smart, bored 2nd grader, can't afford private, what to do?

[Anonymous]

Very few teachers are actually able to pull off differentiating. Most just end up teaching to the middle and ignoring the top and the bottom. Differentiation simply does not work as a wholesale practice in schools

Curious. What is your solution?

[Anonymous]

I am not the previous poster but the solution is to groups kids together by level for math and reading classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I am not the previous poster but the solution is to groups kids together by level for math and reading classes.

I'm not OP, but I do think it's funny that everyone is so incredulous that a kid might be bored in a classroom with no differentiation. Do you really think it's so implausible that a kid might be too smart to be interested in the general offerings in a classroom? Boredom just doesn't exist? I agree that boredom shouldn't be an excuse for bad behavior, but it sure as heck can be a reason for lack of focus on the task at hand. If the task at hand is something you've done already over and over and over again. I was that kid in school, and I didn't have ADHD. I was freakin' bored. Until i got to a small private where the teacher could actually differentiate because the classroom size was very small. I had to do the regular work, but she challenged me to do it as quickly as possible so I could get my logic puzzles. In reading/writing, same thing -- she'd get the assignments the next grade was going and tell me I could have them after i did the regular work. It didn't spoil me; it kept me interested in school. I ended up being a very hard worker and a very high achieving student.
I know a lot of kids really do have ADHD. But I do think it's a crime that when a smart kid is bored, we would rather conclude ADHD than give the kid some challenging work. Like being ahead is a disorder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I am not the previous poster but the solution is to groups kids together by level for math and reading classes.

I'm not OP, but I do think it's funny that everyone is so incredulous that a kid might be bored in a classroom with no differentiation. Do you really think it's so implausible that a kid might be too smart to be interested in the general offerings in a classroom? Boredom just doesn't exist? I agree that boredom shouldn't be an excuse for bad behavior, but it sure as heck can be a reason for lack of focus on the task at hand. If the task at hand is something you've done already over and over and over again. I was that kid in school, and I didn't have ADHD. I was freakin' bored. Until i got to a small private where the teacher could actually differentiate because the classroom size was very small. I had to do the regular work, but she challenged me to do it as quickly as possible so I could get my logic puzzles. In reading/writing, same thing -- she'd get the assignments the next grade was going and tell me I could have them after i did the regular work. It didn't spoil me; it kept me interested in school. I ended up being a very hard worker and a very high achieving student.
I know a lot of kids really do have ADHD. But I do think it's a crime that when a smart kid is bored, we would rather conclude ADHD than give the kid some challenging work. Like being ahead is a disorder.

Boredom is one thing. But the OP seems to think her daughter is truly gifted and therefore above the rules of the classroom, yet she admits that she is not above grade level in math. I'm willing to bet that if her daughter were -truly- gifted, the teacher and county would have figured out some sort of differentiation, whether it be extra worksheets, pull-outs, etc. Simply being an advanced reader and having already read through what the teacher is teaching doesn't have anything to do with comprehension - and doesn't mean she can disregard it.

Idk, OP's attitude kind of rubs me the wrong way. I was a bright kid and I was bored in class sometimes. But I always wanted to please my teacher and be a good listener. OP should be encouraging her daughter to seek out learning outside of the classroom, and to suck it up and follow the rules inside of it. As others have said, it's a good lesson for the rest of her life. You don't get to do whatever you want at work just because you're "bored."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I am not the previous poster but the solution is to groups kids together by level for math and reading classes.

I'm not OP, but I do think it's funny that everyone is so incredulous that a kid might be bored in a classroom with no differentiation. Do you really think it's so implausible that a kid might be too smart to be interested in the general offerings in a classroom? Boredom just doesn't exist? I agree that boredom shouldn't be an excuse for bad behavior, but it sure as heck can be a reason for lack of focus on the task at hand. If the task at hand is something you've done already over and over and over again. I was that kid in school, and I didn't have ADHD. I was freakin' bored. Until i got to a small private where the teacher could actually differentiate because the classroom size was very small. I had to do the regular work, but she challenged me to do it as quickly as possible so I could get my logic puzzles. In reading/writing, same thing -- she'd get the assignments the next grade was going and tell me I could have them after i did the regular work. It didn't spoil me; it kept me interested in school. I ended up being a very hard worker and a very high achieving student.
I know a lot of kids really do have ADHD. But I do think it's a crime that when a smart kid is bored, we would rather conclude ADHD than give the kid some challenging work. Like being ahead is a disorder.

