ds in GATE program. Some reservations

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-13-2006
ds in GATE program. Some reservations
2
Thu, 05-31-2007 - 2:47pm

I put the happy emoticon, because I'm proud of my kid.

Avatar for betz67
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 05-31-2007 - 3:28pm

yea! congratulations to David.

Just because he's gifted doesn't mean he has to be part of the program this year, esp if the teacher is not optimal. I understand his need to be pushed farther and to have more in depth teaching and projects to keep him learning and focused on the cirriculm, but the right teacher is very important in the wellbeing of our kids and can make or break a year.

Weston was identified as gifted in 3rd grade. He was not in a good place emotionally and it was another pull out program, it wasn't connected w/ the regular classroom learning so we agreed w/ the administrators and the teacher that tho he qualified it was better that he not do the class. In forth grade it was clear that he belonged in the gifted math class. In 4th and 5th grades the AGP program has separate classes for gifted students in math and language arts, the students can qualify for one or the other or both. His scores for LA were good but because he had so much trouble w/ writing we choose to keep him in the regular classroom for LA (it was a very good move he improved so much). This year he qualified for both again. They pushed us to have him do both because he had some of the highest test scores in the grade. The main classroom teacher he had was good, but she really didn't have a good grasp on his needs. The AGP teacher had NO grasp on his AS needs and his year was very difficult. She was sure that he was being difficult on purpose, she never really tried to understand him or his needs. She had a very specific view of what a 'gifted' student looked and acted like and it was NOT him. She refused to make accomidations for him even when they were part of his IEP. She didn't see her classroom as the problem he was trying to avoid, she felt he should just buckle down and work harder. She didn't or couldn't figure out ways to do things differently that would make it easier for him, she did things the ways she'd always done and he needed to conform (he didn't).

I think finding out if this is 'that' teacher is important (don't think you'll change david's thoughts on her). And find out if this teacher is likely to change w/ more info on AS or if she won't change. Will he still have his special AS program they created next year?

Betsy

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-16-2006
Thu, 05-31-2007 - 4:50pm

Way to go David. I actually think this might not be such a bad idea, unless of course its the 'problem teacher'. Why? Because supposedly most students in GATE are 'quirky' and the teacher who work with those students tend to be more adept at making accommodations for different learning styles/needs etc... Besides, if its a bad fit, you can remove him from the program and then challenge the school to do better. since he has already passed their tests, they can't very well say that he doesn't need the more academically challenging stuff.

For what its worth, in my school district, nearly 70% of the GATE children in our middle school were at one point in EI.....