Some of you might already know that DS is a gifted child. He is currently in gr 3.
I made an appt with school principle, his teacher and the school psych last year about DS. He doesn't find the work very challenging and am extremely worried that he will lose interest in school. I spoke to them about what they had to offer in regard to gifted kids, ie any special programs, extended learning programs etc.. They didn't have anything in place at the time but assured me that they were developing a gifted policy and would implement it next year (this year). They kept telling me that my son wasn't the only student in the school which was highly capable and i kept on telling that i was here to speak on behalf of all the kids in the same situation. I wanted an Individual Learning Program made up for him, but they talked their way out of it. They kept telling me that i should just let him be a child and not worry too much about academics. He loves school and i don't want him to hate it.
One term of 2009 is nearly over and still haven't heard nothing. DS keeps complaining about how easy is homework is. I checked it the other night and he could have done that when he was in prep. It is dismal. He is not being challenged at school. I asked about the work at school and he told me that he finds somethings really easy and some are a challenge. I've bought extra homework books for him to complete but won't do them as they aren't 'school work".
I would take him out of that school in a flash but it is a school which offers a bus service. DH and I can't take him to school as we both work.
How do i get the school to listen. I am just so angry.
i know exactly what your talking about
my DS is the same finds the work boring because he finishes it so quickly and easily he doesnt need to try hard.
it doesnt help he is in a 3/4 composite class and he is in yr4 and ofcourse he has to go over the year 3 stuff again.
the schoool he goes to have programes for disabled children but not those children who excell at school.
he is starting to go down hill because he is bored he isnt engaged in class anymore, his homework is so easy he does it in 5 min and its all correct and all working out done.
when you get the answer let me know.
i try sitting down with him do harder work and more complicated work but im not his teacher so he wont listen to me.
going to see the school next term to sort something out
his homework wasnt even marjked for the first 4 weeks, and we get no feed back no interviews nothing im not happy wiuth the school at the moment.
thinking of changing him to the catholic school next door.
I hear you too. It is so frustrating. DS doesn't listen to me too, when we sit down to complete some of the units in the books which brought for him. He does his homework in 5 mins flat and does the next units in his school maths book to make up the 1 hour homework time i have set him.
They were asking me in that appt which i had with the school last year in keeping him down in year 2 (since he was excelled a year in school) so he could be with his peer age group. Thank God i told them "no" otherwise he would have been completely bored.
I want to make another appt with them but then i don't want to be tooo pushy, but then i have to be to get my son a better education.
An hour long homework session in Grade 3? You gotta be kidding Turk! If he finishes, good o and let him go play or write stories or something!
It takes time and MONEY to organise a program like this, and they will probably need at least a few students to make it viable. I'm sure we would all like programs personalised for all our children - it's not going to happen overnight, even if they do have the resources.
If he wants to be a scientist, why not get him a book like 101 experiments to do in a shed and the two of you do one of those every other night? And the two of you learn about the science behind it too! That way you can have fun together, do something that won't be covered in school for aaaaages so he won't be as bored in school doing things he has already covered and learn too.
I loved blowing things up in my friend's shed. His mum encouraged learning and although he did loads of "homework" in the holidays it was fun. My mum refused to let me light a bunsen burner after buying me a science kit. Not as fun.
I'd have loved to have my parents more interested in my education and doing homework with me! They were never that interested in science though. And I'm not, to be honest. I like being a magician. I know enough science to create fire from water and make bangs and sparks. I just need to get a handwriting segment on powerpoint so it looks as if I'm writing on the board magically as I speak, then tell the kids I think this school is better than hogwarts. I rock.
Yeah, one hour Lulu. He does have a lot of homework from the school but completes a section within 10 minutes and then we do revision or he does a few extra units from the following weeks. We break up his homework so he does some of it each night. Or else he spends the 5 hours between after school and bedtime listening to his Ipod or on his PSP which i think is way too much.
We went to Toys R Us last weekend and saw an experiment kit and a mobile solar system. We brought him the solar system as he is so interested in space at the moment and were contemplating on buying the experiment kit in a few weeks. We told him about the science kit and his eyes lit up. I guess i'll be buying it sooner rather than later.
I'm not after anything special, just instead of doing grade 3 maths and english he could do grade 4 or 5. His report at the end of last year showed him as havig the skills at working at the upper end of grade 4 maths and english (in grade 2 or IRL in grade 1). Even if he is doing this extended learning now in school , i want to see it come through on his homework as well. I really don't think this would cost too much money.
I agree Lulu, 1 hour homework for year 3 is a bit much no matter how gifted the child. Homework at this age is not supposed to be difficult. It is revision so it should be able to be completed quite easily (apart from research topics). Homework at this age covers the work they have been doing in class.
I wouldn't be concerned about the homework at all. Writing a personal homework sheet does take time for the teacher and you can extend him yourself at home. I would be more concerned about the classroom. That is where you don't want him to get bored. Is the teacher giving him extension work when he finishes so quickly or does he just sit there? I would be focusing more on the extension work rather than the personalised program. Extension work can start right away. As Lulu said a personalised program takes a lot of preparation and money.
Extend him yourself at home but don't push it. Even gifted and talented children need to be kids. That's great you found some science kits. There are some really good ones that challenge the mind of young ones and old ones too.
How do i get the school to listen to me?
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