Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy ability peers

Would you like to share what you did?

Have you read Develping Math Talent? It breaks out the IQ ranges and different potential math "tracks" for gifted kids. After reading it, we are thinking about doing EPGY next year if school is open to it because it is self paced.

(DD skipped ahead in math this year and is suddenly having problems in learning long division and double digit multiplication. This has flumoxed the teacher because she still pretests at 100% on the geometry, fractions and algebra units. So I can sympathize with the correct placement suddenly becoming too easy and then too hard and then too easy again arguement.)

I know the DYS stuff takes a little while to get started. I have noticed that dd has started receiving more enrichment at school since DYS sent out some introduction letters to her teachers. Our attitude about DYS with school has been a "We want to help you out as much as possible because we think you are doing a great job of educating DD and we know that she can be challenging to teach."

Do you think the resistance at school comes more from the teacher(s) or from administration? Maybe next year the teacher will be more open to gifted???

Keep us posted,Chrys

sorry for being unclear. I am talking about moving him up a grade or two in Math and then he follows along with the class. He learns fast and Saxon math is very slow and repetious. I see review of too easy work in 3rd grade, like fill in a thermeter to 30 degrees. He did this in K. It insults him.

I have read that and own it. I probally need to review it again.
If I recall, it states his exact score and he should be working 2 years above age group. He is oldest in his class so instead of third he should be doing 5th or 6th Grade work. I also thinking he needs explore results for proper assessment. Hopefully they will show potential so he may get more challenged.

I sent a note to the GT teacher that "I feel like maybe I haven't explained the situation well enough and would she be interested in an expert's opion in this situation?" She never responded to this. I noticed she forwarded this to the principal. So I lost it a little with the tone but I meant every word. I did send an appology note for the tone and I mentioned I did not mean to imply I don't appreciate her help but I thought the situation need adjustments. My son was losing it at school because she was giving him too much work rather than appropriate. Ok let me take that appropriate back it's still to easy. Now he has lost trust.

I think that's wonderful for a kid who is in to that. I wonder how does that work with his Math classes? Does he just do the grade level Math he is in at school? Has there been much confusion with different Methods? Does he do the work at school and not mind doing it?

When my son comes home from school I want him to play and go to sports. It really helps him to get outside and burn off some energy. If I could get him out of his 30 mins. of homework that could work for him.

I really want Math (& more) to get fixed in school. I could see him doing a online Math enrichment in future summers. This summer, I want him to do online writing class. I think this could give him opportunites in to advance in other subjects where they might expect writing abilities like Science.

You are absolutely right I am trying to figure out what our goal should be. I am taking this very seriously and trying to understand it all. I do know there will be compromise.

The social and academic are very related. If he is not getting the academic it hurts his social. He likes his current grade peers and still wants to be silly and play pretend.

Would you mind telling me, does your son just go along with doing the work outside of school work without question. Did you explain a rationale to him? What do you say?

I have tried to challenge in nonschool ways. He could be a side show with all the yoyo tricks, paper airplane origami and many other talents. LOL

Good points, CFK! I have also found that the older DD gets, the more she is willing to change peer groups in order to get more challenging classes. She changed to a new math class knowing she would be with kids 2-3 years older than her. She has great friends that she sees during study hall, band and social studies. The things I worry about (social) she is completely aware of but chooses academic happiness over having a friend sitting next to her. I don't know how typical this is of GT kids, but she makes these decisions with complete confidence. If I could stop worrying about the teen years, we'd be ok...LOL!

Jen

I think DS9 could go up in some classes and do just fine. I think he would love to be in a 2 grade up GT class where he could have academic discussions with the older kids. I just think he needs to spend most of his time with the kids in his current grade, at least for right now. I think he is building lots of social confidence this year. He can handle some work that is simple for him. It's a matter of balance. I think his areas of passion Math, Science, Reading would be great opportunities for him to make more challenging.

So it would appear from the above that subject acceleration may be the compromise you are talking about? If so why do you feel he can't he be subject accelerated and still pursue his sporting and extra curricular activities?

Changing school and/or a few subject accelloration may be just the way for us to go. Then he can do the sports and other activities while in his grade.