How much to push?

[IanSebast]

So, my ds, 7 yo, has been reading since he was 3, learned his numbers, alphabet, and such simultaneously in both, English and Spanish. He went to public school for K and 1st, but was always in trouble for "disrupting" his class, the teacher informed me that he was always wanting to play, instead of sitting quietly and still waiting for everyone in his class to finish their exercises. They were learning their alphabet, and he already knew how to write paragraphs, so he was bored. He was kept out of the TAG (Talented And Gifted) program due to his behavior. He was tested for reading, and was reading at a 4-5th grade level (whatever that means) in the beginning of 1st grade. So, I decided to pull him out of school to homeschool him.

We are using 3rd grade textbooks for grammar and science, and a combination of 3rd, 4th and 5th grade books for math, along with spelling workout C. He is also reading on the side, just to keep busy, he recently finished the "Percy Jackson" series, and is currently working on the "Chronicles of Narnia."

I don't think I'm pushing him, besides trying to keep him focused (he has severe ADHD) so we can get through, as he seems to be doing fine with the material I give him.

My question is, how much is too much? I don't want him to be overwhelmed, and at the same time, I don't want him to be bored for not being challenged!

[JenneinCA]

Just keep up with what you are doing. If it gets to be too much your son will push back and you will know.

 

Teach him at whatever level he is at. And then go from there. That could be different levels for math, writing, spelling, science, history and anything else. Or it could be the same level for all of it. I would try to avoid programs that group multiple subjects together, just because he could be at different levels in them and something would be a bad fit.

 

And enjoy your time together. They grow up fast.

[Crimson Wife]

Just keep up with what you are doing. If it gets to be too much your son will push back and you will know.

 

Teach him at whatever level he is at. And then go from there. That could be different levels for math, writing, spelling, science, history and anything else. Or it could be the same level for all of it. I would try to avoid programs that group multiple subjects together, just because he could be at different levels in them and something would be a bad fit.

 

And enjoy your time together. They grow up fast.

 

:iagree:

I strive for a level that will stretch my DD but not cause frustration. When in doubt, I pick the harder book because I'd rather go slowly than have her zip through something that's not challenging enough.

[2smartones]

I like the word "encourage" more than "push" (because people who don't have gifted kids don't understand the difference and will shove it in your face if you say "push"). I don't push my kids to do something at their level any more than I would if they were on a "normal" level. It doesn't matter the grade level. Students are students. If they're capable of working at x level, I'm not going to push them to do y level work. I WILL push them to do x level work, though. If they're frustrated with the level of work, I back off. If they're frustrated with the work itself, hey... that's life. Grown-ups work. Kids do school. It's their job, and there's no arguing.

[cougarmom4]

It sounds like you're doing it just right. I agree with a pp that you will know if you are pushing...ds will let you know by his behavior & attitude.

 

One thing to consider--especially if you get to the point where the levels you are currently teaching seem a bit easy. I've found that it is helpful to sometimes change the 'challenge focus' around a bit. In other words, sometimes my kids are at a challenging level of math, but the other areas of school are a bit easier; a few months later the grasp of the math concepts may have improved, so we can stretch & grow in another area (perhaps adding in some challenging vocabulary or grammar), so that we are not stretching and growing in ALL areas at ALL times. Does that make any sense?

 

Also, I find enrichment to be a great way to make sure we are stretching & growing. Find an area or two that your ds is interested in--outside of academics--for him to be learning a new skill/ability. Something that he has to work at, practice frequently in order to improve, so he can see himself facing challenges & overcoming them. I think this is SO important and it is what my dc have often been missing in public school. This could be music lessons, learning to play chess, swimteam, building models, etc. Find something he can't just pick up and already be good at! You don't want to add on too much, of course, and it doesn't necessarily mean you're going to push him to be a concert pianist...he may want to change activities frequently...but I think there are many benefits to doing this.

[MaMa2005]

:iagree:

I strive for a level that will stretch my DD but not cause frustration. When in doubt, I pick the harder book because I'd rather go slowly than have her zip through something that's not challenging enough.

 

:iagree: and this also helps cut down on the cost of curriculum that they can run through at an amazing pace!!!

[ele325]

I think this is a great post. We are dealing with this problem right now. dd7 who flies through curriculum and is hard to challenge but is now pushing against having to do any work at all. Easy or challenging for her. We are working to figure out the balance between what is enough and what is too much. We are trying to branch out into more "extras" that interest her. Some even being academics, for example a science subject that she really enjoys and backing off of other things right now. It is a delicate balance!