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[C.Ann]

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[Goofyluver]

These classes are generally very small...just a few kids. This may give her the chance to make a few good friends. I would suggest trying it out! These classes are less structured and get to have more fun generally. If she doesn't like it, she can always be taken back out and returned to the regular classroom.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

She might be coaxed to try the advanced class for a short trial, say 4 or 5 times. Then she could be allowed to make an informed choice.

 

[Christine]

If the teacher is pointing this out then it probably REALLY needs to be done. I realize she is shy, but it is important for her to work at her level and she may be well above what the rest of the class is doing.

I was an extremely shy child and, like your DGD, I would have *balked* at doing anything like this. Unfortunately, my mom often tried to make things easy on me in this area (the shyness) and it did nothing but hold me back and make it worse.

I know it will be uncomfortable for her but, it should just be a small group, and your not asking her to get out and "perform" or anything. I would probably force my child to do it even though we would be very uncomfortable for awhile. And as the other poster said, if it doesn't work out you can always drop it.

 

[Nancyg56]

I think that every child is different and your DGD may not be able to handle the changes in classroom along with the increased work load. I raised 3 children and found that while each were very different in how they handled change and how they progressed if they were stressed. I am probable in the minority, but it is my belief that if your DGD is really nervous about another move, and if she would be allowed to enter the program next year when the rest of the class is starting I would let her go one more year. There is more to a child's development than advanced math and reading. My youngest was in advanced math classes and was taking advance reading. The math was fine and he really loved it, but he was very stressed in the reading class. I allowed him to drop that class and go back to the class he was more comfortable in. He still avoids reading for pleasure now after all of these years. I think that children learn best when they are comfortable, and this is something that her parents will need to consider before making any decision. Forcing a child can have teh opposite effect, unfortunately.

Let us know how it all works out.

 

[Tinijocaro]

She might be coaxed to try the advanced class for a short trial, say 4 or 5 times. Then she could be allowed to make an informed choice.

Yes- I was going to suggest the short trial period too. Sometimes kids just say no to say no without really knowing why. Also, most kids haate change because of the unknown. If she tries it and sees that it's not bad, she may want to continue.

 

[C.Ann]

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[KarenMom]

My youngest son is very bright, but also very lazy. He can easily do advanced work, but doesn't always want to put forth the effort. Last year his middle school started an honors program and my son was apprensive about doing this. I asked my son to give it a try and we also met with the principal and she explained why she thought he should be in the honors program. She really gave him encouragement and it helped him to know that others besides his parents were behind him and why he should give this a try. The principal knew exactly how to relate to my son and when we talked about his apprenhension, she was able to address that directly. Maybe the principal at your school or the coordinator of the program would be willing to do the same for your granddaughter.

 

[JVL1018]

Will she be in different class?

My DD is in the G&T program(1st grade) and she is in her regular classroom doing regular work, she just gets pulled out once a week with 5 other 1st graders, much like kids who are in the ESL or basic skills or speech programs.

If it's something like that, yes do it.

If it's a brand new class, I'd start it this September or whenever school starts because she'd be in a new class anyway.

 

[mommasita]

This is a hard issue.

My DD who will be 8 in 3 weeks has been told since pre K that she should take advanced courses, and so on. We were weary, and thought that we would wait and see what happened..Her first teacher told us quite frankly, if you don't do what SHE needs, her brain won't be given the food it needs..

Fast forward to now, she is in grade 2, and is BORED out of her tree. She did not want to change classes, programs, schools, or any of it. We had her tested finally last November, and she was accepted in an International Program, and starts next September. She was NOT pleased at first, but had since seemed a little excited about it. She will be learning English/French/Spanish/Italian. This is fantastic IMHO. Right now she is in French/English, but has not had any english instruction( this starts in 3rd grade)

So my thoughts are that it should be tried and tested. I don't regret not doing it earlier, but think that if we don't move on this now, she will not get the enriched learning her brain is craving.

 

[EthansMom]

My DS5 is like KarenMom's son... bright, but with a tendency towards laziness. In my DS's case, encouraging him to try it for a few weeks (along with some verbal "attaboys" about how hard he must be working to be ready for more challenging work) would generally work.

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

We actually went thru this last year and my dd was also 8 years old. Mind you though she has attended the school since pre k and hs too many friends. I think kids know ther limits, and mine certainly did. She was put into the accelerated math and reading classes and quite honestly it was too much for her. I am all for education, but I also am for socialization as well. With our A.T. program the kids had to not only do the A.T. work but also had to make up the work from their regular classs too. It got to the point that she was spending 2-2 1/2 hours on homework per night and it was creating such tension for all us. She was frustrated and rightly so and I had to make sure she had 3 free hours per day to do the homework, so the entire families life pretty much revolved around her. I did take her out because of the stress probably around January or so, and life became much more manageable. Now she is in 4th grade and is only in the advanced eading class and she is breezing thru it all.

It is a tough decision, as we as parents do not want to hold our kids back, but in the same breath 8 is wayy to young to have such pressure.

