Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Identification, Testing & Assessment A little vent

After the ups and downs of the last year and then the very much lower test result by the school's GO just recently, we took DS7 back to see the psychologist who tested him last year. To see if she could shed any light etc.

So she's chatted with him for 45 minutes, and run him through some reading tests. And advised DH in the wrap-up chat that he's reading about six months ahead of his age and comprehending nearly a year older. We know for a fact that this isn't right. She's advised against acceleration, after all "He seems a very happy little boy". Not so much when he's threatening to kill us with a kitchen knife, or shouting that he's too dumb to do his homework. And of course "he's still so young". Yes, the test result differences are strange aren't they... she can't explain why. I think she's out of her depth, but doesn't know how to say so.

And the school has already spoken with her. Probably everyone agreeing that his parents don't know what they're talking about. Why would a boy need to be accelerated when he's got exciting stuff like counting to 100 to grapple with. It's all go in Grade 1.

This just seems to get harder and harder. I don't know if I'm more upset, frustrated or angry. All of those, and amplified by worry about my son.

Anyway, thanks for listening. Again.

Hugs { } { } { }

I always say that as parents you know your child best so stay strong. Is there anyone else that you can turn to for a second opinion?

X

BKD - Sorry to hear the original tester didn't think her original test results were worth considering...Did you have achievement testing done at some point?

We have had some pretty extreme emotional times around here, too, finding a good academic and social fit for our boy has been a tremendous help in bringing back our fun loving child, feeling good about himself rather than confused and angry.
After loads of inquiry with the school, various tests which mostly did not show what I thought was 'true' for ds, we have some mg scores for him, he is in the pretty good gt program at the school, met a few kids there, met a few kids in cub scouts and it on an up-swing rather than continuing to grind downwards.
You should be worried, upset, angry if he is not getting what he needs in school and it is messing with his self-image in this way!! So sorry to hear you have more work ahead of you, but I am an optimist, hopefully there will be a way to make something work for him.

Hi Tiz & Chris1234 - thanks so much for your kind words. I don't think I'll spend any more time looking for a second opinion - I've quite firmly decided that I'm right and they're wrong (so there!). We didn't have achievement testing done, and right now I think it would probably be counterproductive. I'm only glad we had the IQ testing done before he'd been at school too long. I think DS7's current teacher is unalterably against the idea of GT/acceleration and will always work against it, albeit subtly.

"Confused and angry" sounds a lot like the trouble we're having, but we're firming up on a plan for next year (our school year starts in late January). Onwards and upwards, one hopes...

Good for you!! Keep us posted!

Good luck BKD!

Hi BKD

Sorry to hear things are not going so good - we had a lot of issue's with DS in his first year of school and he was clearly miserable. Even after testing and a psychologist coming to the school we realised that there was no way the teaching staff were going to accept what they were being advised and would always being working against him (subtly but still..) so in the end we had no choice but to seek out an alternative school, we found a great one recommended by his psych as being GT friendly and they advanced him a year without us even asking for it and it has made a world of difference - I really would advocate for finding the right school (if possible)- not so happy about having to move again but it is definitely worth it.

Good luck and lets us know how things work out for next year.