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

My son(a little older than yours, he's 6) just started dividing and multiplying fractions. I feel bad that I actually enjoy finding things like this that he can't just breeze through. It gives me chance to teach him how to learn and stick through something.

We are about the same place we were at the beginning of the year...nowhere.

I have pushed to have DS moved to 1st grade at least for math and reading. Nothing has happened even though at the beginning of December the principal told me that he'd be moved for math and they'd do 1st grade reading one on one with him in class.

He was having lots of issues focusing and getting into trouble and we put him on meds for ADD. I mainly did it so that he wouldn't get into trouble at school and they'd do something for him. Still nothing.

I'm fed up, frustrated and out of ideas and so is he. He keeps saying that he doesn't want to learn anymore or go to school because instead of learning they're regressing

He seems to have made two friends so that's great!

I'm looking into other options for next year. There's a public elementary school that he might be able to get into. He and the other gifted kids would be pulled for reading and math everyday. That sounds great but I know that by next year he'll be beyond what they're doing in those classes (in 1st they do 1st grade math and some 2nd grade) and I think I'll have even less of a chance of getting differentiation for him there. There's also a very expensive private school that I'm looking at that seems to allow kids to test out of grades and move up as they learn the material. There's no way that I can afford it though so I'm thinking about going there and pleading for a scholarship -- if they offer them. Has anybody done this before?

Irisheyes - that is kind of funny. I'm waiting to wake up from this "dream".

I will say the hardest thing is that DS worries about what the other kids think and say, etc. He doesn't understand why a boy at a beach with his shirt off would be funny (because it's obviously what you find, and he's just being descriptive), so he takes it personally if he puts a shirtless boy on a beach in a story he writes and the other kids laugh. I'm really hoping the Target class will help him engage with kids a lot closer to his level in that regard.

His self-esteem is what I worry about most these days.

Is he a pretty sensitive kid about everything? What is Target?

He's a social butterfly, so I'm not at all surprised that he has friends at school. If he didn't, it would be a very, VERY bad sign! Honestly, until the math thing popped up about a year ago, I'd have said that the *only* way DS5 was GT was socially. People just gravitate toward him. (Adults and older kids as well as kids his own age.) He's also something of a homebody. (Yes, I know that's an odd combo!) He doesn't like to leave home if he can avoid it, even for fun things. So he'd be happy homeschooling, I suspect.

His brother and a neighbor (not gifted) both HATED 1st grade, so DS5 is not excited about the prospect. Naturally this is not a great reason to not want to go to the next grade...But there it is. Add to that his boredom with K, and he's not fired up about the notion of next year.

The problem is that he's not consistent about what he'd prefer to do. One day it's homeschooling all the way; the next day he wants to grade skip (which isn't a good choice for him).

We do have a "school for homeschoolers"--like a co-op that we pay for, but more like school and more flexible than most co-ops about placing kids to meet their needs. That has worked great for DS8, and I think it might work to meet DS5's social needs, too. Then we could do the bulk of the accelerated work at home.

But we're still considering the private GT school in town, as well as considering pushing the public school for some serious subject acceleration in math. DS5 seems a lot more "normal" than his big brother in everything but math, and if we could get a good fit at the public school without too much hassle, I'd be willing to give it a try. I just don't know how realistic an expectation that is.

Jamie B: Most private schools have some scholarships, but I'm not sure how tight-fisted they are with them, especially for newbies to the school. The economy hasn't helped matters, I'm sure. But the worst they can say is no, right? Might as well ask!

Just beware of falling in love with the place until you know if it's a reasonable option.

Wow Kriston - he sure sound like my DS9 at that age (the social thing carries through to now). The extroverted social homebody that is crazy good at math. Watch for a wild leap in reading!

One thing I've found with homeschooling both my kids is they have each other. They both really "get" each other and now they are getting along really well. Since we aren't locked into DD's school schedule, we have more time to explore other social and academic opportunities outside the house. Both kids need tons of social stuff.

