gifted class

LESLIE - posted on 04/26/2012

In my school district we called those classes G.A.T.E. - they would take both my children out of their math classes...really? I opted to taking them out. Good Luck!

Jerin - posted on 06/04/2010

I was in a pullout GT class as a child ... it was a day-long, once a week, class where we were bused to another school. It was a bit disorienting and frustrating to miss a whole day of school every day. I held my children out of school until they were old enough for our district's self-contained gifted classes. I just wish that the district had actually gotten teachers who were well-versed in gifted children to teach ALL of those classes. the third grade teacher was wonderful, the fourth grade not so much. The fifth grade teacher was good, the sixth grade teacher was just grabbed from another school and had no GT training whatsoever. We finally decided that we couldn't keep compromising on their education and that I could spend less energy doing it myself than what I was spending advocating for them with the school and district.

AnnMarie - posted on 06/03/2010

there are different ways to be gifted. It sounds like an issue with the teacher also. She doesn't sound very supportive. Since he is gifted, try some time management skills on him, there is ample material on the subject and you can find something age appropriate, maybe even a study skills seminar at your local library

Krista - posted on 05/29/2010

I am a teacher and mom of a gifted kiddo. When this started with us, I had a talk with the teacher, GIS and the principal...and quite frankly, she had already mastered the grade level material-so the real question was -why is she being expected to make up that work. What benefit is it to her. I would ask that question. I would also say-try suggesting that your son take the end of the unit tests when they start the chapters, if he knows the material he should not be expected to make up the work sheets etc. Good luck. I know it is a struggle. A Nation Deceived is a great resource, you can find the article on line-it might be worth looking at. :-)

Candi - posted on 05/21/2010

When we lived in Texas, my son had to leave his regular classes for one hour, 4 days a week. Since they started changing classes in 3rd grade there, all the Gifted kids had the same schedule so they would all leave one particular class together. Once a week he would miss Science and that happened to be the day the teacher would choose to do a lab assignment that could not be made up later. When this was brought to the principal's attention, that stopped and the students' grades improved. Now we live in Virginia and they have different levels of gifted and they are housed in Different schools. Next year my son will start Middle School and be with the Highly Gifted students with small class sizes and he is absolutely thrilled!! He is excited about actually being challenged in school!!

Debbie - posted on 05/19/2010

My son is gifted. Here they stay in the regular classroom and the teacher has different work for the gifted students. My son before did go out into upper reading classes. Until he reaches 3rd grade he cannot be transferred out to a gifted based center. 1 more year of being really bored and the work way too easy.

Jane - posted on 05/17/2010

I don't know what Galaxy is but for the school district my kids were/are in, the GT program is an integrated one. My daughter is now 20 and in college so this doesn't apply to her anymore but it was the same for her as it is for my 16 year old son. Both in GT programs since 2nd grade. While in elementary school, their math classes were with the GT math teacher during the math time of their regular class. So all their work came from the GT math teacher and that's what they worked off of. The left their regular class and went to the GT math and then came back to their regular class when the regular class was done with math. Same for English when they were in 4th grade. By middle school, they were ahead by 2 years in math so when in 6th grade, they were in 8th grade math classes and when in 7th grade, they had a teacher teaching Geometry in the middle school. High school, then it didn't matter....they just went through whatever level of math they were ready for. Advanced Placement classes and college courses are available in our school district for kids that are GT so it's not an issue. I'd find another school that doesn't cause your child issues with faling behind.

Joyce - posted on 05/16/2010

thank you all for your comments and support. it will definitely help with the coming new school year. i will try to get in touch with my fellow gifted mothers and with substitutes. i have found that substitutes often have a lot of info on teachers. thank you again so much for your help!

Melissa - posted on 05/15/2010

In our school district, the regular classroom teachers are not allowed to "penalize" the GT kids for their absence from class. The GT kids are not expected to make up any missed work, so it sounds like there needs to be a change in school policy where you are. This teacher sounds very unsupportive of the GT program. After having one year like that, I have gotten much more assertive at school. I have resorted to researching teachers for my son's next grade level ahead of time by talking to parents of other GT kids and consulting teachers I know at the school, and then I send an official letter to the principal requesting my son be placed in a certain class the following year. So far, my son has been much happier. Often the teachers who embrace the GT program the most are parents of gifted children themselves. If your son is thriving in GT and likes having the enrichment, I'd try to work it out with his teacher first. If you cannot come to a reasonable compromise, I would file a discrimination complaint with the principal and administration, as it is unlikely that the other students who are pulled out for special ed are required to do what she expects of your son. Good luck!

Dawn - posted on 05/13/2010

You need to advocate for him. His teacher is being unfair to him. There should be some way that the work he does in this galaxy class is tied into what he is supposed to be learning in regular class. Just because he is gifted does not mean that he should be loaded down with more work.

Charline - posted on 05/08/2010

My daughter is the gifted and talented class at school as well. The first year, we had that problem, but this year, GT classes are together such as 5th and 6th for one class and the 3rd and 4th are together. It works real well, and the best thing about it, they don't have to worry about leaving their class and returning to hear children call them Nerd or other names.

Elizabeth - posted on 05/07/2010

It's really sad when teachers don't support the gifted and talented classes just like they would a student getting speech or reading help. I WOULD speak to the teacher and the principal if necessary. The gifted resources classes aren't just "extra work" they are tried and true resources that help gifted children use their skills and adapt better in the classroom. The fact that the home room teacher is unsupportive is reinforcing to your son that what he is doing is not important, or weird. I too had teachers in elementary school that supported my gifted classes and those that did not. The fact your son is unwilling to drop the classes nor complain about it is a sign he wants to keep his galaxy class, and doesn't want to risk losing it. It's not the galaxy class's fault for the added stress and tumult. That teacher should be allowing your son to finish his classwork at home, or counting some of the work he does in galaxy class where appropriate.

Michelle - posted on 05/06/2010

I refused to put my son in the gifted program because of those reasons. I then found a school that uses tiered work in the classroom for gifted children as well as blended classes of grades. He switched schools mid-year and is thriving. He loves the his new school and his grades and class participation has improved. We even have friends who have switched their child to the school for the same reasons. Perhaps you should look into charter schools (we have them in Fl.). Their public schools that are run like private schools.