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My son is working on a 7th/8th grade level and plays with some high school science on a website. He is only 8 years old and is the age of 2nd graders in our state.

So, he is working 5-6 years ahead of his age peers but the highest IQ he has tested at was a 130. Is it normal for IQ's of 130 to be working 5-6 years ahead?

That seems pretty reasonable. A full scale IQ of 130 is a numberical average between strenghts and weakness, and might be covering some very significant strenths. Was a GAI calculated? Even if not, 130 is a very high IQ score in itself, and given strong drive or an excellent teacher plus homeschooling this seems reasonable. I'd be particularly impressed if he has the ability to write a research paper on the level of a strong 8th grader.

Are you worried that you aren't challenging him enough?

Love and More Love,
Grinity

Grinity- Writing is the only area where he isn't advanced. We are working with him to improve his writing skills b/c he has set a goal of wanting to get into EPGY Online High School in 1 to 2 years. I know he will not get in in 1 year but if he improves his writing he may have a chance in 2 years.

I don't know if the IQ had a GAI or not. It is not in front of me.

He attends a virtual public school and they did grade accelerate him by 1 year this year so he is in 3rd instead of 2nd. He was also able to work at his pace and finished 3rd and most of 4th. They will only move him up in math, literature, spelling and grammar so these subjects he will finish 4th grade by the end of this school year. He has to complete all the lesson assessments, unit assessments, and semester assessments and b/c of this going through a full years worth takes a long time.

In Feb. the principal and his teacher said he really should have been placed into 4th grade this year but b/c of a misunderstanding he wasn't. The principal is looking into what she can do legally and he may be moved up to 5th grade next year. But, I really don't think this would be enough.

In Literature they have a list of books he can choose to read (4 books for 4th grade). The list is for 3rd - 8th grade. His choices are always in the 6th - 8th grade level.

So, in a long round about way yes, I don't think he is being challenged enough. My husband has made it clear we will do this virtual public school next year. But, I don't think they will challenge him. I would love to use EPGY math, grammar and writing programs next year along with high school science and harder reading material. However, I don't want to overload him with work. There is a lot of work with his virtual public school.

According to testing (WIAT II, Iowa-something) my kids work at grade levels much higher than I would estimate based on the quality of their work. Probably 5-6 years ahead in most categories, but I don't remember exactly. I think my 7 y.o. was in the 9th or 10th grade range for math reasoning, though (not sure how that is possible when he still forgets his division facts!). My 9 y.o. reads anything. They are limited by their writing skills, but can dictate using very sophisticated language.

But there is NO WAY I think that they are really academically equivalent to the average 7th or 8th grader. At least I hope not!

My kids don't get homework and go to a very good, but laid back school. I think it's possible for an 8 y.o. child with a 130 I.Q. to be able to work at about the level of my children (7 and 9) if the eight year-old has been homeschooled or otherwise exposed to very individualized, challenging curriculum.

That said, we did have an experience with a test score that was out of whack (121 vs. 135 WISC and 139 SB with several ceilings hit). So I don't doubt your assessment on the face of it, I just don't think achievement of grade milestones is enough to completely throw out the test scores. In fact, I'd be more inclined to think the test was wrong if you said your reservations were simply based on comparisions to yourself and your other children.

Have you considered slowing down the acquisition of grade levels and focusing on a particular area outside of the virtual school curriculum? Then your son woulnd't have too much work overall, but could focus on an area of interest. In the medium term this might also give you a more accurate measure of his abilities. I think *extremely* high achievement in a single area is more compelling evidence of high ability than working a couple of years ahead overall. And probably more rewarding and more practical.

I also think that by age 8 or 9 kids are really ready to learn a sport - maybe getting really involved in a sport or learning a musical instrument or learning a language (REALLY learning a language) could occupy some of him time productively. I guess what I'm saying is that it's possible to allow him to be challenged in alternative ways.

This is really an interesting post because I find myself wondering why you are so eager for your son to progress gradewise, but OTOH, if he had a documented I.Q. score of 160 I would probably assume that he "needed" the additional challenge. SO perhaps I am coming at this from the wrong angle. I hope you get some other replies disagreeing with me.

AlexFamTx -

First Thought - Can the principal give the 'end of semester assessments' NOW and compact the remaining curriculum, then move him up to 5th with pretests for further compacting. That sounds very dreary. Or give the end of semester assessments NOW, and graduate 4th grade early and do trips and special enrichment for the last 2 months of school? How many hours a day is all this taking?
Anyway - if you haven't heard the phrase 'compacting the curriculum' thats the one to google.


Second Thought: did you click with the tester? If so, I think now is a good time to request a little sit down and bring these questions up with the tester. If not, perhaps request a copy of all the information and try to dig up a different psychologist that you click with better to review the numbers and the current situation.

I'm suggesting this because asnychonous development really stinks! Even in a homeschooling setting, it is difficult to deal with. You want to make extra sure that you aren't percieved as treating K12 education as a race - that you are being crystal clear that your goal is for your child to be engaged at his readiness level so he can learn how to learn.

3rd thought: That - exactly is your DH's attachment to VPS? Would he be willing for you to do both EPGY classes AND High school science AND VPS - if so, you can let him to VPS at a snails pace (maybe during car rides?) and fill up your homeschooling day with these other activities? Is it a cash limit? Is it that he doesn't trust your assesment of DS's readiness level? I've had a lot of luck with my DH when we don't agree is to agree to hire a 3rd party expert to assess DS and'further educate' us both. Expensive, but maybe worth it.