 

[mickeyboat]

If it were my child, I would insist that she at least try.

Denae

 

[lesroi]

These classes are generally very small...just a few kids. This may give her the chance to make a few good friends. I would suggest trying it out! These classes are less structured and get to have more fun generally. If she doesn't like it, she can always be taken back out and returned to the regular classroom.

The only issue I would think of when you consider the possibility of going back to the other room is that she will then be behind what the regular kids are doing.

Now before you say "How can that be?" let me tell you that this is from PERSONAL experience. I tested into the most advanced mathematics in my highschool on the entrance exam. Despite my not being AT ALL comfortable with math, and my pleas NOT to put me in the advanced class, my parents did. I did NOT excel in that class. I had to go back to the regular class and was behind. Now math is not somehting you want to be behind in. Everything builds on everything else so if you miss the beginning you are out of luck! I really had to buckle down even to get myself a "C." That was my worst grade ever!

Just something to think about! Don't make math the enemy either. It's seems like it is so hard to find girls that are really good at math and that love math that you really should nurture her knowledge and thirst for education!

Tracy

 

[jrmasm]

If it were my child, I would insist that she at least try.

Denae

me too.

 

[va32h]

I was pushed, as a child, and I didn't really enjoy it. Not so much by my mom, but by the teachers; my mother just went along with whatever they suggested.

By the time I finished high school, I was very bitter and unhappy. I was tired of being everyone's prize student, and felt like a show dog or something. None of my teachers particularly cared about what I was interested in studying, just that I wrote impressive essays for them to brag about. I was put in advanced math in high school, and ended up nearly flunking out before a sympathetic guidance counselor finally realized that just because I did really well in geometry did not mean I belonged in calculus!!

I had lots of academic success (on paper) in high school, but I burned out even before I started college. I did get my B.A, but I never went on to get a Master's (which I wanted) or even to work in the field in which I majored. I just got tired of being a good little student.

My oldest is 11, in 5th grade, and completely average and ordinary...and very, very happy. She gets good grades, but she is not a genius. She has lots of friends, plays sports, likes to draw pictures and write stories, and just has a lot of fun with her life. I'm actually quite jealous of her! Maybe she will decide in 20 years that I should have pushed her, but I'm happy with the choices I've made so far.

 

[Independent]

The only issue I would think of when you consider the possibility of going back to the other room is that she will then be behind what the regular kids are doing.

Now before you say "How can that be?" let me tell you that this is from PERSONAL experience. I tested into the most advanced mathematics in my highschool on the entrance exam. Despite my not being AT ALL comfortable with math, and my pleas NOT to put me in the advanced class, my parents did. I did NOT excel in that class. I had to go back to the regular class and was behind. Now math is not somehting you want to be behind in. Everything builds on everything else so if you miss the beginning you are out of luck! I really had to buckle down even to get myself a "C." That was my worst grade ever!

Just something to think about! Don't make math the enemy either. It's seems like it is so hard to find girls that are really good at math and that love math that you really should nurture her knowledge and thirst for education!

Tracy

I agree with this. I would probably want my child to at least try.

However, I would make sure she is not missing any basics. I would get the syllabus of the math class she is leaving, look it over and make sure she is solid on all the basics of that class. This is born of experience.

My DS (college now) skipped 3rd grade math to jump to advanced math -which was really just 4th grade math. Then they skipped him to another advanced math, consequently losing out on the basics of 5th grade math. Finally in middle school, when they wanted to jump him again, I said no. He had too many holes in the basics from all the skipping. Yes, he could do advanced Algebra, but forget adding fractions. And the only thing that happened was that he had to do Calc 3 as a freshman in college rather than a senior in HS. OH WELL!

As long as your DGD is solid on the basics of what is going to be taught in the regular math - then I would have her at least try it.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Did they do any testing or is this just because they think she should be there?

Frankly since it is so late in the school year I would pass and tell them we will think about it for next year.

 

[Wishing on a star]

OMG...

Let me give you my very passionate response in ONE word...

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What the heck does the little 8 year old have to gain from putting her thru that right now.

Our kids have enough demands placed on them as it is.
Why the pressure.
In 10-15 years, what difference would it have made to justify pushing this child.

I would never ever even consider it.

 

[mickeyboat]

OMG...

Let me give you my very passionate response in ONE word...

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What the heck does the little 8 year old have to gain from putting her thru that right now.

Our kids have enough demands placed on them as it is.
Why the pressure.
In 10-15 years, what difference would it have made to justify pushing this child.

I would never ever even consider it.

But we don't even know what these classes would entail. One poster said the class at her school was a once-a-week pull-out. We don't know what it would "put her through" anything.

Our school does not have "advanced" classes in the early grades, but the kids are separated by reading ability into reading groups within the classroom. The more advanced kids get more advanced books to read.

I have a friend whose first grader is very skilled and interested in math. She leaves her classroom and has math with the 3rd graders. She loves it, loves the challenge and the work she is doing.

I will say it again, I would at least have her try it, give it a good "college try" and evaluate her performance and feelings about it once she sees what it entails.