By Diane Scanlon Joseph spent part of the sixth grade in school. His special education re-evaluation miraculously showed him to be "cured" of his disability. It's funny that he still couldn't write well and couldn't spell for beans. So, he went on to the sixth grade without his safety net. During my fight for gifted education, pressure was brought on Joseph's teachers by some of the other teachers in the school. Comments were made that they ought to be challenging him more than they were. They were insulted by this and rather than act in Joseph's best interest, they set out to try to prove me wrong about my own son. They grew to resent me and him. My requests for a more challenging reading book for him were constantly ignored. The problem grew worse until we realized there was only one option. To get him away from there. I continued to homeschool Joe until the 9th grade, which, for a child like Joseph is a misnomer. Joseph was born "ready to learn", as many highly gifted children are. Without a teacher looming over him, insisting that he "learn" that which he already knew, he was allowed to grow and to discover. His mind had been set free. He was well adjusted, had friends and was happy. But the educational establishment failed him as they have failed many others like him and continue to do so. Children like my son need to be taught at a much higher and deeper level than that of other children. This can not be accomplished in the regular classroom. The new panacea for gifted education is "enrichment" and cluster grouping. Well, that works well for the academically talented and moderately gifted child. But, a highly or profoundly gifted child needs a specialized education. In the case of home education, highly gifted children should be released from rigid regulations. Especially if the child is testing out of grade level by three years or more!! It's time for educators and politicians to come together and admit that they have not acted right by these children. There's an analogy I use to describe the torture these children go through from the day they enter school. Imagine wanting to drive your new car in the drive way. But, the state won't give you a license. They won't believe that you already know how to drive even though you have been for so many years. So, they make you take drivers training over and over again. When you score high enough on your driver's test, they make you take it again. How long will it be before you give up and take the bus? Updated 1998 Joe now says he is ready to go back to school. He doesn't want to go to college. We searched for a private school and he choose an all boy college prep school here in RI that claims to have an ability to challenge gifted youths. Time will tell...... And he still wants to be a doctor Updated 2000 Well, that private school did no better for him. We now live on the west coast. And while in a regular public high school and taking some honors classes in those subjects he loves most, he is finally happy and doing well. He is an honor student. He is happy and wants to fly airliners Updated 2002 Now in college and studying aviation, Joe is happy, healthy and feeling like he's where he belongs. It's been an interesting ride! But, now we know we did the right thing to homeschool. It works! Updated 2005 Woops! Flip Flopped on me again. We're now into Economics. Copyright © DiRhody 1997 - 2005 |
