Has anyone been through this?
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Obviously I’m talking about the late 90s here so I’m sure a lot has changed!! But all I’m saying is make sure you consider all the other aspects of the school experience outside of just the formal education bit when you make your call, and ask loads of questions about how your daughter will be supported in those ways if she is put in a gifted stream.
That’s a really interesting and valid take - thank you!
I don't have first hand experience with my child, but like @Jess my niece skipped a grade and she did great throughout her education, she was even offered to skip another grade (my sister opted not to). Although she never had any trouble in academics, she did have trouble socially, especially in high school. She was always the youngest by far from all of her friends so her rules were still a little different. She was 16 years old when her friends were turning 18. So they had more freedom and she had a strict curfew because she was still only 16. So she always felt left out and didn't move into the dorms the first year in college because she didn't want to feel left out of social events for being too young. She also had a hard time with keeping long term friendships. Not saying that's the case with all kids who skip a grade, but the social aspect is something to def consider.
I think it’s always good to get any form of assessment offered. Then what you do with it next is still up to you. If they offer her to skip a grade, as a teacher, I’d recommend to decline. There are other ways they can be challenged academically without skipping. The teachers will know though to create more challenging work in advance which would prevent your child from being bored. The assessment will give more information in your child which is always a good thing. You don’t have to do anything else after if you don’t want to. Well done though - sounds like you’re raising a brilliant little girl 🥰
Not my daughter (yet), but myself. I went to school in various countries throughout Europe. I was considered gifted. My parents were offered that I skip a grade. They declined, but the schools offered a supplemental gifted program that would be more challenging for me without having me skip a grade and leave my peers. So, I would go off to another classroom periodically through the day to be taught more challenging lessons and more challenging work with other peers. Maybe the school offers something similar? Or maybe there is an after or before school program that you kid could be entered into to challenge them? Or maybe even tutoring but in more advanced subjects?
The same with others, I was also "gifted" but then struggled socially as a result and also felt immense pressure knowing from such a young age that I was different and that there were now expectations around my intelligence and potential. It made me a perfectionist with a fear of failure. If teachers could just give her some extra questions that might be best. A possible alternative would be after school tutoring or taking her to clubs she has an interest in so she can enjoy learning outside of school
Thank you all! I’d not really put thought into the social implications so this has been very helpful
I haven’t experienced this as a mum but I did experience it as a kid - also in Australia. I was ‘gifted’ and accelerated from year 1 to year 3… I didn’t do year 2. I guess I was around 7 years old? I think my parents thought they were doing the best thing for me because I wasn’t being challenged or stimulated by the coursework and in many ways I’m sure it was the right call, but it also caused some problems. I missed out on foundational education in maths so I wasn’t up to speed with the rest of the kids in year 3, which gave me this lifelong conviction that I was crap at maths and made me avoid subjects like science etc later on. It also caused some social problems where my old friends thought I thought I was better than them and my new peers thought I was a baby, so it was hard to gel with my new class, and it meant I was a year younger than everyone at graduation time so I didn’t have the same options for work and travel after high school.