
Well this year is still getting worse. The last two days he got notes home from the teacher. He's running and skipping in the classroom and constantly talking to himself. Today the teacher took most of his recess away and said he was better after that. He's now telling me that he doesn't like school anymore  I was so optimistic about this year and as the days go by I get more and more negative. I feel like I'll never find a good fit for him. So sorry Jamie. I don't have much advice but I feel your pain. DS5 is in first and is having a rough time following directions, listening etc. I don't think his behaviors would be that atypical in K, but they are much less forgiving in first so he has lost half of recess a few times, and all of it one day. I am discouraged but still hopeful. They haven't at all started challenging him academically but they have talked about pulling him out to work with him and doing other things. This week is the first full week so it's all pretty new. I think they really are trying but are just not used to a child like this, which is understandable. Good luck! Keep us updated! Today he had his weekly 90 minute enrichment class and he was so excited to go to school. I'm so glad that he at least has something to look forward to. He said it was during art and he was going to miss having art so I think I'll get some art supplies out when he gets home and let him make something.
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Joined: Apr 2009
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DS8 who was not skipped had the same sorts of trouble in 1st grade with discipline issues, Shelly. For him it was about frustration and boredom. Update on my DS5: he is starting to talk negatively about K. *sigh* I'm encouraging him to talk specifically about what's bothering him even as I tell him that school is not optional and remind him that he has been telling me he's having a good time. So what's changed? It's not an easy balance. I don't want him to give up for no reason. But I also don't want him to be in an ill-fitting situation. And I don't want my concerns to influence how he feels about school. It's hard! He's also started doing 4-digit multiplication (with 0s in the 10s and 1s places) in his head without being taught.  He's fascinated by time, so he's figuring out how many seconds are in X minutes. He got 13 minutes correct, which surprised me since 13x60 seemed like a pretty tough problem, so I asked him to do one out loud--22 minutes--to let me hear how he was thinking it through. I realized that he was multiplying 20x60 and 2x60 and adding them together. The way he has leapt ahead in math is really shocking to me. To be honest, even though I already have one HG+ child, the sudden onset of this math ability and intense interest for DS5 is freaking me out. To make matters worse, I'm sure the teacher has no idea yet. They have yet to even count in class. It's a challenge... Wow! That's so great that he's able to do those problems in his head!!! How is his school for giving him more advanced classwork?
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,145
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They're not giving him anything more advanced right now, Jamie. In fairness, I haven't asked them to yet. I'm trying to give them a chance to settle in. I know from DS8's experiences that they won't do anything different for the first 6 weeks at least, regardless of what I tell them. I did mention where he was in arithmetic in my introductory letter to the teacher that they ask us to write. It's only half-day K--less than 3 hours, with one recess in there--so it should be okay for a few weeks, I think. We do allow DS5 to afterschool as needed, though it's definitely all child-driven, like those math problems. At most I say, "Would you like me to give you a problem?" If he says no, then I'm fine with not doing anything. Frankly, knowing our school system, I'm probably not going to advocate much. I'm not good at advocacy and I know the school won't go far enough even if I do advocate. (BTDT, seen others who have BTDT, know it's not worth it to bang my head against that wall at our school if he's really HG+... If he's MG, it could be worth it. HG+, no.) I'd just homeschool. It would be easier on everyone. JJsMom: DS5 is usually VERY open about things that bother him (or make him happy). In pre-K, he would tell me little stuff that had happened and I'd tell the other moms, who had no idea. Soon the moms started coming to me to ask about things that had happened because DS5's reports were so accurate. He's my little heavy-on-feeling extrovert. Nothing is secret or unspeakable. He tells all!  So if there's something specific that's wrong, I think he'll say so. He has friends, he likes the bus ride (VERY short! He's the last one on and the first one off in the afternoon!). I've heard no specific problems. That's why I'm not too worried yet. I suspect he's being told to sit still and be quiet and he doesn't love that. But he needs that at this point, so I don't have a problem with it if that's what's happening. Boredom would be a different issue. SPG: Yup, I think I've been suddenly and irrevocably jolted out of my GT denial re: DS5!  But in my defense, this math stuff really has been a big and sudden change. Maybe 10 months ago, he could count and that's about it. Multi-digit multiplication was not on my radar until this week, and he's mastering it. In his head! Like BAM!  It's like it just all clicked and he's jumped WAY ahead! It's pretty amazing/crazy/frightening/exciting to see happen. I'm definitely still trying to come to grips with it... Still no reading though. I'm still wondering if he's got some LD or visual issue (he's seeing the behavioral opthamologist in a couple of weeks) or if this is just another "nothing until he's ready, and then mastery in a matter of minutes" things, like writing and arithmetic were for him. I'm not sure.
Kriston
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Joined: Dec 2007
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I'm sorry to hear that so many kids are complaining about K Hopefully the teachers will be able and willing to do something for them. JJsMom, good luck at the meeting. In the meantime keep yourself busy and try to forget about the test results. I know, easier said than done. Kriston, I think there is one thing you may want to ask for, the achievement and IQ test  You know to have it done and paid by school before you pull him out. I am sort of kidding on pulling him out. It's not really so bad to homeschool two. Things are going better than I expected. It may have to do with the fact that I created quite bleak scenarios in my head. Things are not perfect but far from horrible. I've survived almost 2 weeks of homeschooling 2 children. And not to scare you your DS5 reminds me of my mathy DS7 when he was his age. Simple algebraic equations are next P.S. I remember reading about you facing problems with DS8 having to do more work. I don't recall which thread I read it in. PM, I would like to hear more details and don't want to talk about it on the K thread.
