DS is WAY ahead of his class...advice needed

[Jaimee]

My DS just turned 6 and is in all day kindergarten. He's been reading for about a year. He's into short chapter books right now (Junie B Jones, Frog and Toad...)The teacher tested him and said he passed the end of the year 2nd grade reading test already. He loves math too. He likes to buy workbooks and just finished the 2nd/3rd grade math work book (fractions, some mulitiplication....) I recently had a teacher conference and the teacher doesn't really know what to do with him now There are 25 kids in the class and they cut the funding for assistants in our district, so she's there by herself. She said only 2 other kids can read in the class and they aren't at Isaiah's level. She works with the readers about once every other week (basically has them read a book to her). She said he doesn't seem bored, and he's fine socially, but she's concerned he'll get bored in the next year or two. They don't have advanced classes until 4th or 5th grade. He also has a very adult sense of humor (not THAT kind of adult but he sees irony etc...) Right now he's very well liked by his class, but I'm concerned that he's going to "outgrow" them soon. Any advice for me? I'm not really sure what I'm asking , but I just remember the REALLY smart kids were kind of ostracized when I was in school and I don't want that to happen to him.

TIA
Jaimee

 

[ScarlettO]

Sounds just like my neice, the little brainiac. She didn't get advanced classes until 4th grade either. But she was the star of the class play in 1st grade,,,,the length of her lines she memorized was amazing! I'd look into other sort of enrichment for your son and keep him with his peers.

 

[AirForceRocks]

Wow, I guess my son was slow...he was still eating paste in kindergarten...

 

[dumboiu]

Originally posted by AirForceRocks
Wow, I guess my son was slow...he was still eating paste in kindergarten...

 

[bumcat]

Honestly if the schools are that bad then you need to move.


Originally posted by AirForceRocks
Wow, I guess my son was slow...he was still eating paste in kindergarten...


Not slow that's the norm...

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I would say, let him stay with kids his age until he shows serious distress and boredom with them.

My neice is like this. Always was. She is 11 now, and in all advance classes and has a few friends. Early on, her mother was asked if she'd like her moved up a grade or possibly two and she said no. I'm glad she did because although DN can relate well to older people, she is still an 11 year old and needs to be with 11 year olds to be a kid. When she spends time with older kids (which she does, often) she tends to act like an adult.

Keep him involved in special academic programs but I say, definately keep him with kids his age.

 

[jipsy]

Isn't 6 a little on the older side of kindergarten? Perhaps he could be bumped ahead to first grade?

My son is almost 22, so I don't know what the ages are for classes anymore, but my son was in kindergarten at age 5 and first grade at age 6.

 

[Bojangles]

Originally posted by jipsy
Isn't 6 a little on the older side of kindergarten?

You're right. My kids started when they were 4.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by jipsy
Isn't 6 a little on the older side of kindergarten? Perhaps he could be bumped ahead to first grade?

My son is almost 22, so I don't know what the ages are for classes anymore, but my son was in kindergarten at age 5 and first grade at age 6.

My daughter starts in Sept and she will just be 4 years old when she starts. We have a late cut off here so she makes it in this year. I am hoping she doesn't have to many kids who are 6 in her class...that is a pretty big age difference! My daughter is also reading already so I really don't want to hold her back for a year to make her 5 when she goes in to kindergarten.

 

[binny]

my dd will be 6 and in Kindergarten too. Her Birthday is sept 3 and the cut off is Sept 1 and the school district would NOT budge!! The problem here is the school does not get any tax money for a child who doesnt meet age requirements. True... the school superintendent told me.



As for him reading. Hang in there! It *is* tough. my ds is the same way the teacher actually had him reading to the other students in Kindergarten. He is now in a full time GATE ( gifted and Talented ) school and it has done wonders for him. Not so much for his ego as he no longer the very smartest in his class but it has really helped in other ways! He is more rounded and more willing to realize that even though he is smart he still needs to work and this school offers him these challenges.
They also told me they didnt know what to do with him but I kept pushing.

You can PM me if you want some friendly advice on how to get what he needs there


Good luck!

 

[floridafam]

My son started Kindergarten at 6. There was a good mixture of 4, 5 and 6 yr olds in the class. Some kids were ready, some weren't.

As long as he's enjoying himself, he should be okay.

We felt the same way about DS in Kindergarten but we realized it's supposed to be fun and we let him learn and have fun.

He's still ahead and has been offered the chance to move up 2 grades but we are leaving him right where he is. If he's smart and enjoys learning, he'll get where he's going to get whether he graduates at early or not.

 

[gallaj0]

Good luck; I'm in Massachusetts, and my DD is in the same boat; very far advanced for her age and grade, and in many different subjects, especially reading. She is in the first grade, though, and we arranged for her to have some time in the school library where she can have her pick of books, while the other kids are limited to a section for 1st graders. I tried getting some extra help from school, but there are no programs for "gifted" stundents, but plenty for students that need extra help. It technically falls in the same department, but with budget cuts in funding, etc. there are no programs for gifted left.
We couldn't afford any of the private schools in our area, which would have been great, so now it's just us at home, with extra trips to the town library, and our own "field trips" for any more information. Fortunately, we live close to Boston, so there's plenty to do.

