Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy New Here - Need Advice on Schooling

Hello everyone! I'm a new member here, stumbled on the board by a Google search. My son was recently tested and found to be gifted. He turned 5 at the end of November and was tested in early December. He's in Kindergarten now at a local private school. However, we're unhappy with the current school and are in the process of applying to a new one. The issue is that the new school won't deviate from the age cut-off and will most likely make him repeat Kindergarten (even though he's in Kinder now, getting straight A's and is gifted).

What are your thoughts about skipping grades and such?

Also, I have his report, and the diagnostician went through it with me, but didn't explain what all of the scores meant. Is there anyone here that can help me with that?

Thanks!

There are people on the board (I'm not one of them) who definitely can help you by explaining the scores. They will want you to post as much info as you have - the scores for each category as completely as you have. Also what test he was given.

Welcome and good luck on your quest for a good school fit.

Thanks! Would I post that in the testing forum instead then?

Hi and welcome! I'm not one of the experts on the scores but there are people here who can help you with that.

To answer the question regarding skipping a grade I think it's something that is a case by case bases, depending on the needs of the child.

I have a DD6 who was in K last year but it was so obvious that it was not a good fit that her teacher ask us to think about getting her tested and moving her up a grade. Which we did and it has been better. Also she is tall for her age and muture and fits in well with her class even though she is youngest in her 2nd/3rd grade classroom.

I also have a DD5 who started K this yr (Oct b-day) and even though she is more advanced than her classmates academically she lacks the maturity to move up a grade.

I hope that helps!

If I were you I would just continue with the thread here. Most of us look through various forums and your post could go in more than one forum. You will find a lot of support here.

Thanks again everyone!

@Skylersmommy: my DS is small for his age (5th percentile). Sometimes he's very mature, but sometimes not... I guess we'll just go with the flow and see what happens.

DD5 is actually tall for her age, but she is still the smallest in her school! I think it may be because the other kids are older. Everyone always tries to pick her up (which she hates) but she's so cute they can't resist.

Welcome!

You might want to read A Nation Deceived http://www.accelerationinstitute.org/nation_deceived/

and look into the Iowa Acceleration Scale.

I'd post about test scores separately under the testing forum.

If the new school won't deviate and will make him repeat K, perhaps it isn't the best fit for him either. Do you have any other options other than his current school and the new one that won't consider letting him continue on as a first grader next year? Is the fit problem at his current school related to the school as a whole or the teacher/classroom this year?

My kids are at that young for grade end as well and we've found that a lot of local districts will make a child who was too young for public K and who already did private K repeat that grade. However, if the child does private K and 1st s/he is allowed to continue on to 2nd without repeating a grade. I don't know if that makes sense! Tell me if not.

FWIW, my youngest has a late Sept. bd and is also very small for age. This year, at age 9, she is in the 10-15th percentile for the first time since she was under one. She has been in the 5th percentile for years. I don't believe in holding children back grades when they are otherwise ready solely b/c they are small. With her genetics, my younger dd is likely to be 5'1" at best. She is eventually going to be among the shortest again once everyone finishes growing.

You've gotten a lot of great advice. Iowa Acceleration Scale Manual gives lots of explanations about LOG (level of giftedness) that helped me understand the various scores. But post anyway - nothing like a real person to talk to!

I would add that the key thing is to do a little sleuthing on your own to see what grade-level your child is able to function on - there are some nice recent threads about online assesments to print out. Then, once you understand your child as a learner, be sure to spend at least half a hour observing the teacher working in the classroom so you can get an insight into fit. It's easy for a school admin to say "Of course we differentiate for our advanced learners" but better to observe the teacher doing it, and ask for how the school would handle, A ____grader who is doing _____.

Unless you come from a family of team sport athletes, don't worry about size. Gradeskips aren't ideal, but very often for kids who are more than averagely gifted, that are the 'least-poor' option. The risks of 'enforced underachievement' seem much graver to me, based on my family's history.

Welcome and we're glad you are here!
Grinity

@MsFriz - Thanks for the book recommendation, I'll pick it up soon.

@Cricket2 - I know what you mean... The school they're at now will let him continue to 1st grade, but there are several issues we have with the school (hence the reason we're looking elsewhere). The public schools will let him go to 1st grade since he's completed Kinder at their current school. We are looking at a charter school that isn't "age based", but the lottery isn't until mid-March. We'd prefer to stay with private schools, and this one that we have applied to is the only one we can afford (other than where they are now). My kids are height challenged (and probably will always), everyone in the family is small...

@Grinity - Thanks for the advice, I'll check out the boards other threads to find some more information. I know that he's reading at a 2nd grade level, but other than reading I don't know what grade level he's on. As for the sports, I'm not worried about that at all. I was a swimmer and my husband is a runner. And he's into golf now, so none of them require excessive height.

Thank you to everyone who replied, I appreciate it!