You see, he's finished with all of his work for the day. All of it. At 11:15am. He started at 8:3o after getting up at and doing some reading this morning.
And what exactly has he done?
- A lesson from IEW Middle Ages. He even typed it and printed it.
- His 8th grade spelling assignment.
- A vocabulary lesson
- Read "The Monkey's Paw" and answered the assessment questions.
- A lesson from Latin Prep 1 including making vocabulary flash cards
- 40 math problems from Lial's College Math
- A section from PH Physical science, the accompanying workbook pages, and a discussion with me.
- Read two sections from his Middle Ages study and outlined the material.
- 2 Mindbender exercises from level C.
- a lesson from Rod and Staff English.
- and a lesson from Artistic Pursuits.
So my question is....what do I do with this child? Double up his assignments? That doesn't seem like a reward for working diligently. Accelerate his work? I think that will just create more problems for me next year. I planned to drop grammar after 8th grade. The level 8 book is pretty much the same as the level 7 book. His science and history are already 8th grade material. I could move him straight into algebra but that will create issues with our state's graduation requirements. (He'll need four years of math in high school. I had planned that those four would be geometry, algebra 2 and 3, then calculus.)
Or do I just encourage him to start some outside projects in hopes that his work will be more time consuming later in the year. I know that the material will get harder as the year goes on, but just how hard will he find it. School has never been a challenge for him. Ever.
I can't past the idea that 7th grade should take a little more than 3 hours a day. Right?
So relax and wait or ramp it up?
5 comments:
I know people keep saying not to let the student 'move ahead' because of our state's graduation requirements and to that I say, "HORSE HOCKEY!" If he finishes early, then he can enter college earlier. Set him up at a local college even earlier to do joint enrollment. What's wrong with that? If he can do it, then let him. I mean, why would our state INSIST that a student take certain math requirements in the grades THEY assign them to? If the student is capable, why hold them back? I just don't understand that *at all*. Is he interested in trying out for Melissa's new play? She still needs a couple of males... Has he read any Shakespeare works? And done a study on them? I know he's a big reader.... no way would I put the breaks on. Unless he didn't want to do any more....
I'm right there with ya. I can't keep enough work for my older one either!
I am the founder of an online program for gifted students who are very much like your children. Take a look at some of my classes. They might be just what you are looking for.
www.giftedkidsnetwork.com
Michelle
Let him pick a project. Do some volunteer time somewhere. I wouldn't think doing a lot more work would be appealing to someone who is just good at school. Let him read stuff he wants to read, or start a large project that is all his. Ask him what he thinks is a good idea to do with all that time.
I used to hate it when, in school, I'd get done with things early, and the teachers wouldn't let me do something else. Another subject, or read a book that I wanted to read. I know you let him do that, but that was one of the more frustrating things about school for me, esp in later grades.
I just finished ten years of homeschooling our son and I was a public teacher who taught fifth grade and have gifted ed and ESOL endorsements. Please let your child go at the pace he can learn. I don't know about your state but you can put on his high school transcript that he took high school algebra in 7th grade and so forth and then as suggested above he can do a joint enrollment at a college nearby or online. (this is done in most states for kids enrolled in advanced studies or gifted programs) I've learned SO much from my experience with our son -wish I had it to do over - there is so much I'd do differently. BTW I live in Georgia. We just got finished going through our first college admissions experience - all they wanted to know is that he'd taken the required courses (and of course texts used and year taught) and what he made on the ACT (that was the clincher btw).
Lillium
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