Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not a PP, but if you're at Nottingham, we do not switch classes for ability levels. There is some pull out and push in with the gifted teacher, and the kids are in ability groups within the classroom

Do you think ability grouping works well in the classroom or is it too much for the teacher to teach to so many levels?

It seems to work reasonably well. My second grade DS is an extremely advanced reader and they have him in a group with two other kids who are also very advanced. Instead of doing some of the more basic language arts things I remember my older child doing in second grade his group is doing a "literature circle" and discussing some more advanced topics like author's motivation etc. Rather than just learning about what "persuasive writing" is, they've delved deeper and talked about why it persuades, different ways to persuade etc. My older DS is not a strong reader, and I imagine he's probably in the lowest reading group (no one says "your child is in the lowest reading group", but I can't see how he wouldn't be). I know he still does a good bit of the all class discussion on big picture topics, but he definitely has lower level words for word study. I'm not in the classroom often, so it's hard to say if he's getting everything he needs or if the teachers are just teaching to the top of the class.

For math I don't see a ton of differentiation. Both my kids are really strong at math and grasp concepts very quickly - and it seems like they are doing the same type of lesson as their peers. To be honest though, I'm more of a words person than a math person, so I'm not sure how you do gifted math while still covering the same topics. I can understand moving at a faster pace (which I don't believe happens) but I don't know how to delve deeper into the same subject (which is what I see them do in language arts). It's possible that it's happening and I just don't know. My kids are probably on the slightly above average, but not gifted, range for math though, so there may be something for other kids. I haven't had any complaints about them moving too slow in math or not being able to instruct my child and that's not something I've heard other parents talk about, so I'm guessing that math differentiation within the classroom is working ok.

The school does have gifted pull outs, but we don't participate so I don't know how those work.

Anonymous wrote:Not a PP, but if you're at Nottingham, we do not switch classes for ability levels. There is some pull out and push in with the gifted teacher, and the kids are in ability groups within the classroom

Do you think ability grouping works well in the classroom or is it too much for the teacher to teach to so many levels?

I would probably take 13:10's statement with a grain of salt, given how badly it was written.

OP, what grade is your son?

Our daughter's K teacher told me that she plans to recommend our daughter for gifted services, but it doesn't always happen until 1st grade or later. I think it's more obvious in some kids than others. (i.e. some kids are quieter about what they know.)

Anonymous wrote:GT services is a joke, merely a labeling. If you kid needs more challenge, go outside of school. Real GT kids probably don't have close many friends at school. If you want them to be respected or popular, make them good at sport.

How sad that to be respected or popular we need to make kids good at a sport, but can't provide any additional enrichment at school for kids who do well at academics. No wonder the US is going downhill.

GT services is a joke, merely a labeling. If you kid needs more challenge, go outside of school. Real GT kids probably don't have close many friends at school. If you want them to be respected or popular, make them good at sport.

Not a PP, but if you're at Nottingham, we do not switch classes for ability levels. There is some pull out and push in with the gifted teacher, and the kids are in ability groups within the classroom

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are wanting to apply for gifted services at my DS's elementary school. I don;t think his classroom teacher will recommend him, seems not to like him too much. If he has a WISC test showing IQ in the low 150's, is that enough? We had him tested last month. The school where he is has some worrying trends about GT services and I'm also wondering if it's worth it.

That describes just about every child in my kid's N Arlington class. They pull out or group based on ability which I believe is a better way. By 4th-5th grade there are high, medium and low groups for subjects. The kids move classroom for them.

A highly gifted math student may not be highly gifted in English, etc.

Honestly, OP, this all depends on the particular school. Because what the PP described above, my sons' school does not do. So, I think you need to name your school if you want more accurate responses.

Pp above you (with pull-outs and changing classes for high/low groups)-- we are ASF. My 3rd grader moves to a different class for math.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are wanting to apply for gifted services at my DS's elementary school. I don;t think his classroom teacher will recommend him, seems not to like him too much. If he has a WISC test showing IQ in the low 150's, is that enough? We had him tested last month. The school where he is has some worrying trends about GT services and I'm also wondering if it's worth it.

That describes just about every child in my kid's N Arlington class. They pull out or group based on ability which I believe is a better way. By 4th-5th grade there are high, medium and low groups for subjects. The kids move classroom for them.

A highly gifted math student may not be highly gifted in English, etc.

Honestly, OP, this all depends on the particular school. Because what the PP described above, my sons' school does not do. So, I think you need to name your school if you want more accurate responses.

Anonymous wrote:We are wanting to apply for gifted services at my DS's elementary school. I don;t think his classroom teacher will recommend him, seems not to like him too much. If he has a WISC test showing IQ in the low 150's, is that enough? We had him tested last month. The school where he is has some worrying trends about GT services and I'm also wondering if it's worth it.

That describes just about every child in my kid's N Arlington class. They pull out or group based on ability which I believe is a better way. By 4th-5th grade there are high, medium and low groups for subjects. The kids move classroom for them.

A highly gifted math student may not be highly gifted in English, etc.

Does APS not teach any higher level math or reading then? It's confusing what "push in" means. Even in non-AAP schools, children get to do math work in FCPS that's one grade higher if they're able.

Short answer, yes. My DC did higher level reading and was differentiated in the classroom. There was a special math group for advanced kids that met after school in addition to push in services.

Anonymous wrote:Does APS not teach any higher level math or reading then? It's confusing what "push in" means. Even in non-AAP schools, children get to do math work in FCPS that's one grade higher if they're able.

Push in basically means the gifted teacher comes into the class rather than pulls kids out to go somewhere else. They may work in a small group on some higher level work, or maybe do a lesson with the whole class. I have no idea how the regular math works and what grade level they are teaching.

Does APS not teach any higher level math or reading then? It's confusing what "push in" means. Even in non-AAP schools, children get to do math work in FCPS that's one grade higher if they're able.

I think it depends on the school and the gifted resource teacher. Most of it is turning to push in rather than pull out services so it is not like your child will be in separate classes. That said, there are certain activities that they may get to do with the gifted teacher in class and they do do some pull out services once a week. It really depends on the school though. My son is in 4th and while we felt he was gifted for years, his teachers never seemed to see it. He's quiet and doesn't really put himself out there, but at home he will not stop talking and/or reading. it wasn't until he took the CogAT this fall and his scores came back really high that they decided to move forward with a referral. Not sure about your test scores - what grade is your child in?

There was recently another thread regarding gifted services in Arlington, and the general consensus seemed to be... there really isn't any. You can luck out with classroom teachers that just happen to have a knack for differentiation and creating challenging opportunities for their gifted identified students, but it's completely hit-or-miss, with no real concrete expectations for delivery of services.

We are wanting to apply for gifted services at my DS's elementary school. I don;t think his classroom teacher will recommend him, seems not to like him too much. If he has a WISC test showing IQ in the low 150's, is that enough? We had him tested last month. The school where he is has some worrying trends about GT services and I'm also wondering if it's worth it.