We are struggling with our co-op a bit. DD5 is actually a bit young (7+ HG+ boys are mostly served) and the kids haven't clicked with any kids in particular there this fall. And we have lots of other museums and homeschool programs available closer to us. We're debating what to do on that for this spring.

Good luck with your decisions! Very tough that asynchronous stuff. I consider both my kids very asynchronous.


What is it about 1st grade? I know so many first graders, especially boys, that were generally miserable about it. And that's at all ends of the spectrum. Tough year for many kids.

I'll try not to

That's great that he's a social butterfly! I'm sure it's good to know in any situation he can make a friend!

So nice to hear everyone's updates.

As for ours: The year has gone pretty much as I expected with a few twists. As some of you know, DS6 was switched from one K class to a different one in Nov. so that he could be grouped for reading with another child who is also reading. Unfortunately, the reading group level is far below what the school tested him at. Frustrating for me, but it doesn't bother him a bit. He adjusted to the second classroom nicely and has made friends. He's also the farthest along in the class in math and the teacher apparently told him (rather than me, argh!) that he writes better than most first graders. Needless to say, my 2nd grader didn't like hearing that one. There's no question in my mind that he ought to have skipped a year academically, but our school's principal is vociferously against grade skipping. I started looking at private schools, but they are just so expensive and the one that seems the best fit is a bit of drive.

I just started a new job and don't have the time to continue to nag the school. So, I've dumped the school's homework for my own. He's happy and that's going to be enough for now. He'd tell you that his biggest accomplishment is that he has learned to dribble a basketball ;-) He's reading harder and harder books at home and I double check his comprehension. He's whizzing through Singapore Math Book 1B at home and says it's too easy. I'm still making him go through it though to make sure that he has all those basics down.

Next month, there's an open house and then testing for a grade 1 and 2 gifted magnet at a nearby school. I'll be applying. Fingers crossed that he gets in. Unfortunately, it's a combination of testing and lottery because so many families apply. The good news if he doesn't get into the magnet is that I really love the lead 1st grade teacher at our school. DS8 had her last year. When he asked for multiplication and no one else was doing it, she gave him a bunch of worksheets. She knows DS6 and has been checking in with me about him over the school year. So, I do think for at least 1st grade she'd give him something to challenge him and keep him moving forward.

This is good to hear. It all seems like such a strange mix to me that it's nice to hear that he's not the only one. Thanks for that! I don't know why that makes me less anxious for him, but it does.

BTW, there is a downside of his social giftedness, as there seems to be with most forms of GTness. Not only is he hypersensitive emotionally, but also if someone often seems mean--especially kids who have emotional problems that lead them to lash out at others or to behave inappropritely for an ND child--DS5 takes an instant dislike to them. He's been in a couple of classes with kids who had real, diagnosed problems, and DS5 was very unforgiving of them, regardless of how I explained it to him. We're working on it, but he's definitely not the kid who should be placed to help the kid with social problems! That would be such a disaster!

The only thing I can figure about 1st grade is that it's often the first year for full-day class, it's much more "sit at your desk and work" than previous years, and it's often the "learn to read" year. For an active 6yo, that's a lot to handle.

It's good to hear everyone's updates - I'm glad that a lot of you have had positive experiences at least in part. GD5 has been in full day (8:15-3:15) Kindergarten since August. I really think 1/2 day K would have been so much better for her. We are still waiting for the results of the Nalieri screening test for GT. She has had no accommodations as far as we can tell in class. Last Friday she apparently read a "hard" story for her teacher who bragged on her and the asst. principal had her read for her too. But only heard about it from GD & that's the only time (may have been part of an end of semester reading assessment?). DD asked AP & the above was all she said except she enjoyed listening to her read.

GD not as much a mathy though way ahead of K curriculum. A couple of recent positives are she is finally starting to write some with a little less resistance and she hasn't been to the office lately though they still think she should fit into the little box (not be argumentative, not have such intense interest in animals, act like the other kids...).

Trying to get DD to at least visit some other schools though the expense & distance would make them difficult. I really hope 1st grade isn't worse than Kindergarten though I fear it's possible. Maybe things will get better.

She does have several friends at school so socially things are OK - grateful for that at least.