Boredom is one thing. But the OP seems to think her daughter is truly gifted and therefore above the rules of the classroom, yet she admits that she is not above grade level in math. I'm willing to bet that if her daughter were -truly- gifted, the teacher and county would have figured out some sort of differentiation, whether it be extra worksheets, pull-outs, etc. Simply being an advanced reader and having already read through what the teacher is teaching doesn't have anything to do with comprehension - and doesn't mean she can disregard it.

Idk, OP's attitude kind of rubs me the wrong way. I was a bright kid and I was bored in class sometimes. But I always wanted to please my teacher and be a good listener. OP should be encouraging her daughter to seek out learning outside of the classroom, and to suck it up and follow the rules inside of it. As others have said, it's a good lesson for the rest of her life. You don't get to do whatever you want at work just because you're "bored."

But OP didn't say she's above the rules of the classroom. Later posters inferred that, because on DCUM anytime you say your kid is smart, people like to smack you down. You don't believe a kid can be ahead verbally but not in math? That seems odd. Also, you all seem to believe that teachers all are great at differentiating and offering extra work. Which OP said she specifically requested and the teacher said wasn't feasible. In my experience in public school, it wasn't an option either, until you got to the later grades after the "gifted" program kicks in. Also, what if OP's kid isn't "gifted"? So what? Doesn't mean she might not be ready for more challenging work in one or more area/s.
Yes, the kid has to behave, but why do we set them up to fail this way? Make it as boring as possible and then blame them for not focusing? Because we can't do any better in a large classroom, right? Not the kid's fault.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Boredom is one thing. But the OP seems to think her daughter is truly gifted and therefore above the rules of the classroom, yet she admits that she is not above grade level in math. I'm willing to bet that if her daughter were -truly- gifted, the teacher and county would have figured out some sort of differentiation, whether it be extra worksheets, pull-outs, etc. Simply being an advanced reader and having already read through what the teacher is teaching doesn't have anything to do with comprehension - and doesn't mean she can disregard it.

Idk, OP's attitude kind of rubs me the wrong way. I was a bright kid and I was bored in class sometimes. But I always wanted to please my teacher and be a good listener. OP should be encouraging her daughter to seek out learning outside of the classroom, and to suck it up and follow the rules inside of it. As others have said, it's a good lesson for the rest of her life. You don't get to do whatever you want at work just because you're "bored."

+1. I see I posted on this thread a year ago (!) about how tired I am of this attitude from kids and parents alike, having seen it in multiple magnets. Kids learn quickly that saying "I'm bored" instantly launches Mommy into action, which is very gratifying. And Mommy get a lot of self-validation from going into battle on behalf of poor DC.

That said, there's no reason for kids to be bored in class, within a context of learning to respect the teacher and the other kids. OP's kid should definitely seek out opportunities outside the classroom, like I did, and like my kids did. Or move to a school district with AAP/magnets, if you've exhausted all other options and you believe she can get into AAP/magnets.

[Anonymous]

Sounds to me like OP thinks her child should not have to do the required work because it "bores" her. Good luck when she goes to look for a job........

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I am not the previous poster but the solution is to groups kids together by level for math and reading classes.

