Does private school allow grade skipping?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't you tell it's a troll post? In first post, OP says child is 2 grades ahead. In subsequent post, says child is doing algebra.

Either child is doing baskc algebra, which most 2nd graders can do, or OP is exaggerating. Real algebra is taught at 7th in most privates -- for the accelerated kids.

oP here. Why it’s a troll. My DC does 4th grade BA math at home. 4th grade BA math introduces algebra.

What do you consider math? Are they ready to take a high school math class? Usually the youngest kids take in in 6th grade and its only offered at some publics. There is a lot of pre-algebra mixed into elementary math classes now. Except if you redshirted your kid, pushing ahead makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

No it’s not normal to skip grades in private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you had the child formally tested? Two grades above in math and reading does not necessarily meet the official standard of “profoundly gifted.”

I was thinking the same thing. My DCs were reading at least at around middle school level by 2nd grade (according to the school's reading specialist) and both probably could have handle grade or two above in math, but they were then (and still are) no where near profoundly gifted.

We had our kid tested for other reasons at age 5. They were reading on a 3rd grade level but the tester stopped testing at that point as there was no point. But, there is more to reading than just reading words on the page with basic understanding. It really doesn't mean that much. My child is smart but not gifted. Can handle 6th grade algebra but I cannot see most young kids at OP age doing Algebra.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Sorry I didn’t mean to have a discussion on the definition of gifted or profoundly gifted. Just want to see if it’s normal to skip grades in private school for a bored learner. Please kindly provide me with any experience or advice.

And I hear you, the advance in math might eventually fade out. But I just want to keep my DC engaged in school. Any idea?

No, its not normal, especially in privates as they prefer older kids vs. younger kids.

[Anonymous]

Our small private, which our children all entered in preschool, reached out to us to strongly recommend moving our DC#2 to first grade a year early. We did not request it. It was presented to us as the unanimous consensus of the teachers, based on not only academics, but also other capabilities. DC#2's birthday is 2 months after cutoff, so it was not as dramatic a move as it might sound. They left the ultimate decision to DH and I, as they did not want to proceed without our consent.

DC#1 had also been far ahead of peers academically at the same age, but did not receive a similar recommendation. DC#1 was less dramatically ahead, has ADHD, and has a later birthday also.

We are not in the DCUM region, for what that is worth.

[Anonymous]

My kid was allowed to skip second grade, and then was moved to fourth grade halfway through third. Depends on the school, I guess.

[Anonymous]

OP- Discuss the engagement an boredness your child is reporting with the teacher.

Reading above grade level is common, but is different than reading far above peers. The first is based on a standardized understanding of where an average child would be, while the later is based upon the peers in class and in the next grade level.

As for math there is a difference between a child has basic algebraic thinking/1 step problem solving (3+x=5) which is being built into lots of curriculum currently vs a child that can truly handle Algebra. The later child will have mastered outside of school all the operations, fractions, percents, ratios, and have a good numerical sense(or at the very least when tested show ability to collectively master these topics quickly).

Again, start with the teacher as there are a lot of ways to go deeper in topics to engage a student or even provide slight acceleration before skipping becomes a discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't you tell it's a troll post? In first post, OP says child is 2 grades ahead. In subsequent post, says child is doing algebra.

Either child is doing baskc algebra, which most 2nd graders can do, or OP is exaggerating. Real algebra is taught at 7th in most privates -- for the accelerated kids.

oP here. Why it’s a troll. My DC does 4th grade BA math at home. 4th grade BA math introduces algebra.

Yes, very basic algebra, which many non-gifted 2nd graders can do.

You have an inflated sense of your child’s giftedness. Sorry, two grades above suggests bright, not gifted.

No good private would allow a child to skip grades. Some of the more desperate ones might.

[Anonymous]

What’s your goal for grade skipping? It might not seem a big deal now, but fast forward to high school being a 14 yo when all of your friends are learning to drive, or other similar situations that will put them out of place with their peers.

Find opportunities for kid to stretch such as a tutor or extracurricular activities but think more holistically about what a grade level actually represents, which is also a developmentally appropriate peer group.

[Anonymous]

Troll

[Anonymous]

My child was tested in first grade and passed exam and 3rd grade retested and was classified as gifted. DC got into both big 3 privates we applied to. One big 3 admissions officer remarked DC was one of the best candidates they admitted. Yet my kid never skipped a grade. I think socially it dosen't make sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't you tell it's a troll post? In first post, OP says child is 2 grades ahead. In subsequent post, says child is doing algebra.

Either child is doing baskc algebra, which most 2nd graders can do, or OP is exaggerating. Real algebra is taught at 7th in most privates -- for the accelerated kids.

oP here. Why it’s a troll. My DC does 4th grade BA math at home. 4th grade BA math introduces algebra.

Yes, very basic algebra, which many non-gifted 2nd graders can do.

You have an inflated sense of your child’s giftedness. Sorry, two grades above suggests bright, not gifted.

No good private would allow a child to skip grades. Some of the more desperate ones might.

DP: Algebraic thinking is introduced in preschool and is a part of every year of math instruction.

[Anonymous]

No, they do not allow grade skipping because that means they lose a year of tuition.

[Anonymous]

Most private schools (and schools in general) don't do grade skipping because it's an outdated, somewhat irrational idea if you think about it. Just because a kid is advanced in one subject doesn't mean they're advanced in different subjects, which use different parts of the brain. It also doesn't mean they're socially older and would do better in a different peer group. Sure, it's possible grade-skipping would be a net positive. But it's not all that likely. What your schools should be able to do is differentiate in subject areas because the class is small.

(Side note: there's a difference between being able to do advanced level math because you can follow/copy a process and actually understanding it. You need abstract thinking for the latter, which generally isn't a capacity you develop until age 12 or so.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s your goal for grade skipping? It might not seem a big deal now, but fast forward to high school being a 14 yo when all of your friends are learning to drive, or other similar situations that will put them out of place with their peers.

Find opportunities for kid to stretch such as a tutor or extracurricular activities but think more holistically about what a grade level actually represents, which is also a developmentally appropriate peer group.

+100.