MedicMom Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 DS5 is in public k this year. He has some behavior issues typical of HFA kids(can't transition, major melt downs, sensory needs) and is in an 8:1:1 classroom with some mainstreaming going on. They finished his testing for his IEP and found he places into second grade. As he is refusing to do his kindergarten worksheets anyway, and anything with a worksheet sends him into a meltdown, they want to go ahead and place him in second grade, albeit in a restrictive classroom. The new class would cut down on sensory stimuli and is 12:1:1 so there are actually four adults, and they can differentiate. I know the K worksheets and lessons are boring for him. Right now they are things he could have done as an 18 month old, and his three year old sister can(and does if I'm not supervising like a hawk) do his homework for him. So he believes he is stuck in a class for babies. But he is 5. And emotionally immature. And small for his age. Placing my 5 year old, with a May birthday, into second grade seems like a huge jump to me. I countered with 1st grade but the school psychologist thinks he will still be bored. He actually placed into end of third grade math and science, so second grade is kind of a compromise. Plus, it would graduate him very young. Has anyone else grade skipped so young? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 I would be very hesitant to do this, particularly for a kid with ASD. IMO, the school needs to be wiling to provide more challenging materials and he needs to stay with same age peers. The gap you see in social maturity and functioning will grow as he and his peers age, and this will cause issues for him down the road. Kids on the spectrum need more time to mature, not less so no, I would not do this. Instead, I would ask for work at his level while staying with same age peers. In the long run, I think this will better serve his needs. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Wow this is so tough. I think I would push for first, at least for a trial. I doubt the K teacher will be able to differentiate enough, but maybe it's possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Do they have to formally call him a second grader? Can he stay an advanced K? I mean I think trying it out is worth a shot, but if you CALL him a second grader it's going to be a lot more challenging for him psychologically imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Will he be mainstreamed soon? Here HFA would be mainstreamed from the word go - actually low functioning autism would be too. I agree with the others though could he be in grade 1 and work at grade 2 level? Also having read the complaints and stress of people trying to get non special needs kids skipped I am also amazed that they are willing to skip him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 We chose to homeschool when my DD's schoo, suggested putting her in a 2/3 split class at age 5, after she'd been in K at age 4. It was just too big of a difference in size and physical demands of the classroom. Skill-wise, it would probably have been a better fit, and less overstimulatimg than a younger class (DD spent most of K sitting at the back of the room under a table, doing stacks of 2nd grade workbooks and reading because she could not cope with the chaos that is 24 kindergartners doing centers.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicMom Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 They have tried to mainstream and he's not good with it. This classroom is self contained K-2nd grade. He's spending mornings in it now and doing well. Because it's a small inclusive class they are able to differentiate. He just is at a 2nd grade or higher level in everything. They see no point in forcing him to do work that he already knows and is refusing to do anyway. My concern is if we let him do second grade work now, what does he do when he's technically in second grade and so on? Their plan right now is simply to let him accelerate at his own pace. This is a small town rural school. There is no gifted program or resources other than acceleration and grade skipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Just let him go. There's always more to learn. Dual enrollment options at a local CC are always an option for high school. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicMom Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 Do they actually need to grade skip to put him in that class? Couldnt they call it a multiage K-5? His need for an appropriate sensory diet goes right with his need for instruction in his zpd. Are the students in this class developmentally where he is emotionally? It is beyond frustrating to many kinders to be in a classroom with those operating on toddler level emotionally, verbally, and academically. Is he not entitled to stay in school until 21? Are they proposing to quit academics when he gains the academics for the diploma, and then move him into a work transition program, even if he is 14? My district is offering to graduate nonspecial needs students early, rather than offering advanced courses. Parents of younger students (too young to drive) either put them in study hall or drive them over to the CC if they dont take the grad early option. I assume we would be looking at early college. He will likely not be appropriate for a work transition program. We would have opportunity for community college,AP, Internet courses. I did early college at 16, and perhaps I need to let go of wanting my kids to have a normal high school experience that I feel I missed. The kids in