I'm not OP, but I do think it's funny that everyone is so incredulous that a kid might be bored in a classroom with no differentiation. Do you really think it's so implausible that a kid might be too smart to be interested in the general offerings in a classroom? Boredom just doesn't exist? I agree that boredom shouldn't be an excuse for bad behavior, but it sure as heck can be a reason for lack of focus on the task at hand. If the task at hand is something you've done already over and over and over again. I was that kid in school, and I didn't have ADHD. I was freakin' bored. Until i got to a small private where the teacher could actually differentiate because the classroom size was very small. I had to do the regular work, but she challenged me to do it as quickly as possible so I could get my logic puzzles. In reading/writing, same thing -- she'd get the assignments the next grade was going and tell me I could have them after i did the regular work. It didn't spoil me; it kept me interested in school. I ended up being a very hard worker and a very high achieving student.
I know a lot of kids really do have ADHD. But I do think it's a crime that when a smart kid is bored, we would rather conclude ADHD than give the kid some challenging work. Like being ahead is a disorder.

Boredom is one thing. But the OP seems to think her daughter is truly gifted and therefore above the rules of the classroom, yet she admits that she is not above grade level in math. I'm willing to bet that if her daughter were -truly- gifted, the teacher and county would have figured out some sort of differentiation, whether it be extra worksheets, pull-outs, etc. Simply being an advanced reader and having already read through what the teacher is teaching doesn't have anything to do with comprehension - and doesn't mean she can disregard it.

Idk, OP's attitude kind of rubs me the wrong way. I was a bright kid and I was bored in class sometimes. But I always wanted to please my teacher and be a good listener. OP should be encouraging her daughter to seek out learning outside of the classroom, and to suck it up and follow the rules inside of it. As others have said, it's a good lesson for the rest of her life. You don't get to do whatever you want at work just because you're "bored."

But OP didn't say she's above the rules of the classroom. Later posters inferred that, because on DCUM anytime you say your kid is smart, people like to smack you down. You don't believe a kid can be ahead verbally but not in math? That seems odd. Also, you all seem to believe that teachers all are great at differentiating and offering extra work. Which OP said she specifically requested and the teacher said wasn't feasible. In my experience in public school, it wasn't an option either, until you got to the later grades after the "gifted" program kicks in. Also, what if OP's kid isn't "gifted"? So what? Doesn't mean she might not be ready for more challenging work in one or more area/s.
Yes, the kid has to behave, but why do we set them up to fail this way? Make it as boring as possible and then blame them for not focusing? Because we can't do any better in a large classroom, right? Not the kid's fault.

First of all, of course I believe that a kid can be talented in reading and not math. I was the same way - in reading/writing GT (back when it was GT in FCPS), perfect score on verbal section of the SAT but mediocre score on the math section, etc. I was only pointing out that OP's child is simply above reading level, not that she's completely ready to skip ahead a grade or anything.

OP is looking for solutions. She doesn't live in a county that offers the level of differentiation she believes her child needs. So she can move or she can look into financial aid at privates, or she can take her issues higher up with the county to see what they can offer her child. However, assuming she stays at her public school, she needs to take more of a teamwork approach with her daughter's teacher. I did mention that OP thinks she is above the rules. I - and others - inferred that because she asked the teacher if her daughter could just read different books through the lessons for what the child has already read. Yes, that is acting as though "the rules" don't apply to you. What if every parent asked for their kid to be doing something different during the lessons they don't want to sit through? That's a mess for the teacher in terms of classroom management.

[Anonymous]

OR she is making an excuse for her child's poor behavior. I know people who always say their child is "bored" when the teacher thinks they are not behaving properly. Some children are always "bored" when they don't have control.

[Anonymous]

Everyone's a winner! DC gets to run Teacher and Mom around the room. Mom gets a new "cause" championing her poor DC.

[Anonymous]

I'm writing this not to brag.. but to offer advice.

I have a very high IQ, my kids have high IQ's, are in gifted programs, one is ADD one is not...

What I tell my kids when they tell me that they are "bored", (and I hear it all the time). I tell them "I'm bored all the time", you have to find things that interest you in your assignments. If you are given a boring reading assignment then reread it, see how many times you can re-read it, retell the story in your mind from the viewpoint from a foreign person, count words, add them together, develop a code, etc...

If your child is gifted, life is just going to be bored, she is going to have to develop strategies. Honestly, unless a gifted child has a private tutor they are just going to be bored, you can't encourage the child to acti out or demand special attention. All of those things are not appropriate for children to do.

You should bring it to the teachers attention but don't expect much to be done...

