Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Working too fast???

HA! Perfect answer, LOL!

I also find it odd that she's being told she works "too fast." If she's getting them right, not making careless mistakes and is well-behaved when she finishes, I don't see the problem.

Can you maybe ask if you can send a book for her to read when she's done? That might kill two birds with one stone -- get some reading in *and* satisfy the teacher that your dd has something to do when she's done. Maybe the teacher is just bothered by seeing her sitting there -- that might bother me if I were a teacher.



This is where my ds is -- he doesn't bother coloring in the "A is for Apple" sheets because they're dull. Therefore, he's not "trying". Well, sure he's not -- he's known that A is for Apple since he was 3! Not real interesting when you're approaching 6 and expected to "learn" it again. The teacher actually said that he couldn't be that gifted because he didn't want to do extra work during the free play/exploration time in the room. Well, sure -- he's still 5! And there's a marble run!

Anyway, pinkpanther, I'd see if maybe you can send in some enrichment material for your dd to do if she finishes early. Or see if there is enrichment material the teacher can provide through a GT teacher or *gasp* some research on her own. This must be really frustrating for both you and dd.

I am afraid to pursue private schools as well because it's such a stretch for us. I'm afraid they will love it and then at some point we will have to send them back to public, sounds too cruel to me!!!!!!!!

Delbows, maybe they will give you a gasoline subsidy as well?

Also, this year the teacher told me to have DD start reading more slowly, she reads too fast. I asked her why, there's no problem with her reading comprehension, why would she need to slow down.
Teacher said she reads so fast, none of the kids can follow as she reads aloud.
I told her to slow down when she reads aloud, continue to read as quickly as comfortable for her during silent reading.
It felt weird though, like telling me blonde hair is not acceptable, she should dye her hair brown or something.

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Thanks, Mia. I have told her to read or work on something else when she's done, and that's what she's doing. She has an above grade level math workbook that she wanted me to buy for her that she keeps in her bag and works on at times. It's a mystery.

I understand your situation with your DS. My younger DD has always been like that, and she doesn't take the work seriously if she already knows how to do it. Fortunately, she has a teacher that understands this. I can't believe that your kid's teacher said he couldn't be gifted because he wants to play! That's such a laugh!

Good Luck Delbows!!!
I hope the grass in greener!
Grin

Pinkpanther,

My DS9 rushes too, although he has sometimes made very careless mistakes in math. He tells me he does that so that he doesn't have homework and also because it's busy work that's dull and he wants to get it done. His teacher doesn't care if he rushes (he'll read when he's finished early) and I've asked him to take a little extra time to check his math (accuracy has improved). I don't like the idea of busy work and wasted time, but DS has emphatically said he wants to stay in this grade (5th) to the end of the year and not skip again until maybe freshman yr of HS (6th grade does mythology & middle ages--his favorite). Isn't it crazy to stay in a grade just for one class?

I agree with Kriston, what is so troublesome about going fast?

Ha Kriston - that's exactly what I was thinking. What a horribly insensitve thing to say!

And pink - I also wonder if your teacher can be directing that at another child or children? If you're daughter is working accurately, I don't see what the problem is? My DS every few weeks bring home a math worksheet that looks like he breezed through with several wrong. In that case - yep, slow done. Otherwise what's the problem.

A related story - My DS did some sort of standardized test yesterday and got done so early he brought home about completed 30 dot to dots. Guess he got done REALLY early.