What to do w/advanced 1st grader who is starting to dislike school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

No, I'm saying I actually did. And I just checked with my mom, because I wondered if I was misremembering. She confirmed, and said that wasn't even the most advanced thing. But it's a vivid memory because it's tied to an odd, dramatic family event that I'm not going to share.

No offense, but my mom SWEARS I was talking in full sentences, never used baby talk, when I was one. I have spoken to pediatricians and they say it is impossible.

Also my daughter was not reading advanced books, not even on grade level, in second grade and tested with both a high IQ and a fifth grade level vocab and reading level. When I asked her teacher how this was possible, she said that most kids who read more advanced texts do not really understand what they are reading and the tests filter that out. They also skip over words and sections they don't understand.

This is why I videotape my child reading on occasion, so that when he is 40 and I tell him he could read "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" with character voices when he was almost 5 I don't have people telling me that is impossible and I am exaggerating. One of the things I love about the digtal age...

I would also believe your mother about speaking in full sentences at one - again my son did and I'm sure he wasn't the only one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

No, I'm saying I actually did. And I just checked with my mom, because I wondered if I was misremembering. She confirmed, and said that wasn't even the most advanced thing. But it's a vivid memory because it's tied to an odd, dramatic family event that I'm not going to share.

No offense, but my mom SWEARS I was talking in full sentences, never used baby talk, when I was one. I have spoken to pediatricians and they say it is impossible.

Also my daughter was not reading advanced books, not even on grade level, in second grade and tested with both a high IQ and a fifth grade level vocab and reading level. When I asked her teacher how this was possible, she said that most kids who read more advanced texts do not really understand what they are reading and the tests filter that out. They also skip over words and sections they don't understand.

Look, I don't care whether you believe me or not, but it is true. I remember it well. One reason we both remember it is because I came up with a theory that the ring represented nuclear power in one of the books. I made analogies and connections. I understood plenty well. And it's not the only example. And I'm not bragging, I know a lot of people smarter than I. I just think it's very arrogant to assume that because it wasn't your experience, it isn't possible for someone else. There's a lot of variation in humans. Reading and analyzing stories is just what my family did. Some families are musical prodigies or athletic ones. Reading and analytical thinking was our thing.
Oh, and full sentences at 1 is not weird. My kid did it, in front of the pediatrician. He acted surprised, but it wasn't like the first time he'd ever seen it.
There's a lot of variety in human development. I think it's so odd to marginalize and deny kids who are unusual.

[Anonymous]

NP here. To bring this back around to the question at hand, how was elementary school for you? And what would you suggest in elementary school for kids like you?

Myself, I went to public school, and there was almost nothing interesting until 9th grade. Utterly boring, every single day. I was not a squeaky wheel, and so I got almost no attention. My wife went to private school, and never felt that way. Just two data points. Not suggesting it's that way for everybody.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here. To bring this back around to the question at hand, how was elementary school for you? And what would you suggest in elementary school for kids like you?

Myself, I went to public school, and there was almost nothing interesting until 9th grade. Utterly boring, every single day. I was not a squeaky wheel, and so I got almost no attention. My wife went to private school, and never felt that way. Just two data points. Not suggesting it's that way for everybody.

Same, until switched to private. That's pretty sad.

[Anonymous]

Handwriting without Tears has cursive workbooks as well.

[Anonymous]

Here are the other threads (one embedded in the other) on handwriting and hand-strengthening activities.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/415265.page

[Anonymous]

A different perspective - keep a close eye on your daughter this year. We had a similar experience of our very bright kid dishing out lots of complaints of boredom, not wanting to go to school, work being too boring to get completed on time ... Turned out to be a high IQ coupled with a stealth LD.

[Anonymous]

My child also reads well over grade level and has some writing challenges. I ended up going the private school route. I found a school that will accelerate as appropriate for the children in the class, has tons of play and hands on learning and exploration, and it has been a good decision for us. We are hoping to get back to public school down the road - either to a HGC or maybe wait until MS. It seems the curriculum does a better job of diversifying and challenging in the later years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here. To bring this back around to the question at hand, how was elementary school for you? And what would you suggest in elementary school for kids like you?

Myself, I went to public school, and there was almost nothing interesting until 9th grade. Utterly boring, every single day. I was not a squeaky wheel, and so I got almost no attention. My wife went to private school, and never felt that way. Just two data points. Not suggesting it's that way for everybody.

Ditto. I remember the first time I learned anything in school. I was in high school. I didn't hate school because I had friends, but it seemed like an interruption of the day that ate up a lot of time before I could go home and learn things.

[Anonymous]

OP I have two brilliant kids or top 1 percenters based on standardized scores. I never really worried about them in school. A few times my kids would balk that the baby like work they had in school. I told them that I expected them to follow directions at school or they would face consequences at home. For them, I specifically don't do enrichment in a purely academic sense as they would just be that much more bored. Instead they are involved in lots of bot social and academic enrichment activities. Don't try to raise a child prodogy they fail.

[Anonymous]

^^^Sorry for the typos. By academic enrichment, I mean my kids participate in activities like chess and piano. My daughter is very advanced in piano for example and I feel like it is teaching her the value of hard work. I could work with her on differential equations at 10 instead..but really what is the point? Piano/chess keep them academically stimulated and there is always someone better. I hate it when people constantly call my kids smart. I'm afraid that being so far ahead will cause them to fail when other kids catch up.