[Anonymous]

I taught school. Any decent teacher can provide a challenge. She/he cannot provide competition. Seems like that is what a lot of posters on here expect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are stuck with our public school. can't afford to move (dh lost his job) can't go private. teacher complains all the time that dd doesn't pay attention, is always talking with neighbors, not focusing on the (boring!!) lessons, etc. she implied that dd has adhd until I pointed out that dd read The Lightening Thief in two hours straight, sitting right next to me. then she grudgingly agreed that dd reads and comprehends at the highest level she tests for, and "maybe even higher"

I've suggested she let dd write about things dd is interested in instead of writing about the dullsville, unimaginative topics she suggests, but she said, no, it would be "too hard for me to grade if your dd wrote about something different than everyone else does"!!

our district offers no gifted program for elementary, so dd is stuck in this boring boring boring classroom all day long!! I don't know what to do. i offer lots of interesting things to do at home, but feel helpless about protecting dd from this daily misery. dd is not a genius or anything, just a smart, bored kid.

Oh, and when I suggest other things, like letting dd read interesting books instead of listening to the lessons about things dd's read already (dd's an extremely fast reader), dd's teacher told me that she can't allow that!!

any suggestions? anyone dealt successfully with a similar situation? i'd send dd to private in a second if we had the money. it's torture to send my child to school every day.

Your DD has ADHD. She isn't bored. Get her evaluated.

I am adult and have it and I can and have sat for 6 hours straight reading a book that I really like. The ability to hyper focus on something a person really likes is one of the traits of ADHD.

I agree with the above poster.
My son had has adhd and he is the same,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I am not the previous poster but the solution is to groups kids together by level for math and reading classes.

I'm not OP, but I do think it's funny that everyone is so incredulous that a kid might be bored in a classroom with no differentiation. Do you really think it's so implausible that a kid might be too smart to be interested in the general offerings in a classroom? Boredom just doesn't exist? I agree that boredom shouldn't be an excuse for bad behavior, but it sure as heck can be a reason for lack of focus on the task at hand. If the task at hand is something you've done already over and over and over again. I was that kid in school, and I didn't have ADHD. I was freakin' bored. Until i got to a small private where the teacher could actually differentiate because the classroom size was very small. I had to do the regular work, but she challenged me to do it as quickly as possible so I could get my logic puzzles. In reading/writing, same thing -- she'd get the assignments the next grade was going and tell me I could have them after i did the regular work. It didn't spoil me; it kept me interested in school. I ended up being a very hard worker and a very high achieving student.
I know a lot of kids really do have ADHD. But I do think it's a crime that when a smart kid is bored, we would rather conclude ADHD than give the kid some challenging work. Like being ahead is a disorder.

I have a friend who has 25 plus students in her class. She has told me she has about 3 kids that are just truly advanced relative to the rest of the class. She has a pull out basket of interesting stuff he can work on if he finishes early and for all large projects she adds an additional level of challenge. She is in her first year, she can do it with a large class. It can be done in public. If a teacher does not offer to do this, then I think it should be a discussion between the parent, teacher and administration to figure out how to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm writing this not to brag.. but to offer advice.

I have a very high IQ, my kids have high IQ's, are in gifted programs, one is ADD one is not...

What I tell my kids when they tell me that they are "bored", (and I hear it all the time). I tell them "I'm bored all the time", you have to find things that interest you in your assignments. If you are given a boring reading assignment then reread it, see how many times you can re-read it, retell the story in your mind from the viewpoint from a foreign person, count words, add them together, develop a code, etc...

If your child is gifted, life is just going to be bored, she is going to have to develop strategies. Honestly, unless a gifted child has a private tutor they are just going to be bored, you can't encourage the child to acti out or demand special attention. All of those things are not appropriate for children to do.

You should bring it to the teachers attention but don't expect much to be done...

This is terrific advice. Making up games, developing codes, going deeper on my own, are what saved me from boredom in school. Disrupting everyone else and/or demanding special treatment (which I've seen in my own DCs' magnets) is not a solution that will serve anyone well as an adult.