[Oz-gifted] Encouraging active participation

[Kristy]

Hi all,
I have been trying to encourage my 3 to take a more active role in their 
education. They are currently in Kindy, Year 2 and year 5...some of you 
may remember the drama involved with them moving schools that resulted 
in my daughter being put back a year. The new school is much better than 
the last. The kids are loving being in MAG's, all 3 are in the lower 
class of the MAG. The problem is that they are all still complaining of 
work being too easy and getting bored even though they are doing work 
with the top level kids of the MAGs. The youngest asked if he could have 
year 2 work tonight! There are a few issues I am trying to work around 
like the youngest not being allowed to take readers home as he is in 
Kindy and only years 1 and 2 are able to take readers. Whenever I talk 
to the teachers just to let them know that the kids are again 
complaining I feel like they are patting me on the head and pushing me 
out of the door. I love their teachers but the impression I get is that 
I am just the parent and what would I know. So to try and get the kids 
what they are asking me for I have been trying to get them to tell their 
teachers what they tell me. I am hoping that if the kids are taking work 
back and explaining that they can do it, its too easy and they want 
harder work that the teachers will listen to them.

Has anyone had any success with this? The kids have all agreed to have a 
meeting with their teachers to talk to them about the work. I will be 
there but will let them do the talking. My eldest's PEAC teacher has 
indicated that she would like to see him take a more active role as well 
as he has a tendency to sit back and let others do the talking.

Any suggestions? Advice? I am trying to stay away from the Admin as they 
have proved to be more of a hindrance before so would much prefer to 
sort this out at the classroom level.

Thanks
Kristy