Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Elementary School Kindergarten 2009-2010

Thanks Karen...unfortunately last year in Pre-K it was even worse. I'm going to try and talk to the principal about it all tomorrow if I can get her to call me back.

I thought I'd just start with a pat on the back for the teacher first and see how things go. Frankly, if DS5 and the teacher can work it out between themselves and leave me out of it, I'm perfectly content! Conferences are in a couple of weeks, so there's always time then. Nothing seems urgent, snce DS5 is taking care of business for himself. Yay!

It does make me wonder about next year all over again. He's not really a candidate for a grade skip because he's emotionally at his age or younger, plus he's not reading or writing well yet. I suspect we'll be homeschooling him starting next year.

*sigh*

He was supposed to be my easy one, the one who fit in!

Ah, well...

Haha...I can't even imagine what an easy child is like

I imagined it until January 2009, when he discovered math.

*sigh*

Kriston - that sounds like great news with your DS. You go, boy! Advocate! :-)

JamieB - that does sound harsh. My goodness, if my son was at your son's school, with the antics he's been pulling lately, he would have been expelled! Maybe him having the fever played into it. I hope he is feeling better.

JamieB, be glad they didn't put him on Risperidone!!!! My dear nephew, who is in pre-k, was given after school suspension (he's had a few behavior issues, but I personally think he's bored out of his mind AND he has Celiac disease - not diagnosed to name a few), and then his pediatrician put him on Risperidone.

Um, that child does NOT need Risperidone. Looks like now that my advocacy for DS6 (in a month) is done (or at least a success story for now), I have to focus on my nephew. Now if he wasn't 3 hours away...

oh, and for the record, DS is doin' FABULOUS still in 1st!!!

Yeah for 1st grade

Your poor nephew!!!

Jamie: Hugs to you and DS. It sounds to me like the sub was over the top. There are ways to get a child to do what you need without grabbing an arm and moving him. How would any of us like that? I hope they DO move him to a first grade classroom for your sake. Hopefully, he'd be happier!

Kristen: Nice to hear good news. Let us know how it goes after you e-mail the teacher.

A small update here: Last night, DS5's teacher told me the principal wanted to talk with me. Talk to principal, who tells me that they'd like to move DS5 to a different K class (the one where he currently is going for reading a couple of days a week). They realize that the sporadic shifting of classrooms during the week isn't working and they want his whole reading group together in the same classroom. This particular K teacher was the school's gifted and talented coordinator for several years before moving back to teaching this year. Still, I want to be sure this is the only move that makes sense and the right one. I don't want to move him and then have to move him again. So, I asked principal about the redo on his reading assessment, explaining that the reading specialist was re-assessing him. I want to make sure that the reading group he's in is REALLY at his level. Principal said she'd talk to reading specialist today. When I asked about math acceleration and making sure he'll have math peers as well, the principal went on autopilot about different kids, different parts of the brain. I could barely get out of my mouth that he's ready for first grade math, too.

Have any of you heard of this kind of movement? I'm wondering how to handle a classroom switch when it's within the same grade. How does he explain to his newfound friends why he's in a different class? Are there other questions I should be asking?

mom2twoboys - I haven't had experience with "lateral" movement, but I would definitely ask as many questions (even not relevant ones) as I could. I'm at a loss as what you should ask right now, but I'm sure someone here has some ideas! Good luck!

It sounds like they may be trying cluster grouping. I would talk to the former gifted teacher about it. If you have any testing data I'd bring it to the meeting to discuss how he'd fit with the class.