 

[bumcat]

My son had to wait til 6 since his birthday was after the cut off.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by gallaj0
.
We couldn't afford any of the private schools in our area, which would have been great, so now it's just us at home, with extra trips to the town library, and our own "field trips" for any more information. Fortunately, we live close to Boston, so there's plenty to do.

Do you have any places nearby that provide enrichment programs? My daughter is signed up in an enrichment class learning to speak Spanish. Its is cheap, just under 100.00 per session.

 

[damo]

I've got one of those. She read the Chronicles of Narnia in Grade 1. We didn't do anything special with her school-wise other than a french immersion school. We did put her in music lessons and encouraged her at home with other things. She will be going into University into music next year as a very well rounded, sociable student with lots of extra curricular interests. I like the lessons she learned about striving to excel and do your best no matter how much you were enriched. I didn't expect the school to be in charge of her future, that was our job.

 

[snoopy]

My older son has always been advanced as well -- we have the accelerated learning in our school, starting in 1st grade.

My brother skipped a grade, way back when they used to do that sort of thing. When it was first discovered that my son was performing above grade level, he urged me not to make the same mistake in moving him up a grade. Apparently my brother suffered socially -- I never realized it until he told me about it. I don't know if that is even offered in schools anymore -- we never had to worry about it since they have the accelerated learning programs in place at our school -- but if it is, I'd think long and hard before doing it. Kids who are advanced intellectually aren't always advanced socially and emotionally. I know for sure my kid isn't.

 

[wdwfam]

I've been there with DS now 19. He began reading at 3 1/2. He always excelled in everything at school. His spelling words in second grade were geographic places around the world. The important thing is to keep them interested in school with extra activities that will keep them from being bored. I used to think advancing him a grade or so would work, but I was told that wouldn't be a good idea. Boy, am I glad that I didn't pursue it. I know of examples of kids who skipped grades, and it wasn't a good situation. Piano lessons helped our son. He joined Cub Scouts too. By 3rd grade our school system offers a Gifted program once a week. That was a lifesaver for him. He always knew he was different, but he was more accepted if he/we didn't make such a big deal of it. He graduated last spring and now attends one of the top 10 universities in the nation. It's hard for him in engineering/premed school, because he never learned how to study in school. I say this because my DD15 does have to study, and I have always been told that she would probably do better in life because she did have to work at her grades. We'll see.

 

[KimRaye]

First, I have to say, I believe kindergarten is more about social fun and, learning the rules of a classroom in a more relaxed setting and, just kinda basic stuff. (A lot more basic than I ever learned tho)

However, my DD is also way beyond kindergarten in all areas of testing and activity, so far. I know how frustrating it can be and, feeling like it's a waste of time for her and, me. Her report cards are pretty boring actually. She's having fun tho.

I have had conferences with her teachers since pre-K and, she's just advanced. She may or may not level off with the other kids by around 3rd grade, so they say. At least that is the time they wait until they consider skipping a grade. There's no way, in 3rd grade or after, that I will do that to her. She's been with the same kids for 3 years now and, she knows what skipping will mean. If it comes down to that and, the school can't offer any other alternatives (it's a small, private school), I will have to consider moving her altogether.

Good luck with Isaiah! And, someone has to be valedictorian one day!

 

[cats mom]

It CAN be frustrating. My DD tested at a 6th grade reading level toward the end of kindergarten. (they did not test comprehension and I'm sure that was not as high)
We opted to keep her with her grade even though we were given the option of skipping.
I have to say the advanced classes (called sage here) were a lifesaver - they started in 3rd grade.
Now that she is in middle school there are more options and there will be even more choices in high school with AP, dual enrollment etc.
She is also involved in club sports (16+ hrs. a week) which helps keep us all sane!

It would be great if the public schools would devote more resources toward helping ALL kids progress - I'm afraid the focus right now is on getting kids UP to grade level - those that are already at or above are easy to ignore - they are not pulling the scores down.
Keep him loving learning at home and be his best advocate at school!

 

[Jaimee]

I just wanted to reply to a few of the posts...THey have 4k and 5k in our district so he DID start 4k when he was 4. He began 5k at this year at 5yrs old and just turned 6 last month. More than half of his classmates are already 6, so no, he's NOT too old to be in kindergarten. He'll still be 6 when he starts 1st grade. I appreciate the friendly responses and I will continue to work with him at home for now. Alot of the enrichment programs(through the school district) in our area begin at 4th grade though. I don't think skipping a grade is a good idea either BTW. As long as he's happy I guess I'll leave it alone for now.

Thanks,
Jaimee