[Oz-gifted] Sounds promising...

[L B]

Don't get your hopes up.

My ds was in year 2 extension for maths last year (in kinder), but this year 
they seem to feel they can extend him enough staying in his year 1 class.  
They have even tested him, and found that he is working at a level above 
year 3 (last year the only reason he wasn't extended to year 3 maths was 
that his literacy wasn't up to reading the questions).  I could have told 
them that he is better at maths than my dd who is in year 3 and extended to 
year 4 maths.

The school has other gifted kids, but as my two are visual spatial learners 
(with all that entails) they don't appear to be "classically gifted".  So, 
when the school compares, say, my dd with her "gifted" classmates she 
doesn't appear to be "as gifted". What they don't compare is the amount of 
work that goes in. My dd can get marks like distinctions in the UNSW 
competitions with no effort and not even reading the questions properly 
whereas her friends have to really make an effort, and spend ages 
"preparing". But they get HD's.  Its a bit frustrating because my dd then 
doesn't get pushed to do better (although her teacher is pretty good this 
year), because they believe she is doing as well as she can.

Oh well, eventually my two VS learners will bloom (vs learners are often 
late bloomers), and surprise everyone (except me!!).

So, Ellen, it all sounds good, and hopefully your school will come through 
for your ds.  Just don't hold your breath that it will be that easy.

Lynda


>From: Ellen Hrebeniuk <ehrebeniuk at optushome.com.au>
>Reply-To: oz-gifted at rite.ed.qut.edu.au
>To: Oz-gifted mailing list <oz-gifted at cobia.ed.qut.edu.au>
>Subject: [Oz-gifted] Sounds promising...
>Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2006 11:24:22 +1000
>
>Following advice here and from teacher friends, I asked DS1's
>classroom teacher for a meeting regarding next year (DS1 is in K but
>is extension year 2 for literacy and is plainly listening in on their
>maths too!).  Turns out she has already been discussing matters with
>the head of kindy.  I find this encouraging.  She'll tee up a meeting
>for herself, me, and the kindy and/or Year 1 head in the next few
>weeks.  Told her I will swot up on the policy documents before the
>meeting. NSW Dept of Ed has half a dozen of them related to gifted
>education <sigh>.  The teacher said that she hasn't taught anyone
>like DS1 before.  I found that interesting as I'd rate him moderately
>gifted, not profoundly -- but she's probably under 30, so her
>teaching career hasn't been that long.
>
>Comments and suggestions, please!
>--
>Ellen Hrebeniuk
>Sydney, Australia
>
>Being a librarian is how you change the world.
>Nancy Pearl
>
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