Parents seeking advice.....

[Dr Mordrid]

As noted in a previous post our son Erik, a 1st grader, has scored extremely high in his placement tests.

The final results show him to be the #1 first grader in the school by a considerable margin. If his social development also holds (this too is advanced) they're looking to advance him at least 1 grade by the start of the 2nd semester (around the 1st of the year).

It's very rare for this district to make such a recommendation and the school psychologist and social worker were involved.

We'll have to think long & hard about advancing him, but it's nice to hear he's doing well.

We're leaning towards a plan where he'd get 2nd or 3rd grade work in his 1st grade classroom so he can stay with his peers. Another option has him going to the higher grade for either the AM or PM classes, depending on what's taught when.

What do you guys think? Any other ideas?

Dr. Mordrid

[ZokesPro]

What does your son think? Ultimately, isn't it his decision?

[Helevitia]

My biggest concern would be how the other kids would treat him if he was bumped up a grade. I'd consider your plan of giving him more advanced work and maybe in a few years, when he is a little older, possibly advance him when he has a better understanding of the situation.

Dave

[Greebe]

Bump him now and cousil him on how other lesser intelligent souls will behave... if he's got a good sense of humor and not just a geek especially if he's athletic (like his papa then he'll go far fast, just don't try to rush him

[GNEP]

Difficult one. Don't bump him up and you will always have to watch he doesn't get bored - dangerous place boredom for a kid (personal experience...)

My older brother did get moved up a year - and that had its own significant drawbacks, particularly around social and physical development lagging slightly.

He will do academically better by moving ahead. He will (IMHO) end up a more balanced overall person by not moving ahead.

Involve him closely in any decisions though.

[Ribbit]

Originally posted by Helevitia
My biggest concern would be how the other kids would treat him if he was bumped up a grade.

I think that's going to be a concern anyway, once they realise how much smarter he is than them. Be prepared.

[TransformX]

I say, ask your son. My parents decided for me instead of asking me and I regret it a little.

[cjolley]

Ask him.
By which I mean talk about pros & cons with him.
He knows the kids in both grades.
He also knows, or can decide, how he feels about it.

If it doesn't work out, which ever way you go, you can always rethink.
Even if you have to wait a year.

Chuck

[KvHagedorn]

The ideal thing to do is to put him in a magnet school or something similar. I remember being frustrated and isolated in first grade and hated being singled out as one of the three "smart ones" in our class. Best to be in a school where everyone is on a comparable level.

Of course, there are negatives here as well.. he will be isolated from the masses and be unable to connect with ordinary folks. It's a tradeoff either way. Mike might have the best answer above, but the emphasis is on getting him involved in non-geeky things. Weightlifting would be good.

[GNEP]

Have to agree with KvH there as well - if it is ever an option, going to a school where you are not at the top but somewhere in the middle is a tremendous relief. Doesn't necessarily have to be for a while yet though - he will know when/if he is ready.

[cjolley]

Originally posted by KvHagedorn
The ideal thing to do is to put him in a magnet school or something similar.

Good point.
Ask him about that too.
Hey, send him here.
We have a great arts magnet school 200 meters from our house.
Chuck

[KRSESQ]

You didn't mention his age in relation to his peers. Is he at the upper end of the age range for 1st graders, at toward the lower end? I think it might be undesireable to have him be the youngest in his second grade class, especially if its by signifigantly more than a year. Not so much because he'd struggle academically, but because the other kids might react poorly to having one so much younger than they advanced so far ahead of his peers.

Kids at that age can be savage little rotters to anyone who doesn't quite fit in, no matter how academically or socially advanced they might be for their age.

If on the other hand he already has friends in the second grade class, that might make things a lot easier for him.

Kevin

[Fat Tone]

Boredom is a big enemy, and so is peer pressure. In my school I was picked on for being one of the smartest which definitely had a negative effect on my effort level (and happiness) long-term.

Put him with his intellectual peers. If the physical thing is an issue you could always work on that with him.

Hey, I can think of a lot worse problems to have to be dealing with!

[Greebe]

Originally posted by KRSESQ
You didn't mention his age in relation to his peers. Is he at the upper end of the age range for 1st graders, at toward the lower end? I think it might be undesireable to have him be the youngest in his second grade class, especially if its by signifigantly more than a year. Not so much because he'd struggle academically, but because the other kids might react poorly to having one so much younger than they advanced so far ahead of his peers.

Kids at that age can be savage little rotters to anyone who doesn't quite fit in, no matter how academically or socially advanced they might be for their age.

If on the other hand he already has friends in the second grade class, that might make things a lot easier for him.

Kevin

I'd say at this stage of the game the friends he makes now will be his friends long term, well at least through elementary school. They will know him and thus will not be picking on him so much like when this happens at a higher grade level once the dust settles and they've sized each other up via pecking order.

[ZokesPro]

I see why your asking advice Doc. To be honest, you and your son are really the ONLY people who can really make a wise decision about this. It's as much a good idea as it is a bad one IMO, good luck on your decision.



I was bumped from grade 8 english to grade 9 english and some of the female students were pretty damned pissed at me cause I managed to get bumped up so easily but I haven't been bumped a whole grade though.