At least that was the feeling this morning at Romney's ELP assessment. We have a happy dilemma with Romney (We also have it with William, but William is settled in his school and doing well.)in that he is bright and learns easily. We have a choice to make that will affect his future schooling for years to come and it is daunting. Should we let him go to first grade, bypassing Kindergarten. This would make him the youngest and smallest in his classes forever! Should we put him in the ELP program (Extended Learning Program) at the district for the gifted students. Or should we let him go to normal Kindergarten in the school we love? Like I said, it is not a bad problem to have. We haven't made any final decisions yet, but we need to keep all of our options open while we do, which means we had to sign up for an ELP assessment at the district. Today was Romney's appointment day. What a surreal experience! I am a reserved chic, but even I, when at a table sitting across from someone, will toss a smile their way. I was in a waiting room full of waiting Mom's and the mood was tense in a strange way. I sat across the table from a woman and her child and kept trying to make eye contact with her to smile and maybe say "Hi", but she would not look at me even though I was 2 feet away from her. The mother at the next table also would not look at anyone or smile and the last woman kept her eyes on her magazine until her teenage daughter walked out with the Tester. At that point she assaulted the person who had tested her daughter about how she did and when they would know if she "got in". The tester wouldn't say anything, only coldly said "They will mail the results at the end of May". One by one, the other mother's charges were brought back to the waiting room with the same results. I was already 99% sure that I didn't think the ELP was a program that would fit our family (at least not our family's ideas about Elementary School), but being in that room for 30 minutes pretty much solidified it. I am curious to see where Romney tested (I will get those results in the mail by the end of May, you know.) And that lady across the table, 20 minutes later she still hadn't looked my way to receive a smile. Hope her kid "gets in".
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
My kid is smarter than your kid!
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4 comments:
What a dilemma! At least Romney is "in" at the school you love. Anya is waitlisted, but they still haven't posted the list, so I have no idea where she is on it. So she just might end up at the neighborhood school for K and homeschool for 1st grade. Aaagghh! It's so stressful! Good luck with your decision though. I'm sorry none of those meanies would smile at you!
So, i'm confused. Are there three options, or two options? ELP, 1st Grade, and Kindergarten, or ELP 1st Grade and Kindergarten? What is the ELP - i mean, obviously it's the Extened Learning Program, but what does it entail? Do they do that for Kindergarten already? i remember doing some kind of accelerated thing in elementary school, but we still went to all our regular classes and then just got to do extra "special" stuff (no, not that kind of "special"). Of course you obviously didn't ask for input, probably for the specific fear of people like me giving it (i know, it wasn't "people like me", it was me), but i would say don't do the 1st grade thing. Not only would it make me feel inferior, but i think parents in general today seem to push so much on their kids. Seriously, when i was a kid, all i could think about was getting older so i could have the means and ability to have my own fun - but i wasted some of the potentially best years of my life waiting for something "better". I think C.S. Lewis verbalized it pretty well when speaking as Screwtape, the devil, he said, "We want a whole race perpetually in pursuit of the rainbow's end, never honest, nor kind, nor happy now, but always using as mere fuel wherewith to heap the altar of the future every real gift which is offered them in the Present." You know, Lewis also says something about people who only read good books so they can qoute them to their friends... doh! btw, i don't mean to imply that you'd be taking Romney's best years away from him by doing whatever you decide to do, i'm just speaking generally of society as i love to do. i figure i better get as much in as i can before i get banned from your blog.
Holy long comment, batman!
Alan, I could never ban you from our blog-- who else would comment:). It is actually 3 options. Normal Kindergarten or an all day ELP Kindergarten program, with bumping him into first grade being the third option. That program is housed in another district Elementary school and it is only a "program", not really a "school". They have their own teachers and their own classrooms and Parent volunteers (though not mandatory), but share the building and administration with the neighborhood school it is housed at. I am not sure what "gifted" program your district has, but my guess is that one exists. Can you believe I agree with you?! I think pushing him into first is not the best option. Whether or not he is ready for it, doesn't mean he should go. Our main worry is that when he is bored, he gets "silly". I don't want him to be disruptive if he is really only bored. After feeling that "competition" from the other parents for just a few minutes, I am feeling confident that we wouldn't take a spot if offered one in the ELP. I am not all about grades or putting academic pressure on little kids (Bill and I really want them to know how FUN learning is, and take the pressure in High School and College). So, I am 99.9% sure that we will keep him where he is and let him progress naturally with the other kids his age. Have I mentioned how impressed I am at your quoting ability. Do you have passages memorized or did you have to look it up? Even from my most fav. novels I have nothing but the ideas committed to memory. Thanks for your thoughtful comment. I know you all are in the same boat trying to find the best option for Anya. It is tough to go through!
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