Gifted School-Age Children

Like we all do, I want the best for my kids and want to help them to achieve whatever they set their minds to.

My oldest child, is almost 7. He is what brings me here. This may be a long winded post.

DS is the oldest of 3 children. All 3 of my neices and nephew (my brothers children) are in GT classes. My husband applied to MENSA and missed by 1%. Had he reapplied, he probably would have been in. Since DS began school in PreK, all of his teachers have commented on his intelegence. Even his Principal (she helped to set up the GT program in our school system) has taken him aside for some one on one. He is in the top reading group in his class.

He has been screaned twice for ADD. Both times found negative. And for some behavior issues, we did see a play therapist.

Now to our current issues. HELP.

DS is in first grade. He picks things up very quickly. Then once he grasps whatever the class is working on, he doesn't want to do the work anymore - and the other kids are still needing the repitition. So he isn't doing classwork. And at home, it can take him over an hour to do something that I know he can do in minutes. Simply because he just sits there not doing it. It is a challenge to get him to do classwork or homework. At school, he is on a behaviour contract with the teacher and councelor. This worked great for a while, but like all things I've noticed, it eventually looses its efectivness.

How can I help him to focus?

FYI - DH and I have considered home schooling. However 1) I don't have the patience to work with him 2) he has social issues that I can't help with and 3) DH isn't for home schooling.

Any input welcome.

Thanks
Shannan
lurker

mom to Dillon (2/99) Emily (9/01) and James (1/04)

Does he already know the work, so it's more or less repetition of stuff he aleady gets? Any chance of grade acceleration (mine did)? Good luck.

Sue

Mostly I think its repetition right now. Due to social issues, he is not a candidate for acceleration at this time. If we can get him to behave with other children better and follow his teachers instructions better, then it might be something we can look into.

Thanks for your thoughts.

:)
Shannan