Ask teachers to challenge my kid

Anonymous
We are in MCPS. 2nd grader is bored at school with math and reading, and he is gifted. Pediatrican tells me that we should talk to IEP team or teachers to find ways to challenge him like pull out for math or something. It was the first time I hear about pull out for advanced math suggestion. He suggests that we can ask school to pull him out at 3rd grade classro to attend 4th grade math classes or something. Is that possible or just some nice but impossible suggestions from pediatrican? I have never heard about it.

I just find out that he has been going to a staff daily during recess time to ask for advanced math questions for the last month. I was in shock, and that staff is working or helping there during recess time.
Anonymous
Do you already have an IEP?

Some schools will do pull-outs or have them be in a different classroom, but it really just depends on your school's policies. To go to another classroom, they would need to have math at the same time of day, and sometimes that doesn't work out.

Children say they are bored for all kinds of reasons and it doesn't always mean they need higher-level work. They often say they are bored when they don't want to do the work or they are confused and find it too hard but don't want to admit it. Take a real look at your child's work (ask the teacher to send some home) and see what you think.
Anonymous
You won’t get an IEP for a gifted kid. Sorry.
Anonymous
You can ask about sending your son to a third or fourth grade math class. I also suggest you supplement at home on your own.
Anonymous
Op here. He has IEP for years due to asd & adhd. I paid for some online math subscription, but he does not want to do them on the screen. I also have no time to sit next to him. He likes in person interaction, and I was clueless that he has been asking a staff/volunteer daily for advanced math during recess until today. He tells pedatrican about that he is bored at school and this & that. I have not been paying too much attention to his math because I care more about his social and friendship development which is going nowhere.

I don't think school will do anything about it. Since pediatrican suggests it, I wonder if he knows some more information than I don't know.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:You can ask about sending your son to a third or fourth grade math class. I also suggest you supplement at home on your own.


Op here. We already put him in 3rd/4th grade combined classroom for English & math on weekend for the last 8 months. Teachers say he is doing well, and he tells me they are easy. I think 3rd/4th grade math maybe not challenging enough for him, but I don't think it is healthy to put him in person with other 5th or 6th grade peers. I care about his social development aspects with same or similar age peers. He has no friends at school. IEP team tells me that they won't be surprised if he gets all As till high school, not sure if they are joking or not. They know he is smart, but they have not suggested anything.
Anonymous
Have you looked into MCPS’s twice exceptional learning programs to see what’s available and if they could be a good fit for your child?

https://inte.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/enriched/gtld" target="_new" rel="nofollow"> https://inte.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/enriched/gtld

There’s a Montgomery County non-profit group called xMinds that has education resource lists for autistic students:

https://www.xminds.org/" target="_new" rel="nofollow"> https://www.xminds.org/

Also, what about adding in something at home like Outschool? Although it’s online, it’s a live, small class setting with a teacher. They support neurodiverse students and have offerings from ages 3-18.

https://outschool.com/" target="_new" rel="nofollow"> https://outschool.com/

Finally, I understand that parents of course have concerns about social interactions and their autistic children. But, please, please, educate yourself about the social needs of autistic people. There are so many voices speaking up now from the autistic community. Neurotypical parents need to work at seeing through the autistic lens — the double empathy problem. If we are just forcing outward neurotypical behaviors on our autistic children for the purpose of “fitting in”, it can come at great cost to their mental health down the road.
Anonymous
There is none in mcps. Supplement at home.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:You won’t get an IEP for a gifted kid. Sorry.


Not anywhere in the DC area, no. But for people in other places, IEPs for giftedness is a thing. It's wild, I know.
Anonymous
Yes, it's a thing where I live. My child does not have one right now because they're in a private school, but if I was to put them in our local public schools exceptional program, which they qualify for, they would have an IEP. They are twice exceptional.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Have you looked into MCPS’s twice exceptional learning programs to see what’s available and if they could be a good fit for your child?

https://inte.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/enriched/gtld" target="_new" rel="nofollow"> https://inte.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/enriched/gtld

There’s a Montgomery County non-profit group called xMinds that has education resource lists for autistic students:

https://www.xminds.org/" target="_new" rel="nofollow"> https://www.xminds.org/

Also, what about adding in something at home like Outschool? Although it’s online, it’s a live, small class setting with a teacher. They support neurodiverse students and have offerings from ages 3-18.

https://outschool.com/" target="_new" rel="nofollow"> https://outschool.com/

Finally, I understand that parents of course have concerns about social interactions and their autistic children. But, please, please, educate yourself about the social needs of autistic people. There are so many voices speaking up now from the autistic community. Neurotypical parents need to work at seeing through the autistic lens — the double empathy problem. If we are just forcing outward neurotypical behaviors on our autistic children for the purpose of “fitting in”, it can come at great cost to their mental health down the road.


Can you elaborate more on this "fitting in" may do more harm than benefits for autistic kid. My ultimate goal is that I want him to be independent, go to college, has friendship/hobbies and possibly relationship down the road. I just want an average normal kid. Is that wrong ?
Anonymous
We have not had any luck with this other than kid being allowed to read books and doodle.
Anonymous
Unfortunately, it looks like the program is currently on hold but perhaps you can help advocate for the return of the Wings Mentorship Program.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/enriched/gtld/wings/
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