1st grade enrichment classes?

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Hmm...that's a toughie! I'll be honest--they yanked my DS out of first grade to do Junior Great Books during recess. It was a disaster! What normal 6yo boy would give up play time to sit in the library and read with a bunch of girls? He acted up so badly, they kicked him out, which was just what he wanted. Sigh! Not defending his bad behavior, but as his mom, I can understand where he was coming from--I thought they could have timed it better. I mean, if it's enrichment because the child is doing fine with existing work, why make them give up recess? BTW, they put him in two other gifted pull-outs for second grade. The gifted teacher will let him back into Junior great Books this fall--for third grade, it's after school. I haven't discussed it with him yet, but he may find that more tolerable than forsaking recess.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[4nana]

Follow the chain of command and don't stop. Go to a school board meeting if necessary. Sorry, but I know my administrators really did pay more attention to the squeaky wheels.

Amen SherryNC!
Been there, done that, even throughout our teens high school days!!

 

[disneymom3]

Follow-up Question.. they haven't set the schedule yet, but if they kept to last year's schedule, my son would miss part of recess.. would you still do the enrichment?

Ashley

My best friend and I were taken out of Kindergarten to go to enrichment classes during Friday movie time. Many years later, in high school we ended up talking about how we hated going to that extra class AND that we were convinced we were the two dumbest kids in class and that is why we had to go to the reading specialist! They were taking us out during movie time!! To a 5 yo brain that has to be because of something bad!

 

[maleficent1959]

I'm afraid I may run into this problem when DS hits kindergarten next year. Here in CT, schools are required to test for giftedness, but not required to provide gifted education. As our school does not provide any gifted education, I'm trying to spend extra time this next year preparing DS for the possibility that he may need to skip kindergarten (yes, another hard thing to do) in order to have a curriculum that meets his needs.

DS isn't a little Einstein or anything, but both DH and I have always provided educational experience to DS that he just laps up. At 4, he's doing simple math and just ready to start learning to read, though his real gift is puzzles and mazes (he's amazing to watch to a jigsaw puzzle). If DS's reading and writing completely on his own next year, then I'll be in the Principal's office for a talk about placement testing. Our kindergarten curriculum here starts with learning letters, which would bore my little guy to tears. I just wish the school district here offered some kind of gifted education so DS could stay in his grade, but have a curriculum that's more at his level.

To my knowledge, our school doesn't offer enrichment lessons either. Guess I would be happy with anything.

Whoa. That describes my kindergartener to a T, especially the puzzles and mazes. DS can read, does addition, subtraction and understands multiplication. Can easily count past 1000 (and recognizes numbers when written out), knows money -- just all kinds of things. He's been in school a month and he has been learning letters and color words. They have to be able to count to 100 by the end of the year. He's bored, and so I least got the teacher to agree to let him participate in the Accelerated Reading program (they can't check out books for another two weeks in kindergarten so she gets them for him). I asked him what he does while the other children are still working on their worksheets and he said the teacher lets him color while the other kids work. We have a conference in two weeks and I'm planning to politely inquire if there is something else he can do to fill his time. She has 16 students, so I hope it's doable. In any event, it's a home enrichment kind of life.

 

[SherryNC]

I asked him what he does while the other children are still working on their worksheets and he said the teacher lets him color while the other kids work. We have a conference in two weeks and I'm planning to politely inquire if there is something else he can do to fill his time. She has 16 students, so I hope it's doable. In any event, it's a home enrichment kind of life.

Well hopefully she is just getting her ducks in a row, but that would not fly in my book for my children or my students. Yes, be polite, but also firm in your expectations.

 

[atlnewf]

From the initial discussion, he's mildly interested. Right now he's in the "can I try it and if I don't like it get out of it" mode. I can understand that. I did confirm with his teacher that if he gets pulled during another part of the day that he would not be expected to go back and make-up the work the others had been doing.

ashley

 

[EthansMom]

Whoa. That describes my kindergartener to a T, especially the puzzles and mazes.

maleficent,

I would totally be asking for a placement test to see if your DS might be happier in 1st Grade. IMO, there is no reason for a child to be bored in school just because he/she is significantly ahead of the curriculum.

The only things I worry about with my DS is (1) his maturity level and attention span and (2) being ready for 1st Grade curriculum rather than just being 5 months ahead on Kindergarten curriculum. Since, my DS has another year before Kindergarten, DH and I are just presenting education experiences as DS seems ready for them and waiting to see where he's at when it comes closer to time for him to start grade school. I don't want to be one of those trouble parents, but I think it's my responsibility to advocate for my children's educations, whatever their special needs.


Neither DS nor I couldn't do full-time home schooling and we can't afford the really good private schools around here ($26,000/year for 1st grade ).

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

I don't want to be one of those trouble parents, but I think it's my responsibility to advocate for my children's educations, whatever their special needs.

BE one of those trouble parents, it's well worth it. We have two DS's that look to be well on their way to full academic scholarships to the college of their choice - we all know how much that is worth dollar-wise.

More importantly they are happy, well adjusted, mature teen agers. Both are young for their classes and have accelerated throughout school. Taking classes with older kids does not necessarily mean skipping grades.

Older DS emailed his way into a personal meeting with the Dean of Admissions at a major state university. The Dean was extremely impressed with what DS had accomplished and commended him (and us) for thinking outside the box when it came to early education.

It's a battle worth fighting!!!!

 

[EthansMom]

It's a battle worth fighting!!!!

Thanks. I think it is too! It's very rewarding to see your chidren reaching their fullest potential.