this class are on par with him emotionally. They are lower academically, but with the ability to differentiate instruction the teacher doesn't think that will be an issue. DS5 has no real interest in people who can't discuss his theoretical interests with him, however, so I don't expect him to make friends anyway. They would manage his sensory needs as well. The class this year is likely perfect for him. My concerns are when he is older and no longer needs the extra support of a restricted classroom, and gets mainstreamed at the age of 7 into a fourth or fifth grade classroom. Maybe I should just pray we are able to homeschool by then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 If it is working well, then stay with it. What you don't want to happen is to have him decide that school is boring, drudge, torture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 If they are having him do 2nd grade work in K, that is great. I don't think I'd let them officially promote him to 2nd grade so early. I'm not clear on what they are actually proposing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicMom Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 They are letting him do second grade work in the K-2 inclusive classroom. But that classroom only goes to 2nd grade, when he's done with 2nd grade work he will have to go to a 3rd grade classroom. So even if it doesn't happen today, it is starting the acceleration path that will end with him in a classroom with kids two years older than he is. He will be mainstreamed as soon as he can control some of his sensory issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedicMom Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 They are letting him do second grade work in the K-2 inclusive classroom. But that classroom only goes to 2nd grade, when he's done with 2nd grade work he will have to go to a 3rd grade classroom. So even if it doesn't happen today, it is starting the acceleration path that will end with him in a classroom with kids two years older than he is. He will be mainstreamed as soon as he can control some of his sensory issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 With the exception of reading and math, though, it should be feasible for them to address his needs by going broader in the elementary subjects rather than moving faster through them. Therefore I would assume he will still spend the majority of his school day with his age peers or close. If that is not their plan, I would push for it. I can't see how your child can be expected to perform with kids who are 2 and 3 years older and neurotypical - at least until he is able to overcome some of his non-academic challenges. Does the school have any formal gifted programs for kids as they get older? Around here, gifted pull-outs start in 3rd grade, and there are other optional programs for kids who need more intellectual stimulation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndOfOrdinary Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 I do not mean this to be uncaring. I say it because I really needed someone to say it to me and my parents needed to hear it when I was the 5 year old. I say it because more than anything, I have been that kid, and it openly sucks! You child is never going to be normal. Like ever. He is more than likely always going to have to fake it to some degree with his age peers. All extremely gifted kids do to some degree; they physically think differently. ASD kids do not fake it well (myself, my brother, and years as a SpEd para have shown me this countless times). You are asking your son to fit into a situation that more than likely is so emotionally draining, he just cannot do it. Placing him into a higher grade level will at least give him the chance to have one facet of his needs hopefully met. FWIW this is the reason we homeschool. My son started K at 4, and maxed out the prinary grade level testing by winter term. They had no place for him in general circulation. It was two or three full grade jumps with a extroverted 4year old, or kid in the corner teaching himself. We chose to homeschool so that he could have his academics completely hidden from his friend relationships. In that way, none of his friends really know anything about non profits, geometry/algebra, Latin, Herodotus, or any of the rest. They know a 11 year old who likes Percy Jackson and skateboarding. Very few adults even know, though that circle is quickly getting wider. So I have never really had to make your choice. I refused to make it because either route woukd have really hurt my son. If homeschooling did not work, Dh wanted in class differentiation (and still believes this is somehow possible 😳) and I wanted the grade skipping. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abba12 Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 As a kid who was both gifted and aspie I desperately wished my parents had accelerated me. The kids at school in my age range didn't like me anyway, and wasn't the point of school to learn. Interestingly enough throughout my entire childhood and teenage years I found that I got along better with people 2+ years older or younger than me but never my age peers. Even into adulthood I've never had a single friend my age. So how does he manage socially with these kids? If it were me, if he's going to struggle no matter what socially, I'd rather struggle in an environment that is stimulating in other ways Also, consider behavioral issues due to boredom. That was definitely an issue for me. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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