LMom
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Joined: Jun 2009
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He's fascinated by time, so he's figuring out how many seconds are in X minutes. He got 13 minutes correct, which surprised me since 13x60 seemed like a pretty tough problem, so I asked him to do one out loud--22 minutes--to let me hear how he was thinking it through. I realized that he was multiplying 20x60 and 2x60 and adding them together.
The way he has leapt ahead in math is really shocking to me. To be honest, even though I already have one HG+ child, the sudden onset of this math ability and intense interest for DS5 is freaking me out. So weird this could easily be my Tigger but he's probably a wee bit behind yours. He's always been fascinated with time - to begin with it was days and dates - if I live to be 100 how many years left, then how many months, weeks, days etc. Then it was down to hours, minutes, seconds. Now anything to do with time has to be calculated to the exact minute. We're going out at 8am, its now 7.42am so he has to tell you that we only have 18mins to go. I had to think to work that out and he just rattles it off like its so easy peasy! His progress in math this last few weeks has also really freaked me out - its not so much the what but the speed... both for picking up new concepts and doing the actual calculations. His last lot of work I wrote the answers for him because his brain was whirring through so fast he was getting frustrated because he couldn't write them down quick enough. As for school - yep hear you - which is why we are now doing things after school to keep him buzzing (and me sane as it gets him off time calculations for a bit). My girlfriends tell me their girls (about 7 months younger than DS - so about 6.5) are working on adding up the numbers on a dice in math and they don't even get spelling to learn - they freaked when they saw Tigger's list of 15 this week. (Referred, receiver, doubt etc) 15/15 right again this week - amazes me every week he brings a list home I think no way - but he does it...
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,145
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Kriston, I think there is one thing you may want to ask for, the achievement and IQ test You know to have it done and paid by school before you pull him out. Indeed!  I was planning to wait until the spring testing to request it (if the teacher didn't suggest it). I thought he might be reading my then, so we might get a truer read of his across-the-board capabilities. But I think I'm putting in the request for fall, just to be safe. I still do want him to last the year if he can. It's 2.5 hours! Come on! But I will pull him if it seems unworkable for him. I'm starting to get my ducks in a row for talking to the teacher. It may have to happen sooner rather than later if I want to keep him in the class. Doggone it, anyway!  I think the worst part is that I wasn't really ready for all this. I just didn't see it coming. Less than a year ago, he could count, but that was it. How was I to know this was coming? *sigh* It's not really so bad to homeschool two. Things are going better than I expected. It may have to do with the fact that I created quite bleak scenarios in my head. Things are not perfect but far from horrible. I've survived almost 2 weeks of homeschooling 2 children. You give me hope. Thank you! And not to scare you your DS5 reminds me of my mathy DS7 when he was his age. Simple algebraic equations are next At least I am forewarned. I greatly prefer that to being taken completely off-guard! Thanks, as always. P.S. I remember reading about you facing problems with DS8 having to do more work. I don't recall which thread I read it in. PM, I would like to hear more details and don't want to talk about it on the K thread. I'll PM you. Thanks for asking. I want to hear more about your first 2 weeks, too...
Kriston
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,145
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So weird this could easily be my Tigger but he's probably a wee bit behind yours. He's always been fascinated with time - to begin with it was days and dates - if I live to be 100 how many years left, then how many months, weeks, days etc. Then it was down to hours, minutes, seconds. Now anything to do with time has to be calculated to the exact minute. We're going out at 8am, its now 7.42am so he has to tell you that we only have 18mins to go. I had to think to work that out and he just rattles it off like its so easy peasy! His progress in math this last few weeks has also really freaked me out - its not so much the what but the speed... both for picking up new concepts and doing the actual calculations. His last lot of work I wrote the answers for him because his brain was whirring through so fast he was getting frustrated because he couldn't write them down quick enough. As for school - yep hear you - which is why we are now doing things after school to keep him buzzing (and me sane as it gets him off time calculations for a bit). My girlfriends tell me their girls (about 7 months younger than DS - so about 6.5) are working on adding up the numbers on a dice in math and they don't even get spelling to learn - they freaked when they saw Tigger's list of 15 this week. (Referred, receiver, doubt etc) 15/15 right again this week - amazes me every week he brings a list home I think no way - but he does it... I should have known better than to be surprised, I guess. I have been accused of GT denial on this forum re: this child more times than I can count. But seriously, it all just happened. Really fast. Almost overnight. From nothing...to total mastery. That's crazy! I'm glad you understand my freaked-outedness, spook. Thanks. It helps.
Kriston
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Joined: Jun 2009
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I still do want him to last the year if he can. It's 2.5 hours! Come on! I do smile a bit when I hear of half day kindy - Here in NZ the kids generally start school (Mon-Fri, 9-3) on their 5th Birthday (by law they don't have to attend till they are 6 but its pretty unusual to hold them back) and in the UK they can still be 4 depending on where their birthday falls. I remember my girlfriend being really upset that her *baby* was starting school and only 4. Now my DS started 9-3 Montessori at 2.5yrs because he was driving me nuts - I could not keep up with his constant demand for stimulation, looking back maybe that should have given me a few clues
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,145
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I like half-day K, absolutely! It can be a real lifesaver for a GT kid. Half a day of boredom is a lot more tolerable than a full day. I'm hoping that holds true for DS5...
Kriston
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