Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Elementary School 1st/2nd Grade 2010-2011

I think I would have been perturbed with the parent who felt the need to proclaim eel loudly. I suspect that parent went home and looked it up only to find that they were in the wrong. But I do understand your concern about 'know-it-all' attitude and the knocks he will get along the way. Today might be a good experience for you to discuss with him. That it isn't necessarily the facts but how we present it that can change the outcome. Perhaps he could have listened to the arguments of the other kids and found something positive to respond to without giving in to them?

I have a hard time with this one too... and when DS is WRONG, it's even harder to deal with. He does not like to be wrong (must've gotten that one from me). I'm not sure how I would've handled it in public. I haven't had to experience that yet.

Oh, and DS got on the bus Friday instead of going straight into ASP (After School Program). SIGH... back to anxiety issues. And of course, it was DS who convinced everyone he needed to ride the bus. I sent him with a note today that stated that no matter what HE says, he is in ASP. Sigh.

It may be time to teach him the art of insincerity. If he says "It's not an eel," and the other kids say "Yes it is," and don't seem interested in discussing the whys and wherefores, it's time for a polite, non-committal "mmm" or "oh." You can teach him that this doesn't mean "You're right," it means "I understand that you think that."

Do you really think he was being a know-it-all? I'm not sure that I would have felt that way. (Perhaps because I am that way!) It is extremely difficult for these children to just let these kinds of things go. I've always been very much like this and it still causes a little friction in my life. For me, it's not about me being right, so much as it's about keeping error and falsehoods from contaminating things.

As far as being insincere and letting the person think they are right, I agree that there is definitely a time to just let it go. We usually allow two --three at the most --volleys before we drop the issue. However, we don't ever allow ds to say anything that isn't fully truthful (as far as we know it to be truthful). False flattery, "white" lies, shading the truth... none of these are allowed. So, simply saying something like "We'll have to agree to disagree" is the best we can do when someone wants to argue to the point where things begin to heat up.

Perhaps you can just teach him, as someone else suggested, that he can calmly try to present his point, then drop it if things seem to be going in a bad direction. Teach him to stand on his own, being confident in his own knowledge that he's right, because he will often find himself in this place due to his knowledge and inborn potential.

Mom2MrQ: Tx for the perspective. I don't really think he was being a know-it-all, but that was the only way I could think of to get my point across. You have some great advice. I'll try that next time (as I'm sure there WILL be a next time).

JJsmom: I have the SAME problem with DS when he's wrong. He just INSISTS that he's right, even when I prove to him otherwise. By the next day, though, he often reverts to what I proved to him and we're over the hump. It's too bad you don't live close by. I suspect our kids would either love each other or happily constantly argue with each other! ;-)

This is DS for sure. And I think you're right. If they did argue the whole time, at least it wouldn't be with us!!!

We had Open House at ds's school last night - met his 2nd grade teacher (who he went to for math last year), and also went to his 3rd grade (math) teachers room. I was excited to see that she had a seat at a table with ds's name on, so he feels like he belongs when he's there for math ! I guess it's the little things in life that make me happy He'll go to 3rd grade for math 4 days a week - the 5th day they couldn't get math scheduled at the same time, due to specials conflicts.
Ds also started playing soccer with the 9 year old program on MOnday (he turned 7 in June) - so a busy week for my little guy - he will be SO tired next week when they start school !

Aww, I bet he was excited to see his name!!!

I'm going to join the list of 1st/2nd here.

Our dd starts first next week. She'll be the youngest in her class, since we avoided the cut-off with private K. She'll be 6 in September.

It sounds like the school is changing their schedule to make easier to accommodate ability grouping in Language Arts. Yay! They've already done a reading assessment, and they re-assess each child at the beginning of the year.

She gets to meet her new teacher tomorrow. I've heard good things.

So DS had his first day of Target (ALP pullout) yesterday. Interestingly enough, the only kids in his Target class were kids in his regular classroom. He said "almost all" of the kids in his class went... I'm guessing about half - 3/4s from what he was saying... I at first thought, hmmm, maybe they have more than one Target class for 2nd grade, but in reality there are only about 10-20 kids in Target in each grade level at most schools. So, then I thought how cool that he is in a regular classroom with these kids, so his regular 2nd grade teacher can really challenge them as opposed to do the normal curriculum.

So things might be just great!!!

Oh, and I'm actually really impressed with the school. I had my doubts because it's not a top rated school in the county, BUT he has to bring home an agenda and behavior chart each day that needs to be signed by me (the latter is already helping him behave during class - whereas last year, he wouldn't see the good days on paper, just the bad ones), and he also brings home a weekly status report, which is a portion of his report card (they are matrix report cards), and I have to sign. He got all S's (Successful) and was so proud of himself!

So now I'm back to happy with the school and excited about his opportunities!