This is a serious question from a parent who's getting some resistance from the local school district. My kid's psychologist is getting upset with the school too. Of course we're trying to be polite and understanding with the school, but I feel like the school is only being polite back (and not understanding).
My kid is in the wrong grade!Parents of gifted children: How did you get the school to accommodate your child's giftedness?
It was a long time ago, but because it was I have the benefit of hindsight.
My local school district was absolutely unresponsive. Two of my children were gifted. Both were evaluated by a psychologist outside the school.
One child got to start kindergarten at four because the laws hadn't changed, so that helped to some extent. By first grade, though, he was longing for more challenging work. In second grade he requested ';better'; reading. When I asked the teacher about it she said, ';He isn't bored.'; He did what many gifted children do - live with it. He was at the top of his class in elementary school, but like many kids (in general but also kids who are ahead of their peers) he started to lose some motivation in secondary school. He got good enough grades and graduated from college. He would have and should have remained at the very top of his class had his educational needs been met by the school. I had come to realize that he would not get what he needed from school and that I had to supplement his education at home. This was, of course, helpful; but the school's failure to address his needs may have made the difference between a kid who would graduate with high honor from an ivy league school and one who graduated with ok enough grades from a nice school.
By the time my next child came along the laws about kindergarten age had changed. This made a much bigger problem, since she had begun longing to go to school at three years old. I provided the school with all kinds of information about the needs of a child like this, a copy of the evaluation that showed she was several years ahead in all areas including emotional maturity, and all kinds of other information. I asked that she be allowed to begin kindergarten when she would be only six weeks younger than my other child had been when he started. I knew it would not meet all her needs, but I thought that getting her at this time in her development (a year after she's begun asking to go to school) would be a beginning. I would address other issues once she began school. The school committee had it in its power to make an exception, but when it reviewed the case three of the five members voted against allowing my daughter to start school in September when she would turn five in January. I put her in a pre-school program, and she would tell me, ';I feel six. Some of the kids feel five. Patrick and Jessica feel four.';
I had learned with my son that the school offered nothing in particular for gifted children. The trend was to be so worried, too, about whether children were emotionally mature enough to be with older children that wasn't even an option. I was told, ';A lot of kids are very bright, but they aren't emotionally mature enough.....'; My two kids were ALWAYS emotionally very mature. That was the problem. I was able to offer them intellectually challenging activities myself. In school, however, they ';felt'; older than they were. They saw their peers as younger-seeming and quietly just kind of ';went with the program';.
My daughter has always been a strong girl. She didn't allow the fact that she has been unmotivated since she began school stop her from going to college. She has, however, battled with feeling ';in a slump'; ever since she entered secondary school. When they're little they can gain enjoyment from some of the activities with the other kids even if they learn more quickly or have different interests. Once secondary school comes around, though, it can be more difficult for gifted children to remain happy.
My daughter selected a state college as a result of her good-enough grades. She has said it is ';like high-school';, and she has struggled to remain there because she finds it so unmotivating. At 22 years old she is worn out from trying to remain motivated at an unmotivating school, and she is considering leaving after she completes her third year and enrolling in a program that will get her a certificate to work with hearing-impaired people (which is fine, but which would have turned out differently - from the school she attended to any number of other issues - had she had her educational needs met, graduated from high-school a year before the year she did, and graduated college this year (before her endurance wore out).
My kids will be fine. They're intelligent, and intelligent people know how to build their own futures and successes. What is pathetic, though, is that they - like so many gifted students - have learned that schools are where the nicely above average students thrive; while students who are well beyond their peers in abilities are often left to find their own education and own way.
I assume you've found some groups/advocates for parents of gifted children. Someone at one of those may be able to offer you some direction. I think - if I could go back and start over - I may consider trying to find an attorney to sue for my children's right to have their education needs met.Parents of gifted children: How did you get the school to accommodate your child's giftedness?
My aunt had to change school's for my twin cousin's who are very smart, I mean very smart, you might want to look into that. They are in public school, just a better one then before
it is going to be a challenge, i removed my child and sent to private school
I would consider taking it to the Board of Education.
If you child is in the proper class for his/ her age, then it may be better overall to remain with his/her classmates. Moving up a grade is not a huge deal academically speaking.
Well, Get an IEP meetingset up.
Then if you meet resisitance get
';due process';
Remember, after your child is tested for being gifted the school has a certain amount of time to get a program set up
look up your state's school website and discover what the time frame is and be very proactive for your child!
That is one of the questions to ask a school when selecting it.
In Australia, there may be 5 or 6 high schools in your zone area (in cities) with maybe 2 of them that have ';Accelerated Learning Programs';(ALP).
There are 4 years to Senior High then 2 years before going to University
In ALP, they get through the 4 years in 3, and may take longer with Senior High taking a couple of Uni topics to make College life easier.
take it to the board of ed.
look at prep/honors schools. if you have the money send him, if not most of those schools have scholarship programs
Our school has a program for gifted kids, but it sounds like you don't. If she is testing high, have her moved up, or talk directly to the teacher. If these are not options, have you considered home school or private school?
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