Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Need help dealing with a thoughtless teacher!

Thanks for all of your input! I feel much more like our situation is not some sort of anomaly.

We have had several meetings with DS's teachers, the principal and the counselor for issues of being bullied and singled out by teachers. For the most part they just sit and listen. The only responses they give us clearly show that they don't believe us about our DS being gifted nor do they think he is upset over all of the issues we've faced so far this year. I just keep hearing, "he is fine at school." As far as DS needing academic accommodations or acceleration, they believe that since his grades are very good, everything is fine.

Our fear is that changing schools for 7th grade will be emotionally difficult and would be an unfortunate confirmation to our DS that he is very different from his age peers. He tries so hard to fit in...

Sorry to hear all of this. So hard to send our kids to school in a hurtful enviornment like that. We have def. been there.
For once we have a nice teacher.
She can't teach but she is nice at least.
I hope you are not paying a ton of money for this school.

I am so sorry you and your son are in this situation. The only thing I would say is that he *is* different than his age peers. I don't know what your other options are, and I know it is hard...but it can't be healthy for him to be treated this way by these teachers. Surely there must be a place where his differences could be celebrated (even if that means at homeschooling).

I feel grateful every day that my son, now 14, actually cares about fitting in with whatever group is around him. It's a strength. And in the begining, it was difficult for my son to face that he is very different from his age peers. But as time went on, and he has had more chances to interact with readiness level-peers at school and CTY camp, he now is good with it, and still enjoys his age-peers. He yearns for a world where all his age-peers will also be his academic readiness peers to a degree, but don't we all yearn for a world of peace and justice for all, excellent responsive schools for all, a healthy and sustainable way to keep warm, get where we need to go and feed our bodies? And yet these yearnings don't stop us for making the best we can with what is availible in the current moment.

I think that the more you act like it is a big deal for him to be different than his age peers, the longer it will be a big deal for him. Be grateful that he wants to fit in with age peers, AND insistient that he get his learning with readiness peers. Try as much as possible to create spaces where he can just enjoy playing with his agemates, and have a few weekends a year where he is in big groups of his true peers, either cousins, or gifted conferences, or dig up some long lost college friends who have similar aged kids.

Love and More Love,
Grinity

Oh, I am so sympathetic.

Change the gender, and I could have written this, too; "As far as DS needing academic accommodations or acceleration, they believe that since his grades are very good, everything is fine."