A Mentor might be a good option, or if there are Community College or University where you and he can audit a class, perhaps that will be a way to feed his interests, while letting his writing skill catch up with him.

If you are just plain sick of people (DH?) just not getting how advanced he is, let him take a SAT or ACT. When he is getting 500s on Math and CR you won't have to pursuade anyone of how advanced he is, you can just show them the test scores and then let them tell you how unusual that is. Walk softly and carry a big stick, yes?

What frustrates me about asnychrony, with my own DS13 - right this minute - is that no matter what grade I would put him in, he doesn't really fit an any box, so there are always body parts sticking out! At 13 he could be 7th grader or an 8th grader in our state. He is in 9th grade, taking all honors classes. Guess what? - he is both bored (intellectually) and mystified at what the teachers could possibly want (immature.) He just doesn't fit any of those grade level. Imagine the Stamina and Maturity of a 7th grader trying to do the busy work of a 9th grader, for grades that count on a college transcript, while learning material presented in a fairly shallow way. Not pretty. He is pretty much back to the 'close your eyes and think of England' approach to schoolwork that I observed in him during 4nd grade. Except that back then he couldn't bear to do it for 90 seconds, and now he can go for 3 hours if needed.

I'm researching several possible answers, and it may be that the universe provides and tomorrow he falls in love with an extracurricular activity and finds a mentor and it is 'all better now' enough. I just wanted to share that it's a tough road.

Love and More Love,
Grinity

My 8yo son's IQ (which is actually not reportable because of an out of whack processing speed index score) is 138. His GAI is much higher. He has been homeschooled all along and tests about 5 years ahead in math, reading, and language on various achievement tests. His writing is less advanced than this (I think) and is probably only about 1-2 years ahead.

I think gifted children generally need much higher level input combined with more grade appropriate output expectations. So this might mean using a text that is 5 grade levels ahead but output is oral rather than written for science and history. Math (even algebra) can even be done orally (ask me how I know). English gets a bit more complicated because for the writing piece the output is what it's all about. But still the literature could be more advanced and the writing less so.

Unfortunately, when you are working within the confines of a school (even a virtual school) the child needs to be placed at his output level. So for my son, if he were to use the K12 curriculum without modification that would probably be a 4th grade level because of the (ridiculous IMHO) writing demands.

My suggestion would be to get away from using K12 with the virtual school. It is difficult enough to adapt when using it independently (which we have done), I would think that it would be impossible to work with it effectively given the constraints in the virtual school.

Jane Smith - He is working on a computer programming course that is meant for highschoolers on his own. He loves it and really get's it. He is not a physcial boy and has never liked sports. We have tried several however, he is enjoying the tap and hip hop all boys dance class this year. I am not eager to progress him gradewise, I just want him to be in a grade where he learns to learn and study. As to my posting I am just curious if it is the norm for a 130 IQ to be working 5/6+ grades above or if maybe we should have him retested with a different tester to see if his IQ is greater.

Grinity-

The virtual school principal is actually working on changing acceleration procedures b/c of my son. I am not sure what she plans on doing for next year but his teacher and myself have agreed that 5th would be easy not so sure if it would be a good fit.

I am not sure if he clicked with the tester or not. I am in the process of possibly getting him retested. Which is the reason for my post. Is an IQ of 130 normally working 5-6+ grades above or should his IQ be higher. If it is the later then we should find a different tester and have him retested.

I don't think K12 is a race. I just want my son to be challenged at times so that he actually learns something. That he learns how to learn and learns how to study.

Husband has never really thought that our ds was that advanced. He has always thought that the local school district would help our son. In Kindergarten I had son take the 1st grade CAT test and he scored a 98%. This opened my husbands eyes to what our ds could do but then it opened my husbands eyes to show that the school wouldn't do anything for our son. But, I don't think he still really sees that our son could do higher work. Even through I show him and tell him that our son can. Husbands likes the accountability of the VPS and the fact that if he wanted to put ds back into PS it would be an easy transfer.

I am really thinking about ds taking the PSAT or the ACT next year. I have contacted the local community college and they would take ds. However, I just found out that they can not discriminate based on age when going through the continuing education department so we may try to get him into a class next year.

I am also thinking about having ds tested for disability. He still can not button or snap his pants. He also has trouble opening things. This may contribute to his writing b/c when he dictates to me he can dictate 3-4 pages.

AFT - I'm wondering if YOU clicked with your son's tester. If so, they can be a great source of information.

As for DH, I'm hoping you can figure out some way to give DH a first hand experience of your son's learning ability in relation to other kids his age. Keep your eyes open, perhaps arrange a family playdate with a family that has a range of kids who span you son's 'ages.' Or maybe dream up a homeschooling unit on 'the stock market' or 'calculating baseball statistics for All Star Teams' or some other subject that DH can be the teacher of?

The good news is that your DH doesn't seem to mind if you do things 'in addition' to VPS, yes?

A bit of Occupational Therapy can be very useful for some of our 'highly sensitive' and 'not into sports' boys - talk to your pediatritian and see if you can get a referal for an OT to look at your son. Good thing about homeschooling is that you have a flexible schedule.

Best Wishes,
Grinity