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Home : 2007 : July : 3

pkjw
By josephineg

You wrote: "I have taught 3 students who skipped kindergarten because of high intelligence and skill level. In third grade all three were behind their classmates socially and their academics suffered."

What you
have reported sounds very unusual, based on the extensive and compelling research on acceleration. Please refer to: "A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America's Brightest Students", available for download at http://www.nationdeceived.org.

Maybe the essential questions prior to placement were not asked?

"Every conversation in America that includes the word 'acceleration'

should also include three essential, legitimate questions. If a student is being considered for acceleration, make sure these important questions are discussed:

Essential Question #1: Have we assessed the student's ability correctly so that we know this child is really read for ad advanced, fast-paced curriculum?

Essential Question #2: Given the results of our assessment, what might be the best form of acceleration for this child?

Essential Question #3: We know that in a few cases acceleration has not been effective. What can we do as a school to ensure success for the acceleration of this student?"

Informed responses can be found in volumes I and II of the above document.

As far as concerns about her feelings about dating and driver's licenses go (which I will point out have nothing to do with academics), please refer to my prior post or the above-referenced report. If you hold back a student academically, it does not mean that he will necessarily mature faster. That is not supported by the research on acceleration, or in fact any research that I have seen.

All the best.