How to know if your child is bored b/c he's smart or just b/c...

[Anonymous]

My 2nd grader, who is quite precocious (great memory, non-stop talker, loves to read) has been complaining that school is boring -- "been there, done that" is his quote. While I do think he's smart, I can't tell if he's bored in school just because he's being a kid and would rather be doing other things, or because he's not being challenged.
He's loved school until recently but I see him pulling back a bit and not doing as well as he could be doing. It's a bit confusing when he says he's bored but then isn't trying as much as he could either... Any advice? Thanks

[Anonymous]

As a first grade teacher I have rarely heard that kids are bored. Anytime it happened, the kids were not the top kids in the class academically. My truly gifted students truly don't get bored in school. They are fantastically curious and innovative. For example, at the beginning of first grade one year we were reading alphabet books and then each child would make a page of our class alphabet book with a sentence and picture. My brightest kid made her own alphabet book, pages A through Z.

[Anonymous]

OP here -- Thanks PP. He's in the "top" groups as far as I know, but I've been seeing a real decline in the effort he's willing to put into his work. Kind of disconcerting.

[Anonymous]

Possibly a little bit of both? I think it's okay for kids that age to be a little bored as long as they are following directions and doing the work.
Third grade gets more challenging so as long as he's not totally checked out I would wait until third to see how he's doing and whether you need a different type of environment to keep him motivated.

[Anonymous]

My brother was bored out of his mind at that age and ended up skipping 2 grades and went to a top Ivy (HPY) so while I respect the PP teacher's input really bright kids do get bored.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 2nd grader, who is quite precocious (great memory, non-stop talker, loves to read) has been complaining that school is boring -- "been there, done that" is his quote. While I do think he's smart, I can't tell if he's bored in school just because he's being a kid and would rather be doing other things, or because he's not being challenged.
He's loved school until recently but I see him pulling back a bit and not doing as well as he could be doing. It's a bit confusing when he says he's bored but then isn't trying as much as he could either... Any advice? Thanks

He could be bored with the rite learning at school. Is it a public school?
Look at other schools, see what you think.


No offense to the first grade teacher but I haven't found elementary school teachers good judges of who is bright.
Sometimes those kids get labeled awkward and weird even without an understanding that they are bright.
I was told I was 'stupid' by two elementary school math teachers and I have a masters in electrical engineering now (A average) - which was very math intensive so not stupid - and not a late bloomer - elementary school math is the basic stuff but I was great at the more advanced concepts if that makes sense.
Anyway look at other schools. My DD said the same thing and she changed schools and it was a great thing for her.
And yes, she's very bright.

[Anonymous]

second grade is when more is expected from kids, maybe it is getting harder for him or he isn't getting the same level of positive feedback.

[Anonymous]

The example from 1st grade teacher is weird. Are you a 1st grade teacher from 20 years ago? Kids that age are not learning ABCs any more. They are supposed to be writing full paragraphs according to our public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 2nd grader, who is quite precocious (great memory, non-stop talker, loves to read) has been complaining that school is boring -- "been there, done that" is his quote. While I do think he's smart, I can't tell if he's bored in school just because he's being a kid and would rather be doing other things, or because he's not being challenged.
He's loved school until recently but I see him pulling back a bit and not doing as well as he could be doing. It's a bit confusing when he says he's bored but then isn't trying as much as he could either... Any advice? Thanks

He could be bored with the rite learning at school. Is it a public school?
Look at other schools, see what you think.


No offense to the first grade teacher but I haven't found elementary school teachers good judges of who is bright.
Sometimes those kids get labeled awkward and weird even without an understanding that they are bright.
I was told I was 'stupid' by two elementary school math teachers and I have a masters in electrical engineering now (A average) - which was very math intensive so not stupid - and not a late bloomer - elementary school math is the basic stuff but I was great at the more advanced concepts if that makes sense.
Anyway look at other schools. My DD said the same thing and she changed schools and it was a great thing for her.
And yes, she's very bright.

Yep. I was a gifted kid who was bored in school. I don't know if my first grade teacher knew I was bright it not. I was quiet and scared to show my abilities. Hated school until college.

[Anonymous]

Very few teachers actually spend that much 1-1 time with kids. My son's teachers last year didn't know he could read for about a 1/2 year despite me telling them. He WAS bored. We just supplemented at home. None of the other kids were reading so them teaching basic reading was dull. I could not care less what teachers have to say.

[Anonymous]

Humm...I taught 2nd grade and many other grades over the years. 2nd grade is the "easiest" of all the grades to learn and teach. In teaching we use to say the odd years 1,3,5th grades are the years we introduce many concepts and the even years are reinforcement.
Many students who are highly capable and high achieving need to have a teacher who allows horizontal growth and open ended projects (ABC book - not challenging enough)
I would speak to the the school based GT (gifted and talented teacher) or the counselor to get feedback from them, maybe they can speack to DC and can offer suggestions.
I wouldn't spend my money on a private school in this area, the work that goes on in the public schools is pretty amazing.
Yes, I have former students who have attended Ivy League schools as well as NOVA and they are all great people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a first grade teacher I have rarely heard that kids are bored. Anytime it happened, the kids were not the top kids in the class academically. My truly gifted students truly don't get bored in school. They are fantastically curious and innovative. For example, at the beginning of first grade one year we were reading alphabet books and then each child would make a page of our class alphabet book with a sentence and picture. My brightest kid made her own alphabet book, pages A through Z.

That is your definition of gifted and innovative? Doing extra of a boring project?

OP, school is boring for certain types of personalities and intelligences. I remember being extremely bored because everything moved so slowly. I just wanted to be reading my books. I know I wasn't the smartest kid but I have always had a fast mind and pretty uninterested in things like "make an alphabet book" because my strengths and interests were never in that kind of rote project.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very few teachers actually spend that much 1-1 time with kids. My son's teachers last year didn't know he could read for about a 1/2 year despite me telling them. He WAS bored. We just supplemented at home. None of the other kids were reading so them teaching basic reading was dull. I could not care less what teachers have to say.

Wait - your kid was the kid in the class who could read in K? That's insane. What school is this? Most of the K kids on our school can read coming into K.

[Anonymous]

When a second-grader says that he is bored, that mostly means, "I have to do stuff that I don't want to do, and I don't get to do stuff that I do want to do."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a first grade teacher I have rarely heard that kids are bored. Anytime it happened, the kids were not the top kids in the class academically. My truly gifted students truly don't get bored in school. They are fantastically curious and innovative. For example, at the beginning of first grade one year we were reading alphabet books and then each child would make a page of our class alphabet book with a sentence and picture. My brightest kid made her own alphabet book, pages A through Z.

This is a belief I have only encountered on DCUM. And it's circular reasoning, too.

1. Truly gifted students don't get bored in class.
2. Therefore, if a student does get bored in class, that student is not truly gifted.

I think it's nonsense.