Maximizing Learning Potential: Decisions

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Decisions

We have a lot of upcoming decisions to make for the 2009/2010 school year. Madeleine is going to be tested at our elementary school on Monday morning. They will be doing the JET screening as well as giving her the end-of-the year skills assessments for each grade. Then, we will meet with the principal, 2 assistant superintendents and the counselor to try to devise a plan for school next year. We may try to send her part-time as we did with Haley this year.

I have signed both girls up for Spanish II and Native American History at the Homeschool Learning Center. The classes meet on Tuesdays from 10-12. I may sign Haley up for Algebra II there as well. Of course, I had to get special permission from the teacher to allow her in the class. (That took some convincing :) The class meets from 8:30-10, so it wouldn't be inconvenient to take her. Haley will still go to JET one day a week next year (hopefully it doesn't fall on Tuesdays!). We are optimistic that Maddie will also get in, but time will tell. If she passes the screening on Monday, she will have the WASI administered on her this summer.

Haley made it into MEGSSS (an intensive 3-year math program for gifted middle schoolers). She's the youngest ever to test into the program. She is VERY excited to begin. We are going to try out the summer program and see how she does. We can either continue in the fall or wait a year. They are really flexible. She was just smiling from ear to ear when we got the acceptance letter in the mail. She especially liked the statement, "be prepared to be challenged!" It will be such a neat experience for her!

Hunter will be attending preschool two days a week next year. I think he will be ready to start some "formal schooling" at home as well. That means we probably need to think about getting another desk for the basement! He is very interested in math as well!! He loves to do his addition and subtraction problems. (although he's only adding and subtracting 0, 1, or 2)!

Haley also wants to do homeschool choir. The director also allows students to accompany specific songs, so she might get some great practice on the piano as well. I plan on being very busy running the kids back and forth!

1 comment:

RachelApril 30, 2009 at 12:38 PM
Let the insanity begin! We're really proud of Haley. It's so great that she got into MEGSSS!!
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Is it a Cheetah?

When we think of cheetahs we are likely to think first of their speed. It's flashy. It is impressive. It's unique. If a cheetah is confined to a 10 X 12 foot cage, though it may pace or fling itself against the bars in restless frustration, it won't run 70 mph.

IS IT STILL A CHEETAH?

If a cheetah has only 20 mph rabbits to chase for food, it won't run 70 mph while hunting.

A school system that defines giftedness (or talent) as behavior, achievement and performance is as compromised in its ability to recognize its highly gifted students and to give them what they need as a zoo would be to recognize and provide for its cheetahs if it looked only for speed.

However, schools are to extraordinarily intelligent children what zoos are to cheetahs. Many schools provide a 10 x 12 foot cage, giving the unusual mind no room to get up to speed. Many highly gifted children sit in the classroom the way big cats sit in their cages, dull-eyed and silent. Some, unable to resist the urge from inside even though they can't exercise it, pace the bars, snarl and lash out at their keepers, or throw themselves against the bars until they do themselves damage.
In some schools brilliant children are asked to do what they were never designed to do while the attributes that are a natural aspect of unusual mental capacity -- intensity, passion, high energy, independence, moral reasoning, curiosity, humor, unusual interests and insistence on truth and accuracy -- are considered problems that need fixing.

Exerpts from Stephanie S. Tolan ©1996

Work Samples

Manatees (unedited)
By Haley
05/14/09

Manatees are very different than other animals. Manatees are aquatic mammals. They are also endangered. Manatees live in warm waters. They are very slow. Manatees are related to elephants. Manatees never hurt any other animal.

Manatees are funny looking creatures. Manatees are a grey- brown color. They are known as sea cows. A baby manatee weighs about 60 pounds. A grown manatee weighs about 1000 pounds. Sharp propellers from motor boats scar the manatees back.

Manatees have to lots of things after they have a baby. A mother manatee always stays near her calf. Manatees always teach there calf which plants are safe to eat. Manatees usally have one baby at a time every three years. The first thing a baby manatee does after it gets born it rises to the surface to breath. Last, a female manatee becomes an adult when it is five.

Manatees were used in lots of different ways. Its skin was burned as fuel. Also its bones where used as medican and jewelry. Its skin was made into shoes. Manatees fed many people.

Manatees are endangered animals. People need to protect them and not hurt them so they don’t dye out!